Flyinge, with equestrian roots in the 12th century, is the
oldest national stud in the world, still in operation.

When the Swedish King Karl X conquered the Danes and
took over the province of Scania (Skane) in 1658 he ordered
the Royal Stud to be established. In 1661 the Royal Stud
at Flyinge was donated to the Army.

In 1747 Flyinge was entrusted to the Crown Prince Adolf Fredrik,
who brought a great number of good stallions from his estate in
Holstein to enliven the breeding program.

The next important period started in 1814, when the Cavalry
officer C A Ehrengranath, also a veterinarian, was appointed
principal of Flyinge. Under his management Flyinge became an
internationally famous institution, where students from many
countries studied the art of riding, breeding and veterinary
science. The breeding program was aimed at producing
the perfect Cavalry horse, that would give the winning edge in
the many battles of Europe, as well as a horse that could be
used to impress other Cavalry officers and members of the
Royal Courts in Europe.

Over decades the breeding program at Flyinge kept developing.
Out of top Swedish broodmares and stallions of Thoroughbred,
Arab, Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Oldenburg and Trakhener progeny,
the skillful managers and breeders at Flyinge succeeded in
creating a unique horse - the Swedish Warmblood.

As the breeding at Flyinge kept supplying the Cavalry with top
horses, the mare lines, that are the basis for truly top breeding,
were and still are, of outstanding quality. Between Flyinge and
Stromsholm, the then Cavalry Officer Training Centre, horses that
were able to win wars, as well as Olympic medals for the officers,
kept coming out of Flyinge. They were able to excel at anything
from 3-day eventing, dressage and show jumping to driving.

Those horses were not only trainable, reliable and powerful, but
also elegant, good looking and with movements that created the
famous expression "Schwedengang", which basically means "very
big and elevated forward action with lots of drive from behind".

Sweden also produced world famous riders, drivers, trainers
and judges, who almost all came from the Cavalry.

Most Swedish riders of today can thank the great Cavalry officers
for their skills, as they have formed the basis for all equine
education and training, all the way from riding school to Grand Prix.

Horse riding is actually the second biggest sport in Sweden.
It's also worth mentioning, that only two countries in the world can
perform "The Quadrille" with the required 12 Grand Prix riders
- Germany and Sweden!

As the Cavalry gradually was replaced by machines and no longer
needed so many horses, the Swedish Equestrian breeding
organisations and Sport Foundations took over operations at
Flyinge in 1983.

The Foundation "Flyinge - National Stud of Sweden" was formed.

Again Flyinge became a leading centre for equine education.
Today even a University degree in science is available. Flyinge
also has a High School with equine education as well as Breeding
education, Young Horse training and Clinics for riders and horses
of every discipline, including the very old Swedish tradition of
excellence in driving everything up to 12 horses!

The present strong support from the Swedish and the international
breeders, trade and industry, state and other authorities, has
made it possible to continue the equestrian tradition at Flyinge,
indeed the pillar of Swedish Warmblood breeding.
Last year alone, as many as 1,971 mares enjoyed the services of
Flyinge stallions.