What is a Holsteiner?
The Holsteiner is a German warmblood breed from Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany. It is bred above all for show jumping and eventing and is considered one of the oldest warmblood breeds in the world. A typical Holsteiner stands between 163 and 173 cm (about 16 to 17 hands), has an arched, high-set neck, a strong back and powerful hindquarters, and combines scope over the fence with a willing, reliable character.
Holsteiners are registered with the Verband der Züchter des Holsteiner Pferdes in Elmshorn, a comparatively small studbook with an exceptional record in international sport. Registered horses carry the Holsteiner brand: a crowned shield with the letter H.
800 years of history
The roots of the breed go back to 1225, when Count Gerhard I granted Uetersen Abbey the right to graze its horses on the fallow land of the County of Pinneberg. The monasteries became the first organised breeders, and horses from Holstein were soon sought after across Europe.
In 1735 twelve black Holsteiner stallions were bought to found the Celle State Stud, the starting point of the Hanoverian breed. In 1891 Georg Ahsbahs founded the Holsteiner studbook, and a few years later the riding and driving school in Elmshorn followed. Elmshorn is still the centre of Holsteiner breeding today. In 1935 the regional breeding societies merged into the Verband that exists today.
After the Second World War the demand for carriage and farm horses collapsed. Holsteiner breeders reacted early and consistently: with Thoroughbred stallions such as Anblick xx, Cottage Son xx, Marlon xx and Ladykiller xx, and later the French stallion Cor de la Bryère, they turned the powerful carriage horse into a modern sport horse within a few generations.
Characteristics and temperament
Holsteiners are medium-framed, athletic horses. Typical features are the arched, high-set neck, a sloping shoulder, a strong back and powerful hindquarters that give them their impulsion over the fence. The gaits are elastic, with a particularly clear, uphill canter.
The most common colours are bay, dark bay, brown and black; grey and chestnut are also permitted. Pinto patterns are not accepted in the studbook.
In temperament Holsteiners range from calm and easy-going to sensitive and forward. What breeders value most is a balanced, reliable and brave character: a horse that thinks along with its rider and stays honest in front of a fence.
Bred for show jumping and eventing
For a comparatively small studbook, the Holsteiner has an exceptional record at the highest level. A few examples from Olympic history:
- Classic Touch: individual show jumping gold in Barcelona 1992 with Ludger Beerbaum
- Cento: team show jumping gold in Sydney 2000 with Otto Becker
- Cedric and Carlsson vom Dach: team show jumping gold for the USA in Beijing 2008 with Laura Kraut and Will Simpson
- Marius: individual and team eventing gold in Beijing 2008 with Hinrich Romeike
- Granat: individual dressage gold in Montreal 1976 with Christine Stückelberger
Holsteiner bloodlines are also the basis of many other jumping breeds, because Holsteiner stallions are used by breeders all over Europe and North America.
Damlines: how Holsteiner breeders think
A special feature of Holsteiner breeding is the careful recording of mare families. Every damline has its own stem number (Stamm), and many lines can be traced back for more than a century. For breeders the damline is often as important as the sire: it shows which qualities have been passed on reliably through generations of mares.
In a Holsteiner pedigree you will often find the Stamm noted next to the dam. Diarado, for example, comes from damline 318D2. At Grafity-Pferde we build our breeding on our own broodmares and their families and choose the stallions to complement them.
Influential bloodlines
Some sires have shaped the modern Holsteiner more than others:
- Ramzes AA, sire of Raimond and grandsire of Ramiro, often called the stallion of the century
- Ladykiller xx, sire of Landgraf I and Lord
- Cottage Son xx, grandsire of Capitol I
- Cor de la Bryère, who brought jumping technique and carefulness into the breed
- Almé Z and Bachus Z, further important influences
Today names such as Cassini I, Casall and Diarado stand for modern Holsteiner jumping blood.
Holsteiner vs. Hanoverian
Both are German warmbloods with shared roots: the Hanoverian breed was founded in 1735 with Holsteiner stallions. Today the Hanoverian is one of the largest warmblood studbooks and breeds for all disciplines, with a strong dressage branch. The Holsteiner studbook is much smaller and has concentrated on show jumping and eventing for decades. Holsteiners are often described as particularly powerful and careful jumpers, Hanoverians as especially versatile. In the end, the individual horse and its pedigree matter more than the brand.
What does a Holsteiner cost?
The price depends on age, training, pedigree, health and the X-ray findings, and on results in young horse classes or competitions. Foals and young horses straight from the breeder are usually the most affordable way to a well-bred Holsteiner; trained horses with a competition record cost considerably more. Our current horses and their prices are listed under Holsteiner horses for sale. Where a price is shown as on request, just ask us.
Buying a Holsteiner from the breeder
If you are thinking about buying a Holsteiner, especially from abroad, our guide Buying a Holsteiner from Germany explains viewing, vetting, transport and paperwork step by step. You can also have a look at our young horses or the horses for sale.