The Spotted Color Pattern Knabstrupper

Well, we’re sure; you haven’t seen this type of horse in your life before. So, we’d like to tell you, that this is a “Knabstrupper”. This horse breed is habitually about 15.2 to 16 hands (62 to 64 inches, 157 to 163 cm), but there’re also pony sized ones under 14.2 hands (58 inches, 147 cm). The majestically beautiful coat patterns range from solid to a full leopard spotted coat, with several variants in between. 

Therefore, the spotted color patterns common in the Knabstrupper are seen in other breeds, such as the Appaloosa horse, however the two breeds grown independently of one another. But few “Knabstrupper” are born with solid colors, like in as bay or chestnut. The “Knabstrupper” breed was first established in 1812 in Denmark. A chestnut mare with leopard complex blanket markings was bred to a solid-colored stallion, bring into being a colt with dramatic spotting. Therefore, the mare and her son were each bred to several other horses, creating numerous offspring with spotting and establishing the “Knabstrupper” as a breed. 

Indeed, this breed was once very popular, but later on, it was crossbred with other horses and it is not sure if any purebreds from this breed remain. They do well in dressage and show jumping, and are used in general riding, as carriage horses and as circus horses. Moreover, in 1971, three Appaloosa stallions were imported to Denmark to enlarge new blood to the “Knabstrupper breed”. Thus “Knabstruppers” these days are bred in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, USA, and, most lately, Czech Republic, Australia and New Zealand.