Dr. Thomas Nissen
Managing Director and Breeding Manager
Tel: +49 431 305996 0
Fax: +49 431 336 142
Association Kiel
Steenbeker Weg 151
24106 Kiel
Mare Lines
The basis of the Holsteiner breed
The mare lines or stems are of particular importance in the Holsteiner studbook. The first studbook published in 1897 was compiled by Georg Ahsbahs who traced back the mare families to the beginning of the 19th century, assigning stem numbers to each of them.
This system is still used today and the envy of many other breed societies.
Already at that time the mares were evaluated and received scores on six traits, bloodline, height, colour, elegance, movement, and bone structure. These days, evaluation has been much improved, but is still based on that method.
By the late 1980s, Holstein had developed a system to evaluate performance in young mares, the so called mare tests, a yardstick for all European sport horse stud books.
Picture: Festel, Champion mare of the Verband mare show in Elmshorn 2016
Mare lines
Own performance and conformation
Already last century, a clear idea of Holsteiner type had been formed.
This important breed criterion has been preserved and is being maintained by the breeders in the land between the seas with pride: Holsteiners are one of the few original warmblood breeds and thus considered very special all over the world.
In addition to breed type, a correct conformation, first and foremost of the topline and the legs are among the most important traits closely assessed by the Holsteiner breeders.