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Building Blocks for a successful breeding program
As responsible equine enthusiasts, our goal is not to add more horses to the world, but to improve the quality of Friesians, Friesian Crosses and Knabstruppers though selective breeding.
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The Friesian Breed
The Friesian breed originated in Friesland, a province in the Netherlands, where they served as medieval war horses and work horses. Their temperament, intelligence, and willingness to learn have made them ideal horses for several disciplines, including driving and dressage. The Friesian demands attention with his proud, noble air. That kind of flair is perfect for the show ring, but it’s also fitting for the silver screen, and many movie and TV-show directors seek out these horses for their commanding presence on film.
Understanding the importance of quality genetics, Five Filly Farm has sought to add superb Friesian horses with superior pedigrees to our breeding stock. Over the last 40 years, the breed has been steadily moving toward breeding for performance to increase success in the show ring, not just for driving but more specifically for dressage.
The Knabstrupper Breed
Five Filly Farm strives to breed a Friesian horse with strong, powerful hind quarters, a luxurious frame with ample power, long sloping shoulder, light-footed movements with a moment of suspension, appropriate height (not too short or too tall- both have their cons), lots of flowing hair, and an honest character with eagerness to work and please.
These are the traits embodied by our Friesian herd. Each breeding we thoughtfully select an exceptional stallion or mare that will not only contribute to improving the overall horse, but the breed as a whole.
The Knabstrupper horse originated in Denmark in 1812, when a chestnut blanketed mare of Spanish breeding was paired with a Fredricksborg stallion. This first breeding resulted in a colorfully leopard spotted colt and the Knabstrupper breed was born.
Historically, the Knabstrupper was cherished by royalty and used for pleasure riding and festivals. They were also used as cavalry horses for officers. This proved problematic however, as their beautifully spotted coats made them easy to see and shoot by enemy soldiers.
Despite being rare, Knabstruppers have actually played many roles throughout history. One of the Lipizzaner’s foundation
stallions, Pluto, was a Knabstrupper and after World War II, the Knabstuppers were commonly used in circuses throughout the world and grew in popularity. Today, the horses are valued as top dressage horses and are also found in eventing, competitive show jumping and even the Olympics.
There are around 2000 Knabstruppers in existence today. Despite it's popularity, the breed has been slow to grow in numbers and remains one of the rarest breeds in the world. The Knabstrupper is an athletic horse bred to European warmblood standards. Its kind temperament makes it particularly suitable for amateur or competitive riders, and its loud leopard spotted color makes a splash in the show ring. The Knabstrupper is highly intelligent, likes to work, and is eager to please.
Five Filly Farm was struck by the beauty and grace of this rare and versatile breed. In 2023, FFF imported KNN Canadian colt, Archetypic TE "Archie" out of Approved Stallion, Toftegaardens Codex, from Denmark. This 17h few spot stallion is one of the only actively competing Knabstrupper stallions pursuing a career in top level dressage in North America.
In the next few years, Five Filly Farm plans to develop a breeding program to improve the Knabstrupper breed and save it from extinction. Utilizing the highest quality pedigreed mares, our breeding program will focus on producing athletic and elegant sport horse type foals with uniquely spotted coat patterns. These foals will represent the ideal characteristics of the breed including lively and comfortable action, enthusiastic yet docile disposition, long legged, big frame, expressive head, and a long sloping shoulder with freedom of movement.
These are the traits embodied by our Knabstrupper herd. Each breeding we thoughtfully pair two great horses geared toward athletic abilities in both dressage and eventing/jumping.