Never heard of a Knabstrupper? Don’t feel bad. There are estimated to be less than 100 of them in the United States at the moment. But once you’ve seen one of these spotted and wildly colorful Danish horses, you’ll never forget them. Just ask any of the hundreds of new fans who met Pegasus and Fable, who represented the breed at Equine Affaire in Pomona earlier this year. The stallions were often busy greeting visitors to the American Knabstrupper Assn.’s booth, performing under saddle in exhibition or in the workout arena with dressage trainer Susann Regalmuto and patiently participating in demonstrations throughout the event.
Although the Knabstrupper is new to North America it is an ancient breed. It traces back to the Spanish Jennets that carried the Conquistadors of that country onto our continent in the 1500s.
The American Knabstrupper Association’s (AKA) website explains that the Knabstrupper was established in 1812 with a single chestnut-blanketed mare purchased by a Dane from a Spanish cavalry officer. The mare’s new owner owned an estate in Denmark called Knabstrupgaard, hence a breed name that is as colorful as its coats. The mare was bred to a Fredricksborg stallion and produced a “wildly colored stallion son.” This stallion and another were bred to a variety of good quality horses who established the Knabstrupper as one of Europe’s most sought-after breeds.
The Knabstrupper almost died out in the late 1800s, due to inbreeding common in small populations and a fire that killed 22 of the breed’s top producers. Attempts to re-establish the line began in the 1940s, and in 1971, breeder Frede Nielsen bought three Appaloosa stallions to Denmark to revitalize the line. The Appaloosa, too, is a descendant of the Jennet horses, so the pairing made sense beyond the obvious similarities in dramatic coat patterns.
There were no Knabstruppers in North America until 2002. The AKA was only founded in 2003 and became a registry in 2005. Worldwide, there are only about 3,000 registered Knabstruppers. “Trying to get the Danish and the Germans to let go of their good ones is hard,” explains AKA president Rebecca Pennington.
A Prized Producer
That’s why a stallion like Pegasus, one of the Equine Affaire stars, is so important. Owned by Patrick Truxillo of Anza, Pegasus is categorized as a Baroque type by the KNN, the Knabstrupper registry in Denmark. The KNN’s three types are pony, Baroque and Sporthorse. Rebecca explains that the 15.3 hand Pegasus’ bloodlines automatically classify him as a Baroque, but she describes him as much more of a sporthorse type.
Pegasus will be making his debut on the dressage circuit in California this spring and his trainer Susann is impressed with how quickly this breed adapts and learns. He is considered a wonderful example of the Knapstrupper’s intelligence and temperament. In a short period of time, he has become ready to start showing in the lower levels of dressage. The combination of his movement and rideability makes Susann believe that Pegasus will be more than “just the average competitor.”
In his relative lack of spots, Pegasus reflects an irony in the Knapstrupper’s breeding: Although the mostly solid-white Pegasus is a “few spot,” he has the unique gene pattern that guarantees he will throw color in his offspring, an obviously prized trait in a sire.
As is true of his breed in general, Pegasus has a “very gentle disposition,” says Patrick. Together with his partner at Equine Affaire, Diane Nilson, they spent countless hours talking to patrons about the breed while admirers young and old petted and oohed and aahed over him. During one of the formal presentations, “We suddenly had an impromptu theme for the children of ‘Have you hugged your Pegasus today?’,” Diane laughs. Patience and gentleness in such a situation are unusual for a stallion of any breed, and all the more so considering it was Pegasus’ first experience with the busy and sometimes chaotic world of an equine exposition.
Pegasus’ first batch of babies was born in 2005 and since then he’s produced 16 colorful foals, the majority of which have been rated premium by the Zuchtverband für deutsche Pferde (ZfDP). His first U.S.-born foal is expected to arrive in late March. “He throws his fantastic conformation, movement and extreme intelligence,” Patrick reports. He predicts that Pegasus will be a perfect cross for well-bred Warmblood mares. When that prediction comes true, the look of the sporthorse landscape is sure to liven up.
For more information on breeding to Pegasus, visit www.baroque-n-dreams.com or call 951-763-2784. For more information on the Knabstrupper, visit www.knabstruppers.com.
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