Regal and refined, the Kladruber has been bred in the Czech Republic since the royal stud of Czechoslovakia in Kladrub was founded in 1597 by the Emperor Rudolph II. It is one of the world's oldest studs and the Kladruber is one of its greatest legacies.

Originally bred for the Imperial Court in Vienna, the present day Kladruber is much more contemporary in form than the older, heavier Kladruber coach horse. The neck is lean and arched, and leads down to a strong body with a deep girth built for carriage work. The croup, the line running from the top of the tail to the highest point on the hindquarters, is straight and the legs are short, but strong.

Though bred for carriage and coach work, the Kladruber is also known for its ability as a riding horse as well as its manageability, a trait rooted out over centuries of selective breeding. Their royal patronage and high position also ensured that the Kladruber Horse evolved as a hardy and well-built breed, free of defects and disease.

The Kladruber is rare, but two main herds are kept – a white herd and a black herd. Black Kladrubers are bred at the Slatinany stud. In 1995, the horse was declared to be a Czech Historic Landmark, and in 2002, the Kladrub stud was included in that honor as well. Today, they serve as the horse of choice for the Royal Court of Sweden as well as Sweden's mounted police force.

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