Archive for the ‘Lipizzan Stallions’ Category

or Lipizzan as they may some times be called…

…are synonymous with the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, which is one of the elite riding schools in the world and a must visit when in Vienna.

Lipizzaner Peeking Out Getting Fresh Air

At the school located on the grounds of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, the attraction is the performance of the majestic Lipizzaner Stallions.  Tours are also available, for those who want a bit more insight into this foremost and oldest riding school in the world.  The school dates back over four centuries and was named for the Spanish influence of the breed, in specific the Andalusian, which dates back approximately 2,000 years to Roman times.

History Goes Back To The Habsburg Nobility

The link of this breed with Austria dates back to the 16^th Century when it was developed with the support of the Habsburg Nobility.  The breed takes its name from one of the earliest stud farms established in Lipica (Lipizza in Italian), in what today is Slovania. Since 1920 the Lipizzaner stallions have been bred at the stud farm in Piber, located at the southern end of the state of Styria. Strength was a major consideration in developing the breed and this can be seen today in some of the dressage maneuvers exhibited by the stallions.  Read more... (545 words, 3 images, estimated 2:11 mins reading time)