After serious health issues forced my mare, Sally, into an early retirement, I began a serious search for a new equine riding partner. As a dedicated Arabian enthusiast, I’d never considered buying a warmblood, but through the days, weeks, and months of searching that ensued, an ad with a photograph stuck with me. The young gelding appeared to be everything I was looking for. The only difference was that he was wrapped in a slightly different package.

With an irresistible face, an athletic build, and a description that included such phrases as “does well in show chaos and remains professional,” “three amazing gaits and remains balanced for a young, growing, horse,” and “funny and personable, loves human attention,” I decided to forego my reservations over the fact that he wasn’t an Arabian and schedule a visit.

After a two-hour trial ride that included trekking across his owner’s property and popping over some fences in her jump field, I was smitten. The deal was made and my first American Warmblood, Bucky, came home with me.

Today, while I still love Arabians, I wonder what took me so long to find this incredible breed. Bucky, who has a Spotted Draft sire and a Quarter Horse dam, is indeed a wonderful representative of the American Warmblood breed. He loves attention, and together we enjoy such activities as jumping, dressage, and trail riding.

Like my horse, the American Warmblood is well-suited for many disciplines, including hunters, jumpers, dressage, eventing, combined driving, western dressage, and working equitation. The versatility that can be found within the breed means that representatives can be found competing at the top levels of many different sports.

A type of horse rather than a specific breed, American Warmbloods are uniquely customized sport horses that are the products of American breeding programs. Multiple acceptable breed crosses can result in a registrable American Warmblood.

A common example is breeding an imported European warmblood stallion (such as Dutch Warmblood, Oldenburg, Hanoverian, et cetera) to an American Thoroughbred mare, but Morgan, American Paint Horse, Appaloosa, Friesian, Tennessee Walking Horse, and draft crosses are examples of other acceptable pairings that reflect breeding flexibility and diversity that might not otherwise be found within the confines of a traditional warmblood registry.

Breed Characteristics of the American Warmblood

Regardless of breeding, one of the most important characteristics of the American Warmblood is having a good temperament that is accommodating and accepting of their often amateur owners’ schedules and abilities.

They can be of any coat color, and their average height ranges from 15 to 17 hands. Correct conformation that can withstand the rigors of sport competition is strongly desired.

By the Numbers

According to Nancy Roth, director of the American Warmblood Society and Sporthorse Registry (AWSSR), approximately 3,000 horses are registered with their organization.

While the number of registered American Warmbloods may seem low when compared to other breed registries, there are estimated to be many more qualifying horses that are unregistered, indicating a healthy interest in the breed.

Registration Eligibility

Roth says that horses are eligible for registration with the AWSSR even if they don’t have a documented pedigree. Applicants will first be issued “performance pending” registration papers that will allow the horse to take part in all registry activities. However, to receive full, official registration papers, horses must complete a performance requirement, she says.

“The performance requirement can be met through placing or earning a minimum score at nationally recognized shows in hunter, jumper, dressage, eventing, hunter breeding, dressage sport horse breeding (DSHB), young horse show series, combined driving, western dressage, and working equitation,” says Roth.

Because western dressage is a new discipline for the registry, scores from schooling shows are also allowed to encourage interest.

Inspections are typically associated with warmblood registries, but with the AWSSR, Roth says that inspection is optional and can be completed at any age. Completing the registration process comes with benefits that include documenting the horse’s existence and enjoying a supportive community of likeminded individuals.

Is the American Warmblood Right for You?

If you are looking for a versatile breed prized by amateurs and professionals alike, the American Warmblood is one to watch. This breed stands out as a versatile, athletic, and personable breed that has earned its place in the hearts of sport horse enthusiasts. Whether you’re drawn to their diverse background, their impressive abilities in multiple disciplines, or their friendly, easygoing temperaments, American Warmbloods are well-suited for both amateur and professional riders.

This article about the American Warmblood appeared in the October 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The North American registry originated in 1983, and it’s now one of the largest studbooks for warmblood sport horses.

The goal of the KWPN is simple. According to their website, they seek to breed “modern sport horses that perform at the top level of international equestrian sports.” KWPN horses are known for their athleticism, versatility, and good brain, which makes them the top choice for many disciplines.

The KWPN strives to breed healthy horses with good conformation. Additionally, they have a strong focus on temperament so that their horses can be enjoyed by both professional riders and amateurs alike.

“The KWPN is both breeder and owner/rider focused,” says Drew Kemerling, registrar for KWPN-NA. “We’ve really tried to listen to our members and create a program that honors both the people who breed the horses but also buy and compete the horses. We have greatly expanded our awards programs to reflect our goals for this. As an open studbook, KWPN horses come in all shapes and sizes, making it possible for them to excel at many disciplines.”

History of the Breed

Originally, the horses lived in the Netherlands. They were called Groningen and Gelderlander horses, and were used primarily for farm work. They pulled carriages and farm equipment, but the agricultural machinery industry switched the breed’s focus.

When the breed began to be used more for sport than for work, more German influence was introduced into the bloodlines, such as Hanoverians and Holsteiners. Thoroughbreds, Oldenburgs, Selle Français, Hackneys, Cleveland Bays, and other sport horse blood was also incorporated.

Types Within KWPN Horses

Two types of KWPN horses are typically seen; riding horses make up around 85-90 percent of them. Generally, these are purpose-bred to be top competitors in a specific sport.

The second group is the Dutch Harness Horse. They typically have more knee action than their riding-bred counterparts, and also feature a flatter back.

A smaller number belong to a third subset, the Gelder horse. Gelder-type horses can be ridden or driven. They have significant knee action and a powerful hind end. Harness-type KWPN horses show self-carriage, suspension, and high knee action.

Dressage-bred KWPN horses are light on their feet, powerful, supple, and have good self-carriage. Jumper-bred horses have a focus on scope, proper technique, bravery, and quick reflexes to make them careful jumpers.

Hunter-bred horses should be comfortable to ride with flatter movement than some of the other types. Their stride covers significant ground and does not have the higher knee or hock movement of the dressage, Gelder, or harness horses. While there is no category for eventing horses in the KWPN registry, many also excel at this sport.

“Some of the top horses in the world are a combination of these breeding types,” says Kemerling. “Verdades has a harness-type mother.” Dressage star Verdades and his rider Laura Graves (USA) took home team bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as team and individual silver at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, N.C.

Inspections

Inspections, or keurings, are held to judge horses wishing to gain access to the KWPN registry. This helps to ensure that quality horses are being bred and that the breed’s representation is up to a high standard.

The KWPN is an “open” studbook, meaning that stallions of different breed can be accepted with the goal of improving the breed. In the United States, an average of 420 foals are registered yearly, although the annual numbers are much higher in The Netherlands.

The KWPN is one of the few warmblood registries that accepts all colors. Stallions must be 15.3 hands or taller to be considered for the registry, and mares must be a minimum of 15.2 hands. Most KWPN horses are 17 hands or less, although larger horses are permitted.

KWPN Horses Make for Happy Owners

M. Freya Evenstad is a KWPN-NA breeder, and owns Sweet Beginnings Farm in Virginia. She runs a small breeding program that typically produces one foal every other year, with the goal of producing the best of the best qualities of the breed: work ethic, a good heart, correct uphill conformation for dressage, and versatility.

She got hooked on the breed after meeting the horse who ended up being her breeding program’s foundation mare.

“She was perfection from head to toe,” says Evenstad. “She was the best looking horse anywhere she went, and she had fans everywhere because she was so kind and obviously loved her job so much.”

She wishes everyone could know just how big the KWPN’s heart is.

“They’ll achieve anything you desire, if you show them how,” says Evenstad. “Plus they are always a barn favorite for due to their temperaments.”

Laura Mollrich, an FEI Grade IV para dressage rider in California, bought her horse, Pabatsa, when he had just turned 8 years old. He’s now 25.

“[Pabatsa is] so cool,” says Mollrich. “Wherever I’ve had him boarded, he has been the pet of the barn. Everyone needs a big clown.”

During their time together, Mollrich and Pabatsa have helped each other through a plethora of significant life events, such as the passing of Mollrich’s mother, lupus, scleroderma systemic sclerosis, epilepsy, and more.

Amanda Lorick is an amateur jumper rider who owns a boarding, training, and KWPN breeding facility in Nashville, Tenn. She is also a pediatric anesthesiologist to help support her KWPN hobby. She stands two stallions. Lorick says she had always wanted a warmblood, and began researching to narrow down the field.

“[I] found that KWPN horses were well-represented and top-ranking horses in multiple disciplines,” she says. “In addition to being well-rounded athletes, they are bred for health and longevity. I breed for good-moving jumpers, but even if I don’t get a jumper, I will have an athlete that can excel in hunters, eventing or dressage. They also tend to have very good brains, which is great for us amateurs.”

Having a healthy horse that will have a long-term career is important to Lorick.

“The registry has high health standards to help predict long careers,” she says. One of the reasons she picked her foundation mare, Eclipse SCF, is because her “uncle,” Judgement ISF, competed successfully at the top levels into his late teens.

Evenstad summarizes the breed well:

“Any discipline, any barn, they’re an asset—if you really want something special, you want a Dutch Warmblood.”

This article about the KWPN appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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