KWPN (Dutch Warmblood)

Overview

The KWPN (Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland, the Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands) is the Dutch breeding organisation for show jumping horses, dressage horses, harness horses and Gelder horses. With about 18,000 members and around 10,000 foals registered each year, it is one of the largest sport horse studbooks in the world. KWPN of North America notes that it has held a top position in the WBFSH studbook rankings for years.

Horses registered with the KWPN are often called Dutch Warmbloods. The studbook is based at the KWPN Centre in Ermelo, alongside the Dutch equestrian federation, where its stallion and mare performance tests are held.

History

Dutch breeders have been organised for a long time. Registered breeding began in 1887, and from then on almost every foal was recorded in a studbook. At first there were many rival regional studbooks, and the horses were bred for farm work. Type varied with the land: the heavier Groningen type was used on the clay soils, and the lighter Gelder type in pasture farming areas.

Mergers eventually left two organisations, the N.W.P. in the north and the V.L.N. in the rest of the country. They merged in 1970 as the Warmblood Horse Studbook in the Netherlands. In 1988, to mark 100 years of registered warmblood breeding, Queen Beatrix granted the predicate "Royal", and the studbook has been the KWPN since.

After the Second World War, machines took over farm work, and riding became open to many more people, which needed a different kind of horse. Using Thoroughbred stallions and stallions from French and German breeding, Dutch breeders transformed the farm horse into a modern sport horse in a relatively short time. Alongside selection against hereditary defects, they selected strictly for conformation, movement and function. The KWPN describes its stallion selection as one of the strictest in the world, with attention to conformation, movement, health, character and athletic ability.

Breed standard

The KWPN's goal is to breed horses that can perform at the highest level in dressage or show jumping. That takes a good constitution, functional and preferably attractive conformation, correct movement and a willing character. Every horse is judged first against the general breeding goal, which looks for:

• a character that supports the will to perform and is friendly towards people
• functional conformation and correct movement that enable good performance
• conformation that is preferably appealing and shows breed type, nobility and quality

Since 2006 the KWPN has had four breeding directions, each with its own inspection standard. Riding horses (dressage and jumping) are by far the largest group, about 85–90%.

• Dressage horse: a long-lined, correct, well-proportioned model; light-footed, balanced and supple movement with carrying power and self-carriage; easy to handle and ride, intelligent, willing and hard-working.
• Jumping horse: the same correct, long-lined model and balanced, supple movement, plus courage, quick reflexes, carefulness, good technique and plenty of scope.
• Harness horse: bred to compete at the highest level of show driving, with proud self-carriage, good suspension and high knee action in front, and a powerful hind leg.
• Gelder horse: a versatile horse for driving and riding, with a happy appearance and a reliable, willing character, showing clear knee action and good use of the hocks.

Eventing isn't a separate breeding direction, but a growing number of KWPN horses compete in it.

Health

The KWPN treats health as an essential part of its breeding goal, and increasingly speaks of sustainability: breeding horses that stay healthy and can compete over a long career. Stallions must meet binding health standards to be approved. Since 2016 the KWPN has used a genomic breeding value for osteochondrosis (OC). This DNA-based value shows whether a horse is more or less likely than the average KWPN horse to pass OC on to its offspring. Mares can earn predicates for meeting the studbook's X-ray standards (PROK) or for a low genetic OC risk (D-OC).

See the care guide for finer-coated horses for day-to-day care.