Abstract: A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic valve, a load-holding valve arrangement, a flow-control valve arrangement, a working pressure sensor, a differential pressure sensor, and a speed sensor. The load-holding valve arrangement includes first and second load-holding valves connected to opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder. The flow-control valve arrangement includes a directional flow-control valve and a hydraulic pump. The differential pressure sensor measures pressure over the load-holding valve arrangement. A desired extension or retraction speed of the hydraulic cylinder is controlled by adjusting the position of the directional flow-control valve, the first load-holding valve and the second load-holding valve based on a measured working pressure in the hydraulic system and a measured speed of the hydraulic cylinder or a differential pressure over the load-holding valve arrangement.