Hi! This time we’re going to talk about a special sport horse: the Dutch Warmblood! With its elegant appearance, powerful movements and versatile talents, the Dutch Warmblood has been making its mark in international equestrian sport for years.

The Dutch Warmblood: a breed or a studbook?

Actually, the Dutch Warmblood is not a true breed, but a studbook: the KWPN (Koninklijk Warmbloed Paard Nederland), or Royal Warmblood Horse of the Netherlands. However, many people do consider them a breed in their own right. Any horse that meets the studbook’s requirements may be called a KWPN.
The goal? To breed healthy, reliable horses that excel in the sport. Within the studbook, there are four categories: dressage, show jumping, carriage horses, and Gelderland horses. As a result, KWPN horses can look quite different, but they have one thing in common: their quality and talent are carefully monitored. That’s exactly why you see them so often in international top-level sport!

A bit of history about the Dutch Warmblood:

The origins of the KWPN date back to the 19th century. At that time, there were various regional studbook associations, each registering their own foals. They realised it would be much more effective to share the same breeding objectives and work together under one name. Many of them then joined forces, and eventually two remained. In 1970, these two were merged to form the WPN, or Warmblood Horse Netherlands. On its anniversary, the studbook was given the royal prefix. And so the KWPN studbook was officially established!

Appearance and character of the Dutch Warmblood: a true sport horse

Dutch Warmbloods are usually large, athletic horses with an elegant build and powerful presence. They’re typically between 1.60 and 1.70 metres tall and come in a variety of colours, of which bay, chestnut and black are the most common. But what makes these horses even more special is their character. They’re very willing to work, energetic, intelligent, reliable and strong. They’re particularly suitable for more experienced riders, as they can be quite spirited.

How nice that you read my blog! 🥰 Do you also love Dutch Warmbloods? And have you ever ridden one yourself?

Would you like to read more about this breed?

You can also find these beautiful horses on My Horsez. Be sure to visit our wiki and find out which colours are available in the game!


Source: OndRond, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons