So you want to breed Knabstruppers!
The first thing to know is that breeding is not a cheaper way to get a horse!
There are costs involved with breeding a mare and they can be significant! In really just means you get to pay the same price but over time! The second thing to know is that breeding is a gamble, you can pay all fees, do everything right and still have either no foal, or a sick foal, or foal of the wrong color/gender/size. So, in general, if you are just wanting a Knabstrupper to ride and enjoy, it is usually more cost effective to go and buy one from a breeder, that way they took all the risks, and you can choose gender, size, color etc.!
If you really want to breed them, it is necessary to understand that: Knabstrupper breeding has rules! The rules are set by the Founding or Mother registry, in the case of Knabstruppers this is the Knabstrupperforeningen for Danmark (KNN). All other Knabstrupper registries (EQUUS International, etc) are considered daughter registries and have to follow the KNN rules. You can read the full rules on the KNN website (www.knabstrupper.dk), but i will publish a slightly simplified version.
Knabstuppers are an ‘inspection breed’. That is ALL breeding stock, mares as well as stallions have to be inspected and graded and have a high enough score at grading to have a breeding license. Even registered Knabstrupper mares must have a breeding license for their foals to be registered. All outcross mares must have an inspection score from a European Verband. All out cross stallions must have a breeding license from their Verband AND you must get permission from KNN to use them! Mares and stallions are inspected by a judging panel from the KNN in Denmark, who fly over every other year and travel around the country. The inspections are held at various venues and the horses are brought in for inspection and grading.
The full article will be in the next blog. Yes it's complicated getting them registered and approved, But in the long run it is worth it.