Lipizzaner Stallions History and Information
The Lipizzan horses, or Lipizzaner, are very closely associated with what is called the Spanish Riding School, which is the oldest riding academy in the world. It dates back to at least as early as 1565, during the Habsburg monarchy. The horses take their name from the fact that the stud farm where they are bred is located in a Kras village Lipica (Italian: Lipizza), near Trieste in nowadays Slovenia.
The late Colonel Alois Podhajsky, the past longtime director of the renowned Spanish Riding School in Vienna, stated, "One can never, through violence, cause the horse to perfect the manner in which it expresses its skill, but only by delicate coaxing and subtle demanding, between much praise and little punishment". While the Lipizzaner Stallion is courageous, spirited and strong, he is a sensitive being and responds to praise and appreciation and rebels immediately to force. The "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions presentation is a demonstration of a unique and admired relationship.