Fond memories of a visit last month to the The Stud at Kladruby nad Labem , one of the oldest studs in the world and home to the oldest original Czech horse breed: the Old Kladruber horse.
The Old Kladruber horses are still the pivot of the life in the stud. Historically, the grey horses were used for ceremonial service at the royal and imperial court. In fact, they are probably the only horse breed in the world which was bred specifically to pull coaches of the sovereigns. The black horses were mainly used for representative service by high clergy. Nowadays the grey Old Kladrubers still serve at royal courts. The Danish queen, Margrethe II, uses a team of six Old Kladruber greys to draw her State Coach on festive rides in Copenhagen. In Sweden, the Old Kladrubers carry the trumpeters of the Swedish Mounted Royal Guards.
In the Czech Republic the horses can often be seen at various celebrations at Prague Castle, and they are also used by the mounted police in Pardubice, Ostrava and Prague. The horses also excel in combined driving competitions and dressage. For their calm nature they are great for recreational driving as well as hippotherapy.