The “World Famous” Lipizzaner Stallions

Horse of Battle, Horse of Ballet

From its original breeding and use as a horse of war, to a horse of nobility and aristocracy, to a living form of equestrian art, the Lipizzaner stallions have been a highly celebrated breed of horses. Today, they are known for their intricately choreographed equine ballets; however, they have a rich history that extends over thousands of years.

It is believed that the ancestor of the Lipizzan was first bred in Carthage, more than 2,000 years ago. The Carthaginian stock was bred with the Vilano, a sturdy Pyrenees horse, and with Arab and Barbary strains. This cross-breeding resulted in the fabled Andalusian of ancient Spain, prized by the Arabs for its fleetness and agility.

Archduke Maximilian, later Emperor of Austria, began breeding Spanish horses in 1562. Eighteen years later, Archduke Karl, ruler of four Austrian provinces, established a royal stud farm in Lipizza. In the 17th and 18th centuries, horses from the northern Italian stud farm at Polesnia and the highly regarded Neapolitan strain were brought to Lipizza to mingle with the resident stock and the descendants of the original Spanish line out of Denmark and Germany.

This breeding was continued until World War I and the downfall of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. As land was divided among countries following World War I, the prized Lipizzaner herd was divided as well. At the time, only 208 Lipizzans were known to be left in existence. Half of the breed went to Italy, while the Republic of Austria took their horses to a privately owned stud farm, which was founded in 1798 to breed cavalry mounts for the army.

During World War II, the Lipizzan breed was again threatened with extinction when the mares and foals from Austria, Italy, and Yugoslavia were transferred to Czechoslovakia by the German High Command. The American Army, under the direction of General Patton, ensured the continuation of the breed when it retrieved the mares and returned them to Austrian soil in 1945.

Today, Lipizzans are found beyond the borders of what was once the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. With less than 3,000 purebred Lipizzans in the world, the breed is considered extremely rare. The Lipizzan has proven to be a successful competitor at all levels of competition dressage and driving, as well as continuing to be the ultimate mount for classical horsemanship.

Lipizzans represent over 400 years of the highest quality breeding, founded upon selections of superior horses gathered from all over the world. Experience a spectacular combination of culture and history, as the “World Famous” Lipizzaner Stallions perform at the Erwin Center March 23!