An afternoon with the Knabstrupper herd at Stutteri Knabstrup


I had been hoping for rain.


The kind you can really see in a photograph, falling through the light and turning an ordinary field into something dramatic. But by the time I arrived at Stutteri Knabstrup, most of it had already passed. What remained was a grey sky, damp fields and a herd of horses generously covered in mud.


It was exactly the kind of day many people would have postponed.


We often imagine that everything should be right before we take pictures. The weather should be beautiful, the horse should be clean and the light should be perfect. But perhaps our idea of beautiful conditions is sometimes a little too narrow.

A person stands in a field as a large herd of appaloosa and white horses gallops past tall dark pine trees.

A visit I had wanted to make for a long time


I had been hoping to visit Stutteri Knabstrup for quite a while. The Knabstrupper has become a rare breed, while also being an important part of Danish cultural heritage. I have so much respect for the people who are working to protect it and carry its history forward.


And, quite simply, spots are always amazing :-)


Our original plans had already been postponed once. When the forecast later promised rain and restless weather, I spontaneously wrote to Tania:

“What are you doing today? I think it’s perfect picture weather.”


Luckily, she trusted the idea.


When I arrived, we did very little to arrange the horses or control what happened. We simply let the herd move freely and photographed them as they were.


This is one of my favourite ways to work. It asks me to pay attention, move with the horses and keep finding new pictures within whatever they choose to do. I cannot decide where each horse will stand or which direction the herd will move. I have to observe, react and become more creative.


The fresh weather was on our side. Instead of spending the afternoon quietly grazing, the horses were active, curious and full of movement.

A herd of Knabstrupper horses galloping through a grassy field with dark evergreen trees in the background.

Mud on top of spots


The rain itself may not have appeared in the way I had imagined, but its traces were everywhere.

The soft, matte light brought out the patterns in the horses’ coats even more beautiful. The grey sky gave the pictures a deep, almost mysterious atmosphere. And the mud created entirely new markings across coats that were already full of them.


Looking through the finished series, I kept thinking about how much beauty we miss when we have already decided what it is supposed to look like. We recognise it easily in golden light, clean coats and carefully planned moments. It can take us a little longer to notice it in muddy legs, grey skies and plans that change at the last minute.


Yet it is there.


In the way two horses stand together for just a second. In the shapes created when the herd begins to move. In a wet mane, a curious nose coming close to the camera or the layers of spots and mud that make a familiar coat look entirely new.


Perhaps beauty does not always need better conditions. Sometimes it simply needs us to look a little longer.

Take your time with this one


I find it almost impossible to choose a favourite image from this afternoon. Every photograph holds something different, and I would hate for the individual pictures to disappear within the size of the whole series.

So I hope you will take your time as you move through this gallery. Pause on the individual horses, the small interactions and the moments that may not ask for your attention immediately.

Sometimes those are the ones that stay with us.

A herd of spotted Knabstrupper horse galloping freely in a field.
Close-up of an Knabstruppers horse's muzzle showing distinctive white coat with brown spots.
Black and white photo of two spotted Knabstrupper stallions playing together in a field.
White Knabstrupper horse with brown spots running freely in an open field.
Two horses nuzzling each other affectionately in a black and white portrait photo.
Two Knabstrupper horses nuzzling each other affectionately outdoors near green trees.
Black and white close-up photo of a spotted Knabstrupper horse with distinctive dappled markings on its coat and muzzle.
Herd of spotted Knabstrupper horses galloping through a wildflower meadow near forest.
A herd of Knabstrupper and grey horses galloping through a wildflower meadow with a dark forest backdrop.
A spotted Appaloosa horse with brown and white markings trots gracefully in an outdoor setting.
Two horses, one white and one dark brown, gallop freely through a dry grass field with a forest backdrop.
Close-up of an Knabstrupper horse's spotted white and dark brown coat pattern on its back and withers.
A herd of Knabstrupper horses galloping freely through a grassy meadow with wildflowers and trees in the background.
Close-up portrait of a spotted Knabstrupper horse with a chestnut mane against a gray sky.
Two Knabstrupper horses nuzzling in a field surrounded by white horses with trees in the background.