The Lippizan is a horse of Spanish breeding that was developed in the late 16th century in Lippiza, which was then in Austria but is now a part of Slovenia. The Archduke Charles, brother of Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I, established a horse breeding farm in this area that used only the finest of Spanish breeding stock. Since Lippiza was in the Karst region, the horses that resulted became known as the Karst horses of Lippiza.
The horses that Charles selected, while not all from Spain, were of Spanish origin and included Andalusians, Barbs, Berbers, Neopolitans, and Arabians. Stallions were crossed with his best Karst mares, and the resulting offspring were elegant, strong, courageous, and beautiful.
Today’s Lipizzan breed stems from six stallions used by Charles in his breeding program. In addition to the six stallion lines, there are 16 mare family lines. The breed has a very distinct naming process. Every stallion is given two names. The first name comes from his sire, while the second name comes from his dam. Mares are given one name, ending in an a, with a Roman numeral following it. The Lipizzan breed has been under the custodianship of Slovenia since 1996; no one else is allowed to use the Lipizzan name unless they get permission from the Republic of Slovenia first.
Lipizzans stand 15-15.3 hands tall, and are almost always gray, although occasionally a black or bay may show up. Lipizzans have smooth, elastic gaits and high knee actions that makes them especially suited to dressage. As a matter of fact, the best Lipizzan stallions are taken to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, where they are trained for dressage. While some stay and work at the Spanish Riding School their entire lives, the best stallions are sent back to Lipizza to serve in its breeding program.
The fact that the Lipizzan breed still exists and thrives has something to do with General George Patton, who put them under the care of the U.S. army during World War II, considering them a natural treasure of Austria that must be protected. He ensured that the horses at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna were moved to St. Martin in upper Austria, while the Lipizzan stud that was moved to Czechoslovakia was returned to Austria. The army brought a few Lipizzans back to the United States after the war. While they are very rare in North America, occasionally you’ll see a Lipizzan—or a horse of Lipizzan descent—competing in dressage or carriage driving. Today there are only about 1,200 purebred, registered Lipizzans in the U.S., and about 30 to 40 foals are registered each year. The registry includes some imported horses, mostly from the Piber stud in Austria, which supplies the Spanish Riding School with its stock. Some horses also come from Romania, Transylvania, Hungary, and the former Yugoslavia.
