Swedish and Danish Warmblood Horses

THE DANISH WARMBLOOD
In the 14th century horse-breeding in Denmark relied upon studs in Holstein, a Danish duchy until 1864. For many years the policy was to cross heavy North German mares with Spanish stallions, to produce horses like the Frederiksborg and the Holsteiner.

Regardless it had talented riders, Denmark, like the Netherlands, did not have a national riding horse until fairly late. Although a Danish equestrian federation 'existed as early as 1918, it was not until the 1960s that a stud book was opened for the Danish Sports Horse, which has since become known as the Danish Warmblood.

The basis for the new breed was the old Frederiksborg stock crossed with the Thoroughbred to produce an active riding horse that, although it retained some of the Frederiksborg's thickness and carriage character, was temperate and reasonably elegant. These half-bred mares were put to Anglo-Norman stallions (essentially Selle Francais) and to Thoroughbreds, Trakehners and the Wielkopolski a close relation of the Trakehner. The Selle Francais introduced a wiry, athletic quality and improved conformation. The Trakehner and Wielkopolski helped fix the type and contributed to their stamina, overall ability, and agreeable temperament. As usual, the Thoroughbred was the refining influence, giving a superior movement and improved quality, speed, and courage.

The mix, when carefully adjusted, produced a sound, handsome horse of Thoroughbred type but with substance, strength, and good limbs. Standing at 1.68 in (16.2 hh) the Danish Warmblood is an arresting and sometimes brilliant dressage horse and some of them are excellent cross-country prospects as well. The lack of Hanoverian blood is unusual in a European warmblood, and may account for the breed's distinctive character.

THE SWEDISH WARMBLOOD
The Swedish Warmblood was descended from horses imported in the 17th century and was originally a better-than-average cavalry horse. It was bred at the Stromsholm stud, founded in 1621, and at Flyinge, the Royal stud established in 1658 in Skane in southern Sweden formerly part of Denmark. Stromsholm no longer exists as a stallion depot but stallions are sent from Flyinge to stand at stations all over Sweden. The first imports, brought in from Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Russia, Spain, and Turkey, were extraordinarily varied. The product was of such mixed pedigree that there could be no fixed type.

Even so, these horses and most particularly the Spanish and Friesian imports, as well as those of oriental ancestry, produced active, strong horses when crossed with the small, rough local mares. In the 19th and 20th centuries Arab Thoroughbred, Hanoverian and, very importantly, Trakehner blood was introduced into the base stock to produce big, powerful horses that were increasingly fixed in type. Flyinge was careful to use the best Thoroughbred blood available ? a practice sometimes ignored in mainland Europe to the detriment of the progeny.

The modern Swedish Warmblood is a good example of riding horse conformation with easy, straight paces. It is handsome, sound, tractable, and very versatile. The best Swedish Warmbloods are well known as dressage horses of international calibre and also as showjumpers and event horses. They are also very good driving horses, and have been exported in large numbers all over Europe and to the US. The breed is performance tested, and is subject to rigorous examination before animals are accepted for breeding.