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Frederiksborg
One of the oldest and best-known breeds in Denmark taking its name from the
Royal Frederiksborg Stud founded in 1562 by King Frederik II. The breed was
originally based on the Spanish Andalusian and was subsequently crossed with
the Neapolitan. As the breed continued to develop, Oriental and British half
bred blood was introduced. Originally used as a cavalry charger, in haute
ecole in the days of the great European riding schools, in harness and on
the land, it became one of the most sought after horses in Europe.
Unfortunately the Frederiksborg stud exported and sold all the best stock to
upgrade other breeds and the breed went into decline in 1839, the stud
turned to breeding thoroughbreds, without much success and the stud was
closed in 1871. Fortunately private breeders have kept the Frederiksborg
alive and today they are bred throughout Denmark and used mainly as light
harness horses.
It stands at 15.3 to 16h.h. has fairly good conformation with a workmanlike
appearance and it is usually chestnut in colour; the head is attractive,
with bright honest eyes and large shapely ears; the neck is upright the back
tends to be long but strong; the hindquarters are in proportion with a high
set tail; the limbs are strong with good hard feet. It is a pleasant horse
with a kind disposition and active paces.
The Frederiksborg has played a significant part in the influence on other
breeds. One of the most famous horses is Pluto, the white stallion foaled in
1765, he is the foundation sire for the earliest of the six lines of the
Lipizzaner horse - famous for its association with the Spanish School Of
Riding in Vienna, where for breed identification 'Pluto' is used as a prefix
to the names of his line. There are six major bloodlines that have endured
to our time: Pluto, Conversano, Favory, Neapolitano, Maestoso and Siglavy.
All true Lipizzaner horses are branded to show there bloodline with four
brands; P for Piber on the left croup; L for Lipizzaner on the left cheek;
the ancestral brand of the stallion line of the sire and the mare line of
the dam, behind the left withers; the foal registry name behind the right
withers. The foals are given a double name, that of the sire followed by
that of the dam and a breed number.
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