The Knabstrup originated from Spanish horses dating back to the Napoleonic Wars. The Danish butcher Flaebe bought a spotted mare who possessed great strength and was extremely fast and he named her Flaebehoppen. Her next owner, Judge Lunn, founded a line of spotted horses by breeding her to Fredriksborgs and named them Knabstrup after his estate. The spotted horses were less substantial than the Fredriksborg but were sound and tough and their unusual markings made them popular with the circus. In America a Knabstrup horse, wearing a protective harness, performed with a large Bengal Tiger riding on its back.
Crossings back to the Fredriksborg reduced the number of pure bred Knabstrup.
Characteristics
Conformation: variable
Head: intelligent, kind expression; mottled skin coloring on lips and muzzles
Mane and Tail: sparse
Color: predominantly white with black or brown spots of varying size all over body, head and legs, with striped hooves
Height: 15.2 to 16hh
Temperament: kind, intelligent
Qualities: sound, tough, easy to train
taken from the australian horse directory