It was an area of limestone-enriched soil recognizedsince the time of the Romans for the production of superior horses. A lime-lined avenue still exists in thatlocation, nicely linking the present horses with their fascinating past.Because the selection of horses for breeding has remained virtuallyunchanged for hundreds of years, horse historian and geneticist Dr. PhillipSponenberg has stated that the Lipizzan today, more than any other breed, showsus what the very best Spanish horses looked like at the time of Columbus.According to the U.S. Lipizzan Registry (founded in 1980):As farback as the period of the Romans, horsemen from around the world sought Iberianhorses.
The resulting horses were known as Karst horses or Karst horses ofLipizza for some two centuries.Across thenortheast border of Italy in the beautiful region known as the Karst, then inAustria but now part of the Republic of Slovenia, fine horses were also atradition. The number of toes shrank to one, and its toenail formed the hoof. Archduke Charles picked the site by consulting with thebest horsemen of the time. Their skills and coats are available on Howrse, the #1 horse riding and breeding game. The Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner (Slovene: Lipicanec, Czech: Lipicán, Hungarian: Lipicai, Italian: Lipizzano, Croatian: Lipicanac), is a breed of horse originating in Lipica in Slovenia. The legs are strong and muscular, with broad, clean joints andwell-defined tendons. Though still rare in North America, Lipizzans are seen in dressage andcarriage competitions, and have proved to be fine pleasure mounts as well.During WorldWar II, officials of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna hastily removed thehorses to St. Martin in upper Austria as the German army advanced. Very occasionally a black or bay may turn up, and it is traditional for one stallion of a color other than gray to be kept at the Riding School. Spanish horses went toItaly, bringing renown to the Italian Polesina and Neapolitan breeds. The feet are relatively small but quite hard.The Moors were driven out of Spain in the late fifteenth century. Army to protect this great national treasure until it could be returned toa secure new Austria, which occurred in 1955.• There are about 1,200 purebred, registeredLipizzans in the U.S.Gray is the dominant color of the breed today. This was an animal about the size of a sheep, with only three toes on its front feet.• The registry includes a number of importedhorses, most from the Piber stud in Austria, which is also a source for horsesin the Spanish Riding School. By rewarding good behavior with treats, a trainer can instill good habits in this horse.The white coat of the Lipizzaner will come in anywhere from 6 to 10 years of age, and it is the dominant color of this breed, although you may occasionally find a Lipizzan Horse that is brown or black. Inaddition to the stallion lines, there are sixteen mare family lines.The early ancestors of horses lived in the Western Hemisphere—what would later be called North and South America. A portrait of Charles VIstill hangs in the royal box.• Thirty to 40 new foals are added to theregistry each year. The last carousel was held in 1894.