The Knabstrupper or Knabstrup is a Danish breed of warmblood horse. It is principally a riding horse, but is also used as a harness horse and as a circus animal.[6]: 64 It is broadly similar to the Frederiksborger, but often has a spotted coat. In the past, injudicious breeding for this characteristic alone compromised its constitution and conformation.[7][8] In the 21st century, it is considered to be an endangered breed, with a world-wide population estimated at little over 2,000 horses.[2]
History
Mare and foal
The Knabstrupper descends from a single Iberian horse mare, "with the stamp of an English hunter type",[9] believed to have originated in Spain who showed qualities of endurance and speed, and was of an unusual colouration: a deep red (German: Zobelfuchs) with a white tail and mane, and white flecks or "snowflakes" over her whole body and brown spots on her back.[5]: 480 She was called Flaebehoppen ("Flaebe's horse"), because she was reportedly bought by a butcher named Flaebe from a horse cavalry officer of the Spanish army. He sold her to Willars Knudsen Lunn [da], who took her to his estate at Knabstrup Hovedgård in the kommune of Holbæk in Zealand.[8]: 176
There, in 1808, after a month of testing of her working capabilities, he bred her to a Frederiksborger stallion.[5]: 480 [7]: 113 A registry was founded in 1812 for the establishment of a new "spotted" horse breed, using Flaebehoppen as foundation stock.[10] The stallion Mikkel, a grandson of this pair foaled in 1818, was a noted harness-racer and a foundation stallion of the Knabstrupper breed.[5]: 480 [7]: 113 [8]: 176 In 1971, three Appaloosa stallions were imported to Denmark in the hope of adding new blood to the Knabstrupper breed; only two of them were used, and many breeders preferred to cross-breed with Danish Warmblood, Holsteiner, or Trakehner stock.[9]
With the emerging popularity of the Friesian horse, a Dutch horse breed of "light draft" build from the Netherlands, in the 1980s, Knabstruppers also began to be crossbred with Friesians. Crossbreeding of Friesians and Knabstruppers may date back even earlier, as Friesians were also documented as being used as circus horses in 1939.[11]
As of 2024, Knabstruppers are no longer allowed to be bred to Appaloosas by the Knabstrupper Association of Denmark,[12] as a stock horse type is not desirable in the breed. Instead, breeding Knabstruppers to warmblood breeds, Thoroughbreds, and Arabians is encouraged to produce a sport horse type.[13]
Characteristics
The horses usually stand between 154 and 162 cm at the withers;[5]: 480 small or pony-sized ones have also been bred.[9] The coat may be of any color except piebald or palomino, but is most often spotted.[2]
^Transboundary breed: Knabstrupper. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2022.
