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KNN Standard for Knabstrupper Horses and Ponies
As printed in the 2005 UK Grading Programme, with thanks for the translation from Danish by Theresa Vimmerslev.
The spotted Knabstrupper is an old Danish heritage breed, which is accepted by the Danish Knabstrupper Society when conforming to the following standards.
Type
The Knabstrupper is defined as a riding horse. The types existing, as defined in paragraph 2 of the Society’s regulations, are:
The Knabstrupper Horse.
This is a big framed and well balanced horse with good depth and breadth.
The Knabstrupper Pony.
This is a well balanced riding pony with good depth and breadth.
The Miniature Pony.
This is an all-round ride, drive and show pony. A well balanced (harmonic) type with good depth and breadth and clear pony characteristics.
Size
The Knabstrupper horse and pony categories are divided as follows:
The Knabstrupper Horse: above 148 cm at the withers
The Knabstrupper Pony Cat 1: 138 -148 cm at the withers
The Knabstrupper Pony Cat 2: 128-138 cm at the withers
The Knabstrupper Pony Cat 3: 105-128 cm at the withers
The Miniature Pony: up to 104 cm at the withers
Colour
The Knabstrupper’s most significant characteristic is a particular colouration. There are significant permutations in the colouring. The extent of the colouring therefore has no bearing on the assessment and classification.
The minimum permitted colouration is flesh coloured areas at natural openings.
Solid coloured stallions with only flesh coloured areas at natural openings are ineligible for grading.
Stallions with the greying gene are ineligible for grading.
Stallions with ‘wall eye’ or ‘rat tail’ (very sparse hair on the tail) are also ineligible.
Horses and ponies with distinctly piebald or skewbald markings are ineligible for grading.
Solid coloured mares out of or by one graded Knabstrupper parent are eligible for grading.
Solid coloured pure bred stallions (i.e. at least 75% pure bred in the 3rd generation) are eligible for grading but must achieve an overall mark of 8 or above.
Head and Neck
The Knabstrupper Horse has an expressive noble head with large clear and calm eyes and good clearance between the lower jaw and start of the neck. The head is attached through a good poll to a well-proportioned and well-set neck.
The Knabstrupper pony should have a small expressive and noble head with a wide brow, small ears and large clear and calm eyes. There should be plenty of space between the lower jaw and start of the neck. The head should be joined through a flexible poll to a well proportioned and well-set neck.
The Miniature Pony has a small expressive and noble head with large clear eyes and small ears. The head should be joined though a flexible poll to a well-proportioned and well-set neck.
Shoulder and Withers
The Knabstrupper horse has a long sloping shoulder and a well-defined wither.
The Knabstrupper pony has a long sloping shoulder and a well-defined wither.
The Miniature Pony has a free and sloping shoulder.
Withers, back and loin
The Knabstrupper horse has a well defined wither which flows into a strong back and short muscular loins.
The Knabstrupper pony has a well defined wither which flows into a strong back and short muscular loins.
The Miniature Pony has a short and strong top line and short muscular loins.
Croup
The Knabstrupper horse has a long, slightly sloping, muscular croup with a well set tail and tail carriage.
The Knabstrupper Pony has a long sloping and muscular croup. The hind quarters should be deep broad and well-muscled.
The Miniature Pony has a well-shaped and muscular croup, with a well-set tail.
Limbs
The Knabstrupper Horse has sound, strong, clean and well-turned limbs. The hocks and pasterns should be well-defined with correct angles. There should be plenty of bone with a smooth transition to the cannon. The cannon should be short and flat. The pasterns should be proportionately long and sprung. There is a muscular forearm; the hind leg has a well-defined broad and deep musculature. The hoof should be well formed with good horn quality.
The Knabstrupper Pony has sound, strong, clean and well-turned limbs. The hocks and pasterns should be well-defined with correct angles. The cannon should be short and flat. The pasterns should be proportionately long and sprung. The hoof should be well formed with good horn quality.
The Miniature Pony has sound, strong, clean and well-turned limbs. The hocks and pasterns should be well-defined with correct angles and flat joints. The hoof should be well formed with good horn quality.
Movement
The Knabstrupper Horse has a light and forward movement.
The Knabstrupper Pony’s movement should be rhythmic with good length of stride and a powerful action.
The Miniature Pony should have a rhythmic and ground covering stride. Good elasticity in the movement is desirable.
Temperament
The Knabstrupper Horse must be lively and friendly.
The Knabstrupper Pony must have an amiable and cooperative manner.
The Miniature Pony must be energetic, amiable and cooperative.
The Baroque Knabstrupper
Type
The ideal Baroque Knabstrupper Horse is elegant, well balanced with good muscle mass and three equally proportioned body parts, preferably with equal height and length. A muscular build with good depth and breadth is desirable.
Height
The ideal height at the withers should be within the range of 148 to 165 cm.
Temperament
The horse should be calm, alert, intelligent and cooperative.
Head
The head must be expressive. The eyes should be large and widely set. The ears should not be disproportionately large. The bridge of the nose may be pronounced. The lower jaw should be broad and well defined.
Poll
The length and shape of the poll should allow good freedom and throat clearance between the lower jaw and the neck.
Neck
The neck should be long and high set with a muscular crest. An over pronounced lower neck is undesirable.
Body
The shoulder should be long, sloping and muscular with a long bone in the upper arm and should be flexible with good freedom of movement. The top line should be muscular, flexible and gracefully rounded. The back should be medium to short, muscular and strong. The loin should be compact and flexible with a well-developed musculature. The croup should be muscular and sloped. The tail should not be too highly set.
Limbs
The legs should be clean and well-turned with correct angles in hocks and pasterns. The thigh bone should be long and sloping. The pasterns should be strong and elastic. The Hooves should be strong, well-shaped and of proportionate size.
Movement
The movement should be energetic and rhythmical with a natural balance. Good lift in front and hind legs is desirable, so that the forward motion in walk and trot is with a slightly bent knee and hock. The walk should be relaxed with a good length of stride. The trot should be energetic, rhythmic and track correctly with the hinds moving well in under the horse and with good elevation. The canter should be calm and well balanced showing good elevation in the stride.