The Lipizzans

THEY ARE THE oldest cultured horse breed in Europe. Their ancestry can be traced back to the 16th century, and their name comes from a small village in modern-day Slovenia: the Lipizzaners, whose first home was Lipica and are now bred in Piber, near the Styrian city of Graz, owe their grace and learning ability to the over 400-year-old, carefully cultivated and constantly refined knowledge of proper breeding and training. Each year the finest Lipizzaner stallions are selected for the Spanish Riding School, the world-renowned institution where the classic art of horsemanship of the “haute école” has been practised for some 450 years. With their extraordinary performances in the famous Winter Riding School in Vienna’s Hofburg palace, these noble horses enthral visitors from all over the globe. This compact and beautifully illustrated book traces the history of the Lipizzaner breed, provides insights into their training, and describes the turmoil the “white stallions” faced during and after the Second World War as well as the outstanding position they occupy in today’s equestrian circles.