How does the KWPN dressage horse compare to the German horses? 

by Ludwig Christmann

(this article originally appeared in the April 2020 edition of Der Hannoveraner
and is re-produced with permission)

There is a lot of interest in Dutch genetics, especially with respect to dressage horses. So there are good reasons to take a closer look at KWPN  dressage horse breeding.

What is the origin of the breed?

The Netherlands was home to two warmblood  breeds. The Groninger was bred in the north and was similar to other European breeds, the Altoldenburger and the Ostfriesen.  The Gelderlander was bred in the south, its build is lighter. It was originally used as a workhorse for agriculture and as a cart horse.

After World  War II, as mechanization in society and agriculture  gained momentum and equestrian sports increased  in popularity, these horses were also used under saddle.

“The Gelderlander was a real all-rounder:  for work in the countryside, at the weekend  for riding in dressage, jumping or eventing, and, on  Sundays, as a means to get to church. Its characteristics were just as versatile: a strong horse with a good walk and trot with a lot of flexion in the  joints and a sublime front leg technique with a lot  of shoulder freedom and knee action.”

At the time, the selection process for character and willingness  to perform already existed: “People parted with  horses that did not want to work,” is how Johan Hamminga,  a dressage trainer up to the Grand Prix-level  and a member of the KWPN licensing commission, describes the Gelderlander.

According to  literature (Wikipedia), the Andalusian, Neapolitan,  Anglo-Norman breeds as well as Norfolk Trotters  are mentioned as breeds that influenced the Gelderlander.  The latter breed, which originated in  England, has also influenced various trotter breeds,  among others.

Eclatant – Hannoverian influence in The Netherlands

Changing the breeding process towards  creating riding horses began as early as the  1950s with imported stallions such as the Anglo-Norman, L‘Invasion, or the Holstein, Normann, and  later Amor, to name a few. But also the Hannoveraner,  Eclatant by Duellant/Ableger  out of the mare  line of Nehrung (breeder: Claus Schmoldt, Hollerdeich)  played a role.

Eclatant was born  in 1963, and sold to the Netherlands at Verden’s stallion  sales in 1965. In the 06/1965 issue of ‘Hannoversches  Pferd’, he is described as a “strong  stallion with a very steadfast character, a short  cannon-bone and very good, swinging movements.”

In 1969, the existing studbooks merged and the  Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands  (KWPN) was founded. Since 2006, there have been four official breeding directions: the dressage horse, the  show-jumping horse, the carriage horse and the  Gelder horse.

Doruto – one of the first of the dressage sires…

Gribaldi, Totilas was his most famous son

Foreign genetics were heavily used  In the development of the dressage and showjumping breeding lines: Trakehner stallions such as  Doruto (born 1962 by Komet) and Gribaldi (born  1993 by Kostolany), Holstein stallions such as  Flemmingh (born 1987 by Lacapo), Selle Français  stallions such as Le Mexico (born 1970 by Mexico who was  a full brother of Furioso II), but also Hannoveraner  stallions were used.

Flemmingh – one of the important Holsteiner imports

Especially Voltaire by  Furioso II/Gotthard (born in 1979; breeder: Erika  Kuwert, Mülheim), had a strong, positive influence  on the development of the breeding of Dutch show  jumpers.

Lord Leatherdale

Lord Leatherdale by Lord Loxley/Ferragamo,  born in 2003 and bred in the Rhineland by  Zuchtgemeinschaft Pleines in Uedem, continues to  be popular in the breeding of dressage horses.  Among others, he is the sire of Glamourdale, the  World Champion of Young Dressage Horses 2019.

Glamourdale

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About the breeding principles

In the book ‘The KWPN Horse’ which was published  by the KWPN in 2012, the breeding objectives  and selection characteristics of the Dutch dressage  horse are described in detail. The breeding goal is explicitly defined as striving to produce a horse  that has the conformation and movement to be successful in Grand Prix.

Many criteria are similar  to those in Hannover, but some accents are definitely  set differently.

“Raising the forehand is one of  the basics of dressage and that is why we prefer  an upright (vertical) neck carriage in the dressage  horse,” is the formulation in The KWPN Horse.

Great importance is also attached to the horses  being constructed uphill and, above all, to them  moving uphill, bringing the forehand up in the movement,  having good self-carriage and being light-footed.  For this they should be supple in the joints  with an active hind leg and a bit of knee action.

What are the experiences in the Hannoveraner Verband  with Dutch genetics?

(Editor’s note: I am sorry to give you a crick in your neck but this is the only way I know to present the information in a readable form)

In the Hannoveraner Yearbook Stallions 2021, the breeding values of  nine KWPN dressage stallions are published and  shown in the chart above. The estimated breeding values from the studbook evaluations confirm  an overall positive heredity with regard to the conformation  of horses. The average was 118 ranging  from 91 to 143.

Ampère, 138 for type, 143 for conformation, 124 for canter, but 90 for walk, FN young horse value 141 (0.96 reliability), highest level achieved 148 (0.86)

Vivaldi – 118 for type, but the best walk of the Dutch stallions, 112, FN breeding value for young horses, 150 (0.95) and for highest level achieved, 184 (0.82)

Zack, 132 for type, the best canter score, 130, and a good score for walk, 111 – FN breeding value for young horses 134 (0.96)  and for highest level achieved 160 (0.88)

Bordeaux gets the lowest score for type, 90, but he is the third highest on the FN values for young horses, 143 (0.97) and the second highest for highest level achieved, 170 (0.90)

From a statistical point of view, these breeding values are quite well secured. Between  29 and 49 daughters per stallion were evaluated,  the accuracy is between 0.78 and 0.86.

The  Hannoveraner breeding value dressage is estimated  from the assessments at the broodmare tests  and from the evaluations at Verden’s auctions. The  number of horses evaluated was between 13 and  52 per stallion, the accuracy between 0.68 and  0.88. Changes may still be expected in the breeding  values, which show a low accuracy.

Of the breeding values for the basic gaits, the one for canter is the highest with an average value of  111 and a range of 87 to 130. Clear individual  differences can be seen. The worst breeding value is the walk with an average value of 98 with a  range from 81 to 112. The average values for trot  (106) and rideability (105) are in between. The average overall dressage breeding value is 105  with a range of 94 to 119, which is rather sparse  for potential dressage specialists.

The picture is  completely different when looking at the sport based  breeding values. The average FN breeding  value for young horse tests (which includes results  from stallion performance tests, broodmare tests  and dressage horse tests) is 134 with a range of  117 to 150. Eight of these nine stallions already have a breeding value for “highest achieved  class”, and the result is outstanding. The average  breeding value is 157 with a range of 133 to 184.

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Interpreting the results   

From my impressions at mare performance tests, I can confirm that offspring of Dutch stallions are  more often endowed with less swinging trot movements  than the Hannoveraner or Rhineland  mares. The canter often is the best gait, the walk the weaker gait.

Hannoverian Breeder, Ingo Pape

Could it be that the horses  need more time in their development allowing  their undoubtedly present talents to emerge? German breeder, Ingo Pape‘s comment fits this, “In the first phase under  the rider, the Dutch horses often appear to be running.  The movement is not very swinging. The horses  then certainly need the influence of a suitable  rider to add stability to the rhythm, as well as springiness and increased suspension to the movement,  whose mechanics are labor-intense.”

It is  fitting that the Hannoveraner breeding values,  which are mainly based on the evaluation of three and  four-year-old horses, are relatively low.

With  increasing age and appropriate rider encouragement,  the movement sequences are developed,  resulting in higher horse show-breeding values.

Furthermore – just sufficient movement with less swing can be advantageous for the collection. A  pre-disposition for Grand Prix does not require very  big movement; the rideability of a Grand Prix-talent  does not have to be easy. There are enough  examples of successful Grand Prix horses, including  Hannoveraner, that were difficult and required  great riding skills.

In conversations with Hannoveraner breeders, there  was scepticism about the use of KWPN stallions.  The scepticism is based on self-made experiences.

Henning Schulze from Tiddische near Gifhorn, who  is one of the larger breeders in the district association  of Lüneburg, observed that rhythm and impulsion  are often lost and the walk is not good  enough. “But without a walk, I can‘t sell a dressage  horse today,“ he says.

Herbert Kruse from  Hamburg, also one of the larger and more successful breeders, who has already produced numerous  licensed stallions such as Don Nobless, emphasizes  the importance of rideability, “I need rideable horses  that the recreational rider can also ride. The  horses must be ‘clear in the head’ – that is the  be-all and end-all.“ He sees deficits in this respect in many Dutch stallions.

Rudolf Schepergerdes from Meppen knows the  market in Emsland very well. He is a successful breeder himself, but also the contact person for  many foal buyers and sellers. “I see a decreasing interest in foals by KWPN stallions. Breeders tell me that starting the young horses is more complicated,“  he says.

Toto Junior

But he has had good experiences with offspring  of the Hannoveraner-bred Totilas son, Toto Junior,  who is popular in the Netherlands.

“Many breeders  in Emsland use stallions from the neighbouring  country, to be able to offer different genetics  than those, which everyone has,“ he adds.

Heinrich Behrmann, a successful and experienced  Hannoveraner breeder from Stedebergen near Verden,  is convinced of the Dutch way. Numerous licensed  stallions come from his breeding, of which  the great Bolero is best known.

“I really became  aware of Dutch dressage horses at the World  Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Verden  in 2009 with the stallions Westpoint and Wynton.  After that, I got involved with the Dutch studbook  and the development of their sport horses. I  came to the conclusion that they select more sharply.  I have been using KWPN stallions in my breeding  program for ten years.”

Don Juan de Hus

“It started with Don Juan de Hus, whom I saw for the first time in Hoya.  The horse had an incredible aura and a top canter.  I had two very good foals by him. He also confirmed  his positive heredity with D‘avie FRH, the  double World Champion of Young Dressage Horses  bred by Dorothee Heitmüller, who I was allowed  to raise. I have also had good experiences with  Bordeaux. I am very convinced of Asgard’s Ibiza (Desperado / Jazz), by  whom I have nine offspring so far. They are all super correct horses with a great charisma and good  manners. For me, Ibiza as a sire is on the same level as Valentino xx and Absatz in the past, who  have particularly influenced breeding in the Verden  area.”

Asgard’s Ibiza (photo – Hengsthaltung Martin Determann)

“I analyse the dam lines very thoroughly before  I use a stallion, because it is also true for the  KWPN that not every horse is needed. There is a clear line in the selection of dressage horses in the  Netherlands and selection process is very strict.  The most important criteria are self-carriage, a stable topline, an active, diligent hind leg, correctness,  good angulation of the front leg in the trot and  light-footedness. The greatest value is placed on  the canter. I remain Holland-minded.”

Arend Kamphorst is ‘Holland-minded’ almost by  birth. Born in the Netherlands, he is one of the most successful Hannoveraner breeders with the  Dree Böken breeding farm in Prieros, Brandenburg.

“I look around everywhere for the best stallions.  With the KWPN stallions, I like the impressive front end, which – from my point of view – comes from  the Groninger. However, I would like the walk to be  better,“ he says.

Emma Blundell is a successful  Hannoveraner breeder in England and, looking  from the outside, has a no-nonsense view. She sees benefits in combining the advantages of German  horses with those of the KWPN dressage horse.

Emma Blundell’s Mount St John Freestyle and Charlotte Dujardin at the WEG in Tryon

The trainers’ view

Matthias Klatt is Chairman of the Breeding Committee  Dressage of the Hannoveraner Verband and  is a successful dressage horse breeder in Hahausen  (Harzvorland). He rides up to advanced S-level and is a sought-after trainer.

“For me, the German training  scale stands above everything. The training goals associated with it cannot be achieved as  quickly with many Dutch horses. The horses have to be ridden differently.”

Is there a different training  philosophy in the Netherlands, is riding done  differently there?

Matthias Alexander Rath, dressage  rider and trainer at the breeding farm Schafhof  in Kronberg, made his own experiences with  Dutch horses (Totilas, Bretton Woods) and with  German horses (Foundation, Destacado FRH). He is  convinced that this question can be answered with  ‘yes’.

Matthias Alexander and Totilas soon after the purchase of the stallion

“I have ridden in the Netherlands myself.  Seat and influence are different. The horses are not constantly on the rider’s leg, as it is common in  Germany, but they have to react to the leg all the  more quickly.”

Johann Hinnemann knows the dressage sport in  the Netherlands very well. He with his KWPN gelding  Ideaal was Team World Champion with the  German team in Toronto/CAN in 1986. He was one of the trainers of the dressage senior squad in the  Netherlands in 2003 and 2004 and his expertise  as a trainer is in demand worldwide. He answers the question about a different training philosophy  in the Netherlands with a clear ‘no’.

Johann Hinnemann and Ideaal 

“The vast  majority of riders in the Netherlands ride according  to the same classical principles as in Germany. That doesn‘t rule out that there are individual black  sheep, just like there are in Germany.”

He considers  it a great responsibility for the judges to  show, where the limits are. But that is a completely  different topic.

Hans-Heinrich Meyer zu Strohen is a member of  the Hannoveraner licensing commission, a trainer  at Verden’s auctions, the national trainer of the junior  and young rider squads and a sought-after  dressage trainer. Comparing the mechanics in the  movement, he likes the powerful push-off of Dutch  horses. The impulsion of the (German) horse has  advantages especially at a young age. A little less  impulsion can definitely be an advantage for the  piaffe, but not for the passage and for the lateral  movements.

“In Hannover, the mechanics of the  movement have much improved over the past ten  years. In addition, the very good basic rideability is  an absolute highlight of the Hannoveraner breeding  program. When I am on the road internationally, I am often commended also by the Dutch for  the great horses that we have for our young riders.”

Gonnelien Rothenberger competing for The Netherlands riding the Hannoverian stallion, Weyden. He was also competed by Sven.

The Rothenberger dressage stable in Bad Homburg  has a lot of experience with both German and  Dutch horses. Gonnelien Rothenberger, née Gordijn,  comes from the Netherlands and was internationally  successful for her home country.

Sönke Rothenberger and the Dutch-bred Cosmo at Aachen

Son Sönke  collected the greatest successes with the  Dutch-bred Cosmo (team gold in 2018 at the  World Championships in Tryon/USA, Team European  Champion in Rotterdam/NED in 2019);  daughter Sanneke was U25 Individual European  Champion in 2016 with the Oldenburg Deveraux  and highly successful with the Hannoveraner Wolkenstein  II daughter Wolke Sieben.

Sanneke Rothenberger and Devereux

The Rothenberger  stable not only trains dressage horses, but also  raises young horses, including horses acquired in the Netherlands. Sven Rothenberger, who also is  highly successful in dressage – he won team silver  and individual bronze at the Olympic Games in Atlanta/  USA in 1996 with the Hannoveraner stallion  Weyden v. Westerland – rightly calls for not generalizing too much on the subject:

“One must not  say that the Dutch horses have no walk. Totilas is a counter-example, he had a good walk himself and  often passed it on. In general, I have had the experience that KWPN stallions pass on one thing  and that is health. Here the consequent selection for this characteristic is noticeable. The most important criteria of a good dressage horse are a  good canter, willingness to perform and willingness  to go. And this is what I find in the Netherlands.  If the willingness to go is too great, it can be difficult for less experienced riders. I think it is  good that many of the best young stallions in the  Netherlands stay with stallion owners and that  these stallions are given the opportunity to prove  themselves in competition. A society must have  principles and these principles must be adhered  to.”

Christoph Hess

The long-time head of the FN training department  and the international dressage judge – often  also in dressage horse competitions up to World  Championships – Christoph Hess from Warendorf  naturally also has his eye on the development in  the neighbouring country:

“The Dutch are very  pragmatic people. In the development of the KWPN dressage horse, they adjusted their breeding  program according to what is needed for the  Grand Prix. The movement is a bit shorter and is easily collected.”

Hannes Baumgart, member of  the Hannoveraner licensing commission and dressage  rider and trainer up to Grand Prix, furthermore  sees changes in the Grand Prix tests, which could  be advantageous for the Dutch way:

“The tests  have been shortened considerably, giving more importance  to piaffe and passage. For the mark for  impulsion, the weighting has been reduced.”

Different origins and different breeding philosophies  have produced different horses in the Netherlands and in Hannover. Above all, the Gelderlander  was the basis of the breeding program  in the Netherlands, a carriage-type horse with a  high, impressive trot. In Hanover, besides suitability  for agriculture, the focus has always been on  suitability for riding.

The first stallion  performance test, in which riding qualities were  tested,  existed almost 100 years ago. Here  the suitability as remounts for the military was of  utmost importance.

In the book “Der Hannoveraner“  (The Hannoveraner) from 1967, the then Managing  Director and Breeding Director of the Hannoveraner  Verband, Dr. Arnold Schlie, wrote:  “Typical for Hannover… is the flat style of movement  in the front extremities… In Hanover it is agreed that the round gait caused by more or less, knee action is more conspicuous but less practical  and less pleasant for the rider. The elasticity suffers, the tendons and ligaments are more  stressed and the stride becomes shorter.”

So in The Netherlands, the task was to develop riding qualities  and thus elasticity and relaxedness in all three  basic gaits. In Hannover, the aim in the past decades was to meet the demands of the sport and  thus also the demands of the market for higher  movement without losing elasticity, relaxedness  and a good walk.  In the Netherlands, the reorientation of the sporthorse  breeding program was geared towards the  Grand Prix as its breeding goal right from the  start. The specifications for conformation  and movement were adjusted accordingly.  The diligence in the movement and the quick push-off of the legs without losing the  rhythm are important.

In Germany, the breeding goal for the dressage horse is more general.  In the forefront are swinging, relaxed and elastic movements, which were,  especially in the past, sometimes a little  slow, and well as good rideability with an  equally good feel for the rider in the saddle.  A Grand Prix horse is developed through consistent training in accordance with the guidelines of the training scale.

Whether or  not it is possible to breed a Grand Prix horse  was, and sometimes still is, a controversial  issue. The breeders in the Netherlands, but  also the experiences in Germany especially  – but not only – with the line of Donnerhall,  show that this discussion can be put to sleep. Grand Prix as a breeding goal works.

However, previous experiences with  Dutch bloodlines, and to a degree also with  other bloodlines, show that focusing on breeding  a Grand Prix-specialist does not necessarily  result in an improvement of the rideability  across the board. An awareness that the horses do not become  more complicated and difficult is important.

The Hannoveraner  is popular all over the world, especially  because of its positive interior and its rideability  characteristics. These must be preserved, without losing sight of the goal  of supplying horses for top international  competitions.

Maryanna Haymon, a successful  Hannoveraner breeder from the USA,  once answered the question about her personal  breeding goal as follows, “My goal is the  amateur-friendly Grand Prix horse.” With her breeding philosophy, which focuses on her  Hannoveraner Donnerhall/Prince Thatch xx  son Don Principe, she has achieved  this ambitious goal several times.

The Breeding  Committee of the Hannoveraner Verband  has decided to start an “Initiative  Grand Prix“ and thus underlines the importance  of strengthening the focus on the  Grand Prix-horse in the breeding of Hannoveraner  dressage horses. In this project, the  sport-proven Dutch genetics will be valuable.

Klaus Storbeck, a Hannoveraner breeder and dressage judge from broodmare tests to  Grand Prix, says, “The mixture makes the difference.  A well-considered use of KWPN stallions  can be positive.”

So it will be about  combining the strengths of Dutch and Hannoveraner  genetics. Horses like Toto Junior or  most recently the Hannoveraner and Bundeschampion  Va‘Pensiero prove that fascinating  horses can come out of this. However, the breeder must know his expectations from  the combination. As with every stallion selection,  by the way …

Va‘Pensiero (Vitalis / Fürstenball) – photo credit: Equitaris

Comments from an expert panel:

Johan Hamminga is a  member of the KWPN  licensing commission  and an experienced  dressage trainer up to  the Grand Prix-level.  DER HANNOVERANER: Where do you  see the Dutch and the German dressage  horse breeding program?

Johan Hamminga, “We are looking for a rideable  horse with a lot of basic quality that  can make it to the big arena. The KWPN has invested a lot in health and correctness of  the horses and thus also in usability. You can  have a very nice, good horse, but if he does  not have a proper foundation (correct hooves  and legs) and is not sound, he won‘t go far.”

DER HANNOVERANER: As this year‘s  licensing showed, the KWPN continues  to use German stallions. What should be improved with the use? Are there  any preferred lines?

Johan Hamminga, “We need German blood  for more frame and to maintain the blood  diversity in the breeding of dressage horses.  So far, we have had good experiences with  the offspring of Donnerhall and Rubinstein.  For example, with De Niro: As the sire of Desperados,  he is also represented in Glock‘s  Toto Jr, who now successfully competes at  the Grand Prix-level and who has proven  himself as a producer. We furthermore would  like to maybe use stallions out of the Hannoveraner  B-line. Last year, Bloomberg FS, a  son of Bon Coeur, was the winner of the stallion  performance test in Ermelo.”

DER HANNOVERANER: How important  are the walk and the relaxedness in  the KWPN breeding program?

Johan Hamminga: “Walk and relaxedness  are very important topics for us. In the past  years, the KWPN has applied a strict selection  process to the walk. We have managed  to improve the walk in a few years. For us, a good walk flows through the entire body  and creates a relaxed movement.  In the Netherlands, however, we talk about a  ‘German’ or a ‘Dutch’ walk. For us, it is most  important that the walk is active and in a  clear four-beat rhythm, that it flows through  the whole body and and creates an over-stride  by about the length of three hooves. My experience as a trainer has taught me that a horse with such a walk has more reaction in  its body and can learn starting the piaffe easier  and faster from this walk (with not too  much overstride).”

Emma Blundell

Emma Blundell has built  up the Mount St. John  Stud in Yorkshire in the  north of England, where  around 50 foals are born  every year out of the best  German and Dutch dressage  lines. The breeding goal is the Grand Prix. She compares these different dressage  horse breeds:

“The KWPN horses often have a natural  uphill conformation with often quite vertical,  high-carried necks and a lot of energy and  power, which is of course very helpful for the  Grand Prix. These characteristics can cause difficulties in the early years. The horse might be more looky and therefore have less of an  over-stride in the walk, because the horse is  not as relaxed and does not use its back in  the movement as it could. I often think that the young Dutch horses are ridden with a lot  of pressure.”

“I do, however, think that they have a lot of energy. It is probably not so easy for them to relax and walk on a longer  rein, as, for example, the young German horses  do. These are often more horizontal in their topline and naturally exhibit more  swinging in the back, perhaps with softer  and slower hind legs. Because of these characteristics, these horses are often more  comfortable to sit to, and it is easier for them  to become relaxed and show length in their  strides. Through training, these horses develop their carrying power in the hindquarters,  becoming quicker in their reactions and  more uphill. Therefore, the training system to get a German horse to the Grand Prix level is  very different from that of a KWPN horse.”

An example of the fusion at Mt St John – MSJ Verco – the pedigree goes Vitalis, Negro, Donnerhall. This foal was sold to Canada…

“Most of our mare base is German, therefore  I sometimes choose Dutch stallions for these  mares to improve the uphill tendency and  the speed of the reactions. Vice versa, on some of my Dutch mares that are more vertical  in the neck and more gripping, I choose  a more buoyant, powerfully moving German  stallion, which I know has high rideability and naturally uses his back, while  I pay particular attention to the horse’s walk  and his ability to relax. I make these crosses believing that I can combine the best of both  worlds.”

“Fortunately, as a Brit, I don‘t have a nationalistic  bias towards one or the other. I simply want to breed – as best I can – the best future  sport horses for Grand Prix. In doing so,  I focus on the strengths and weaknesses of  each mare to achieve breeding progress for  the next generation.”

Ingo Pape

Ingo Pape, a well-known  breeder, trainer and stallion  owner, always keeps  an eye on the development  in the Netherlands.  On the mechanics of the movement: “In the first phase under the rider,  the KWPN horse often appears to us to be  rushing and not exhibiting much swing.  The  horses then certainly need the influence of a  suitable rider, who adds a steady rhythm,  springiness and an increased suspension  phase to the mechanically complex movement.  Top horses must basically be able to move big and small in all three gaits. Therefore, in my experience, it is easiest to train horses  that have a medium gait volume but  great flexibility and suppleness. Having absolutely no swing in the movement is certainly  not an advantage with regard to the collection  later, as for instance the passage requires a lot of  swing.”

Regarding rideability: “A neck, which is carried  too high due to the exterior of the horse,  certainly does not make it easier for the rider  to work the horse over its back. Even though Jazz, who is widely spread in the Netherlands,  certainly was an exceptional sire, one can see  this predisposition in many of his offspring. If this is combined with a lack of relaxation, it  often becomes really difficult for the less experienced  rider to reach his goals. This is where our Hannoveraner horses have a clear advantage  across the board. This is especially true for the amateur sport, which makes up  the largest part of the market to be served.”

“Competitions are always decided in the mind.  Therefore, being relaxed inside must always  precede the outer relaxedness. What we should strive for in breeding horses is a positive sensitivity, out of which a suitable trainer  can then develop increased cadence and thus  charisma. Just ‘being good’ does not work for  the tougher sport, neither does over-sensitivity.  Basically positive qualities such as a great willingness to walk, strength, a good constitution  and sensitivity can complicate things  for less experienced riders at the beginning of  the training process. However, these are exactly  the qualities that are essential for a top  horse.”

“So, as is so often the case, it all comes  down to the right balance. I believe, however,  that this problem has been recognised in the  Netherlands and that countermeasures are  being taken. Improved composure will certainly  also make it easier to better present the  horses at the walk.”

On the breeding goal: “If you want to breed  horses for top dressage competitions, the  talent for collection is absolutely crucial. Willingness  and ability for collection make the  difference between a recreational athlete  and a top horse. The KWPN recognized this early on and clearly defined breeding goals  to that effect. It is very difficult to take into account the breeding selection on the mare  side, because the predisposition for collection  and the required strength for it can only  really be assessed, once the mare is six years  of age or older. By then, most mares are already in foal. Therefore, it is all the more important  that the stallions are willing and capable  of collection.”

“Also in my function as a  stallion owner, I have the greatest respect  for the consistency, with which the KWPN  and my Dutch colleagues have brought almost  all line-founding or highly influential  stallions into the international top sport.  Jazz, Ferro, Cocktail, Krack C, Partout, Gribaldi,  Johnson, Totilas, or Apache are just a few  examples.  In Germany, we have actually only managed  to do this to a sufficient degree with the D-line  (Donnerhall, Desperados, De Niro, Don  Schufro, Damsey, Don Nobless). Besides, this  verifies and confirms the toughness that is  needed for the top sport. Toughness is a huge  breeding issue and certainly cannot be defined  by any X-ray findings. Since the sport  ideally tests the qualities, which are needed  in a breeding stallion, the Dutch concept  should serve as an incentive for all of us in  this respect. I am convinced that this is one of the keys of the KWPN‘s success in the targeted  breeding of Grand Prix horses.”

The fusion in action – one of the Pape stallions, V-Plus. His topline is all Dutch:Vivaldi/
Krack C/Jazz/Ulft and the damline, all German: Fürst Romancier/Sandro Hit/ Landadel

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