The Danish Knabstrupper
The birth of a legend.... and the brink of extinction
1812: In Denmark, a man named Villars Lunn; purchased a chestnut spotted mare named “Flaebehoppen” (after the Danish butcher, "Flaeb", whom originally owned her). Her origins traced back to a spanish officer, stationed in Denmark during the Napoleon wars. Her unusual leopard coloration, hard working stamina, and kind demeanor set her apart from the other horses. Noting this, she was placed into service at the Lunn's stud farm “Knabstrupgaard”, and became the foundation dam for the Knabstrupper breed. After a successful pairing of "Flaebehoppen" to a Fredricksborg stallion, a red spotted colt was born. With the foundation horses set in place, the breed was born! A couple decades into the breed, the legendary “Mikkel”; a red leopard stallion (by “Flaebe”), became the 'modern' foundation sire, and became the benchmark standard for the Knabstruppers as we know them today.
1870: A barn fire at the Lunn's 'Knabstrupgaard Stud' farm; ultimately killed 22 of the prized leopard horses; and put the limited breed on the brink of extinction. It was then, that the few Knabs remaining; were outcrossed to solid baroque warmbloods; in an effort to save them.
Through efforts of breeders across Denmark, the Knabstrupper remained close to it’s origins; a true breed from the Danish past; a baroque type horse, who’s temperament and stamina has survived the greatest trials of time.
1870: A barn fire at the Lunn's 'Knabstrupgaard Stud' farm; ultimately killed 22 of the prized leopard horses; and put the limited breed on the brink of extinction. It was then, that the few Knabs remaining; were outcrossed to solid baroque warmbloods; in an effort to save them.
Through efforts of breeders across Denmark, the Knabstrupper remained close to it’s origins; a true breed from the Danish past; a baroque type horse, who’s temperament and stamina has survived the greatest trials of time.
The Breed Today
The Modern Knabstrupper comes in two basic types -- Classical Baroque and Sport Type.
The Baroque type is heavier set, reflective of the original pedigrees and outcrosses to save the breed during it's early trials. The Baroque Knabstruppers carry on a centuries' old tradition of classical reverence, true to the Danish dressage roots, and royal hierarchy. In a form that is still practiced openly in Denmark today; the Knabstrupper is often used for performances depicting wartime maneuvers; a reflection of the world they originated in, promoting Denmark's unique and royal heritage.
The Sport-type Knabstrupper is lighter boned, highly athletic, and excels at multiple disciplines. The most common of the two types, it embodies the spirit of today's working warmblood horse; powerful muscular structure coupled with a slightly narrower structure; designed for greater speed and agility, when compared to it's classical counterparts. Sport Knabs are often used today for Eventing, Dressage, Show Jumping and Driving. Their willingness to work and eager ambitions to please, make them a steady favorite amongst breeders around the world.
The Modern Knabstrupper comes in two basic types -- Classical Baroque and Sport Type.
The Baroque type is heavier set, reflective of the original pedigrees and outcrosses to save the breed during it's early trials. The Baroque Knabstruppers carry on a centuries' old tradition of classical reverence, true to the Danish dressage roots, and royal hierarchy. In a form that is still practiced openly in Denmark today; the Knabstrupper is often used for performances depicting wartime maneuvers; a reflection of the world they originated in, promoting Denmark's unique and royal heritage.
The Sport-type Knabstrupper is lighter boned, highly athletic, and excels at multiple disciplines. The most common of the two types, it embodies the spirit of today's working warmblood horse; powerful muscular structure coupled with a slightly narrower structure; designed for greater speed and agility, when compared to it's classical counterparts. Sport Knabs are often used today for Eventing, Dressage, Show Jumping and Driving. Their willingness to work and eager ambitions to please, make them a steady favorite amongst breeders around the world.
For breeding purposes in today's lineage; acceptable outcrosses (as governed by the KNN in Denmark) to produce the Sport-type Knabstruppers, includes Thoroughbreds, German, Dutch & Danish Warmbloods, and the Arabian -- all horses being of non-grey or parti-colored descent. Breeding Knabstruppers to the American Appaloosa horse is highly frowned upon (and non-registerable within the main stud books); as stock lineage is not allowed within the Knabstrupper breed. At this time, there is no "Part-knab' registry, or club within the USA or European countries.
For more information about the breed, please visit the KNN's website; the Danish home of our parent registry for the Knabstruppers. Click here --> *KNN*
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“When some people look at the Danish Knabstrupper, they see only the spotted similarities to the modern day Appaloosa. What others see when they look at the Knabstrupper, is a reflection of their past… |