About the Swedish Warmblood

The Swedish Warmblood is one of the oldest warmblood breeds and has for centuries been bred for riding. The tradition dates back to the 17^th century when Sweden was a dominant military power in northern Europe and the primary objective was to provide the cavalry with sturdy horses. The first Swedish Warmblood studbook was published in 1874.

The Swedish Warmblood Association (ASVH) was founded in 1928 and the goal was and still is to support and develop the breeding, raising and education of the Swedish Warmblood. ASVH is a nonprofit association with approximately 3000 members. There are 26 regional member associations that arrange young horse tests and inspections.

The success of the Swedish Warmblood has been largely the result of breeders and sports bodies understanding and capitalizing on each other’s expertise. This collaboration is the foundation of the Swedish breeding program. Swedish breeders have been extremely responsive to changing needs of the sporting community and this has resulted in increased international competitiveness and widespread improvements in breed quality. 

The breeding goal for the Swedish Warmblood is a noble, correct and sound warmblood who through its competitive temperament, its rideability, excellent gaits and/or jumping ability is of international quality. 

Approximately 3700 Swedish Warmblood foals are born in Sweden every year. Sweden has excellent resources for breeding with large roaming areas and pastures with clean air and fresh water where animal welfare and protection are central to our way of life. There is a fine equestrian tradition in Sweden with opportunities for anyone interested in sports, breeding or horses in general. Through tradition, collaboration and change, we have achieved quality and results that are among the best in the world and we look forward to continued success in the years to come.

Today, the Swedish Warmblood has received international recognition as a top breed in all disciplines. In just the past few years, Swedish bred horses have won medals at several major equestrian events, individually and in team competitions. This includes the Olympic Games, the World Equestrian Games and the European Championships. For example the stallion Briar 899 has been the world’s highest ranked dressage stallion for seven years in a row. In 2005 the top ranked eventing horse was Swedish bred. In 2007, two Swedish Warmbloods were among the five top dressage horses on FEI´s world ranking list.

On www.blup.se you can find information about all ASVH registered horses, such as pedigree, year of birth, color etc. – as well as results from the ASVH young horse inspections, summary of show results and breeding value if available. Additionally the offspring of the horse is listed. Users interested in breeding can create lists of stallions and mares based on their breeding value for different traits, a very useful tool for selecting a stallion for the breeding season. The individual stallion pages contain information about offspring, performance test results and breeding value. The website currently has more than 25 000 unique visitors per month. 

Sweden´s premier events that showcase the Swedish Warmblood in various disciplines include the Scandinavian Finals held in Falsterbo each July and the Swedish Breeding and Sports Championships held in Flyinge each October. The most coveted award, the Breeders Trophy, is a symbol of Sweden’s recognition of the importance of collaboration between breeders and the sporting community. 

The Swedish Warmblood Association is also represented in North America. The Swedish Warmblood Association of North America (SWANA) is an organization dedicated to breeding and promoting Swedish Warmblood horses in North America. The breeding rules and standards of the SWANA are consistent with those of the Swedish Warmblood Association.