Kladruby

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The Kladruby is also known as the Kladrusky. This horse breed originally came from Czechoslovakia. It is rare. Nevertheless, this fairly large-sized horse is still very much in evidence in sport driving events.

Physical Characteristics

The Kladruby has a majestic and noble look. The head is Roman-nosed, and the ears are small. It has a high neck that is set on fine shoulders. It also has a muscular croup. The Kladruby is a large horse. It stands between 16.2 and 17 hands (65-68 inches, 162-172 centimeters). The dominant colors are black and white.

Personality and Temperament

The Kladruby is a vigorous horse with noble characteristics. It is a tough horse with great endurance.

History and Background

The Kladruby is said to have descended from horses of Spanish and Italian blood.  It is supposed to have been developed starting in the 16th Century. Like other horse breeds, the Kladruby underwent several improvement attempts. In 1579, for instance, the Kladruby was crossed with other breeds to improve the stock of the imperial court stud at the Labe Peninsula. Unfortunately, the records of the first breeds used to cross the strains of the Kladruby were lost during a fire in 1757.

During the early 17th Century, there were more than a thousand of these horses present in various farms. The Kladruby was then being bred in two types – black and white – and they were distinguished by their color. The black horses were used by members of the clergy to pull their carriages. Later, the horses were sold for meat, which greatly reduced the population of the breed. Fortunately, there were several black Kladruby mares that were saved.

The Kladruby is being bred in Slatinany today. This is perhaps the only thing that is preventing the extinction of the breed. Presently, there are less than 90 head of Kladruby horses; this makes it one of the rarest horse breeds. Today, the Kladruby is used for sport driving and has taken part in many championships.