The Model Horse Gallery Library

Lipizzaners "A Vanishing Breed?"

by Didi Hornberger

Looking for another breed to show in those Spanish classes, as well as another idea for the "Carriage Horse" classes, for both light, and heavy carriage types? Try the Lipizzaner! Dating back to the 16th century, the Lipizzaner is one of the oldest Spanish Breeds. (Remember, though that the Lipizzaner is a Spanish breed whose middle gait is the "trot", and not the "3 or 4-beat gait.")

The Lipizzaner takes its name from one of the earliest stud farms, which was located near the Slovene village of Lipica. (Spelled "Lipizza", In Italian.) The breed was originally developed with the support of the Hapsburg nobility, as both a military mount and as a riding horse for the nobility of Central Europe. The court stud at Kladrub, Austria was founded in 1562 by Emperor Maximillian II.

Lipizzaner bloodlines trace back to native Slovene "Karst" horses, and more recently through Baroque horses of Spanish descent obtained from Spain, Germany, and Denmark, including the Andalusian. The Kladrub stud specialized in producing heavy carriage horses, while the Lipizza stud produced the riding and light carriage horses. In 1920, The Piber stud in Graz, Austria became the main stud for the horses used in Vienna.

Until the 18th century, Lipizzans actually had coat colors OTHER THAN gray, including dun, bay, chestnut, black, piebald and skewbald. However, because gray was the color preferred by the royal family, that color was specifically selected for in breeding practices. Thus in a small breed population, "gray" came to be the color of the overwhelming majority of Lipizzan horses. However, it is a long-standing tradition for the Spanish Riding School to have at least one bay Lipizzan stallion in residence, and this tradition is continued through the present day. There is also the rare solid-colored Lipizzaner horse, usually bay or black. (If you decide to show your model Lipizzaner in one of the more unusual colors, documentation is a "must".)

Most Lipizzans measure between 15 and 16.1 hands. (60 to 65 inches) (152 to 165 cm). The original carriage-horse type Lipizzans are closer to the 16.1 hand mark.

Today the breed is relatively rare, with only about 3,000 horses registered worldwide. The Lipizzan breed suffered a setback to its population when a viral epidemic hit the Piber Stud in 1983. Forty horses and eight percent of the expected foal crop were lost. Since then, the population at the stud has increased, with 100 mares at the stud as of 1994 and a foal crop of 56 born in 1993. The number of foals born each year is small, and breeders take extreme care to preserve the purity of the breed.

Lipizzans are recognized in Slovenia as a national symbol, due to the Lipizzans being the only breed of horse developed in Slovenia. A pair of Lipizzans is featured on the 20-cent Slovenian euro coins.

Check out the history, photos, and stunning "airs above the ground" of famous Lipizzaner Stallions here!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipizzan

http://www.lipizzaner.com/lipizzaner_frameset.asp

http://www.lipizzan.com/spr.html

http://www.travelwithachallenge.com/Slovenia-Lipizzaner-Horse-Vacation.htm

http://www.lipizzaner.com/airs.asp

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/lipizzan/index.htm

Bring out your Lipizzaner models, for something different in those Spanish and Carriage classes!

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