Anyone Know Anything About Knabstrupers?

If I was going to give up my current horse, which I'm not, and buy a new one, which I can't afford, I'd be really interested in a Knabstruper. They're rare in the US but there are some breeders, and they don't seem outrageously priced. They're supposed to be "good family horses," which I hope means that lil ole me could ride one. Has anybody ever had one or ridden one or known one?

Nope, I just know they're beautiful :)

Nope, do a search on the internet, they are an interesting breed tho,

YES, I had a Knabstrup. His name was Toby and he was a horse of a life time! I got Toby when he was twelve years old and he passed away at the ripe old age of 31. I rode him solidly until he was 24 and then gently until he was 28. He will always be in my mind as one of the great loves of my life.

Toby was very bold and brave but never dangerous or unpredictable. He had an incredibly strong personality and if he did not like a person he would not be backward in showing his disdain. After quite a fews years of it just being him and I he did get to the stage where he wouldn't let anyone else ride him. That was my fault though because I was so young I loved that he was MY horse only. When I say he wouldn't let anyone else ride him I mean he just wouldn't go where they asked and he would keep walking back to me. He never kicked, bit, reared, bucked or refused anything the entire time I had him.

He would give anything a go, once I had to load him in to a cattle crate to transport him, in order to get in to the crate he had to walk across a piece of timber (6x12). The reeason he had to do this was because we couldn't back the truck close enough to the bank that he had to load from. We found a piece of timber that would do the trick, put it across to the crate entrance and Toby walked across as if he did it everyday. On another occassion a similar situation, we were riding in a gnarly valley beside a river. When we finally got to the bridge we were looking for it was all but gone, all that was left were the two cross members, most of the planks were gone or broken. I got off Toby and I lead him across one of the cross members, on the way home I rode back across.

I used to get comments on how well I rode. Toby had gaits that made me look like a good rider, even bareback riding was effortless. On a couple of occassions we did get to go on rides with a lot of people and Toby would dance and prance. He never pulled or fought and I could ride him on a totally relaxed rein and seat, never feeling like he was going to go off. He jsut loved to show off so he would dance and prance like a Lippizaner, head up, neck arched super high, he was a real show pony LOL.

When Toby began to really show his age I began frantically searching for another of his bloodlines, unfortunately due to a monumental stuff up the original Knabstrup bloodlines that were imported into NZ in the 70's (Toby was born in 1975) have been obliterated. Three stallions came into the country but were registered as Appaloosa's (very long story involving total A hole's). I would give anything to have another Knabstrup, ultimately it will happen.

Here is a very bad pic of my mother on Toby, taken many years ago. And another of my then boyfriend (now husband).

He looks exactly like my friends Appy, he looks more App than Knabstrup to me but wow he's a cutie.

I wish I could have grown up with a horse like that. Excellent story.

Yes, I'm sorry I should have been more clear, Toby was 1/2 Knabstrup. His dam was a TB. His sire was a leopard spotted Knabstrup and he was the quintissential old style Knabstrup with the quite cobby, coarse head and fairly unrefined conformation. Although Toby was physically more refined than his sire due to his TB dam, I always thought of him as a Knabstrup simply because his nature was exactly as the breed is described. Knabstrup's were often used as circus horses, they are easy to train and unflappable, Toby would have made a great circus horse.

To find out more about the breed google 'Apollon'. This is a foundation stallion for todays modern Knabstrup. The stud that had Apollon still have his progeny I believe their main stallion at stud is a son to Apollon named Witchfinder. They are a bit different to the old style Knabstrup, very refined, and bred for performance in the show ring. I hope they haven't lost the amazing character of the breed which was what made Toby so unique and special. Spotted horses are a dime a dozen, but a horse like Toby is very rare.

www.gestuet-falkenhorst. This is my favourite site to find out what is happening with the Knabstrup. I said the new stallion was Witchfinder, actually his name was Witchmaster and he has disappeared to be replaced with Attila. So many beautiful horses - I need more money!!

That's it! That's my ideal horse. Now to get rich quick. . .

I've done a lot of googling and saw the Apollon line and love the looks of them, but your story was what I was hoping to hear, KG. Thanks so much!