Most of the Nordic countries were primarily agrarian until the beginning of this century. The farms were small, with a few exceptions, and the farmers often poor. And to work the farms, they needed horsepower, of sturdy and low maintenance type.

Even the cities were in need of horsepower to transport both people and goods. Often the economic situation in the city was even worse than in the countryside. Here too, was a need for horses that could do a lot of work without requiring too much expensive food.

Each of the Nordic countries, despite their close proximity to each other, developed their own unique horsebreeds, each adapted to the specific geographic conditions of its home country

DENMARK

Denmark has two horse breeds that are fairly well-known, the Fredericksborg, and the Knabstrup, and two that are not very well-known, the Jutland and the Danish Sport horse.

The oldest of Danish horse breeds is the Fredericksborg. Its origins can be traced back to the Royal Fredericksborg Stud founded in 1562 by King Frederick II and named after him. Its ancestry includes Andalucians and Neapolitans, and it rapidly became a popular breed at all the courts of Europe.

The Fredericksborg is a very strong horse that is used in harness, as well as light draft work. A lighter version has in recent years been developed for general riding. The main colour is chestnut, and it stands at 16 to 17 hands.

Not as many may be familiar with the name Knabstrup, but most people have seen the spotted horse from Denmark. A popular horse in circus rings, spotted horses have a claim to fame also thanks to Swedish storybook character Pippi Longstocking’s horse Gubben!

The Knabstrup stands at about 15.3 hands and is quite similar to, but lighter than the Fredericksborg. The color is Appaloosa patterns on a roan base.

The Jutland is a heavy draft horse defined as a massive, compact horse with plain head and short, feathered legs, chestnut or roan and standing at 15.3 hands.

The Danish Sport Horse has been developed by crossing local mares with various breeds from Northern Europe. It usually stands at about 16 hands and is found in all colors.

Today the need for horsepower in both farming and urban settings is different from what it was only fifty years ago. The end of World War II brought about many changes. Cars, tractors and mass transportation were developed at an unprecedented speed and soon the need for horses seemed obsolete.

But, no, now that people have more free time, in the past ten to twenty years, the Nordic countries have seen an upswing in the equestrian sports area, and thus a renewed interest in the breeding of domestic breeds.

Thanks to their versatility, and mankind’s need for companionship with animals, the horses of the Nordic countries live on, hopefully for a long time to come.

L. Christina Sjostedt