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Lipizzan Horse

Country of Origin: Austria

Lipizzaner Horse

Intro

The Lipizzan or Lipizzaner is perhaps most well known for their fine performing stallions from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna which is the oldest riding academy in the world. The Lipizzan breed is named for the village of Lipizza near the northwest border of Italy (before the 2nd World War anyway). Austria is actually credited with the origins of the breed because Lipizza was theirs during the breed’s development.

Lipizzaner Horse

Image from David.Monniaux

Origins

This breed comes from the ancient Iberian horse, famous in the glory days of the Romans who sought after the snow white steeds. Some areas introduced animals of Asian descent but after the Moors were driven out of Spain various breeding programs were established. Countries through Europe made attempts to preserve their own Iberian strains and the bloodlines proved successful in most circumstances.

The Spanish animals were introduced to Austria in 1562 when a court stud was founded at Kladruber and another was established in Lipizza in 1580. Bloodlines were shared, however the Kladruber animals were bred more as carriage animals and the Lipizzana held purer Iberian blood.

Stud book records date back to 1701, but they are incomplete at best. So a breed type is hard to decipher. However the original animal was very Spanish in character.

During WWII the breed (& riding school) faced peril & was granted protection by the US army. Not only was the riding school returned to new Austria, but the stud farm was also returned from Czechoslovakia.

The riding school still stands in Vienna where it has for well over 2 centuries and only stallions of the Lipizzan breed are trained there. The animals are trained to do difficult maneuvers with patience and respect and it is said that the older stallions instruct the newer trainers.

Today in Austria the state owns the monopoly on the breeding of the Lipizzan horse and the only stud farm is in Styria. Lucky for us, Lipizzan animals can be bred outside of Austria & they have enthusiasts worldwide – although they are still a rare breed.

Features

Average height 15 – 16.1 hands

Physique

Head is long with a slightly convex profile
Eyes are large & expressive
Neck is muscular & arched
Back is long and can be hollow
Chest is deep & wide
Shoulder sloping & powerful
Legs are strong & muscular with broad, clean joints

Traditional Colors

Predominately grey

Temperament

Lively character
Docile & kind

Lipizzaner Horse

Use

Riding horse
Show horse

Lipizzan Products

Helpful Links

* all links open in a new window
Lipizzaner Stallions
Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain
Lipizzaner National Studbook Association of Great Britain
United States Lipizzan Registry
Lipizzan Association of North America
Lipizzaner Association of Australia

Where to Buy

Lipizzan Association of North America
Four Wind Farms Lipizzans
The Waltzing Horse Farm
LockeNest Lipizzan Farm

Lipizzan Studs

Annwn Park Lipizzaner Stud

Video

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Country of Origin: Austria | Colors:
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