The history of the stud farm dates back to the Napoleonic Wars, as a result of which the number of horses on Polish lands decreased rapidly.

His main assistant as herd overseer was a former French officer, Jan Gosselin, who stayed in Poland after 1812 and started a family there.

With the help of the Russian governor of the Kingdom of Poland, Ivan Paskevich, a horse lover, the stud experienced a golden age.

The herd's management included, among others: cups and medals and other decorations of horses purchased in Europe (e.g. silver cups of the mare Armida, winner of multiple races held in Warsaw), numerous paintings on horse themes, and an equine library with a number of Polish and German magazines.

During this period, specialist and court counselor Filip Eberhardt managed the stud farm until the end of the 1870s as the overseer of the government herd.

From July 1861, the titular function of the herd director was held by the actual councilor of state, equerry of the imperial court, Janusz Rostworowski [pl] (1811-1891).

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Janów Podlaski was the most important center of breeding and equine knowledge in the western part of the Russian Empire.

The idea of recreating the stud farm in Janów from scratch was considered in 1918 by a group of Polish enthusiasts and equestrians.

It resulted in some famous breeding stallions, such as Witraż and Wielki Szlem, being returned to Janów, as well as other purebred horses.

Hans Fellgiebel [pl; de], the commandant of the stud farm, made sure that the horses and their grooms were doing well, considering wartime conditions.

Scientific research was conducted at the stud farm under the supervision of Bernhard Grzimek on, among other things, the horse's instinct to return to the stable.

[12][8] In July 1944, a herd of about 300 pure-bred Arabian horses was evacuated to Nazi Germany, where it suffered losses during the bombing of Dresden.

The famous stallion Witez II did not return from Germany and was sent instead to the USA as war booty by American General George S. Patton.

During this period, the stud farm enjoyed a high reputation worldwide, and Arabian horse breeders from all over the world came to its Pride of Poland auctions [pl].