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Lipizzans represent over 400 years of select breeding, founded upon selections of superior horses gathered from all over the world. They not only possess beauty and nobility, but also a rare combination of courage, strength, ability, temperament, and intelligence.
The Lipizzan breed had its beginning in 1580 when Archduke Charles II established the studfarm in Lipizza (Lipica), using the best imported Spanish horses, Andalusians, Barbs and Berbers bred to the local Karst horses. The Karst horses were white in color, small, slow to mature, and extremely tough. Most people have the false idea that Lipizzans inherited their high stepping gait from the Spanish horse. It was, however, the Karst horse who gave the Lipizzan its high stepping gait.
In the late 1700's the horses were moved three times during the Napoleonic Wars. Napolean gained possession of the horses for a while and bred his Arab stallion, VESIR, to the Lipizzaners. Seven Arab stallions were used to develop the breed during the period from 1807 to 1856. They were: SIGLAVY, TADMOR, GAZLAN, SAYDAN, SAMSON, HADUDI, and BEN AZET. From 1792 to 1815, the Kladruby horse helped to develop two of the Lipizzan lines (Maestoso & Favory). By 1880 there were 341 Lipizzan horses at the Lipizza studfarm. Of all the sires used in the 18th and 19th centuries, only six founded the original stallion lines of the Lipizzan breed: SIGLAVY, NEAPOLOTANO, MAESTOSO, FAVORY, PLUTO, and CONVERSANO. Later, in Croatia and Hungary, the TULIPAN and INCITATO lines were developed.
Until 1916, the Lipizzan studfarm always remained a private possession of the Habsburg monarchy. Up to this time, the expansion of the breed had been affected over the centuries by military conflicts. Whenever warfare threatened the Lipizza stud, the horses were moved away. During these moves, individual horses would occasionally be given or sold to other studs. From these horses came other small Lipizzan studs, usually within the boundaries of the Austrian empire.
During World War I, the breeding stock was relocated to Laxenburg near Vienna. The foals were placed in the other imperial studfarm, Kladrub. After World War I, central Europe was reorganized. The large Austrian-Hungarian empire was divided into several new republics, and every new state inherited the possessions of the former monarchy. The breeding stock of the imperial studfarm of Lipizza (1580-1916) itself was divided among three different countries. At the time, only 208 Lipizzans were known to be left in extistence. The main part (109 horses) went to Italy, to which the village of Lipizza and its surroundings had been awarded. The 1913-1915 foals remained at Kladrub, which was then owned by the Czechoslovakian state. In 1919, the republic of Austria became the owner of the rest of the breeding stock and the stallions of the Spanish Riding School. Following World War I, in addition to Italy, Czechoslovakia, and Austria, other new states which continued the breeding of the Lipizzan horse were Hungary, Rumania, and Yugoslavia.
In 1943, the Lipizzan breed was again threatened with extinction when the mares and foals from Austria, Italy, and Yugoslavia were transferred to Hostau in Czechoslovakia by the German High Command. Through the heroic efforts of the Spanish Riding School’s director, Alois Podhajsky, the school was saved yet the performance stallions were not returned to the school until 1955. In 1945, the perpetuation of the breed was guaranteed by the American army, under the command of General Patton, which retrieved the mares and returned them to Austrian soil.
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 rare, and the number of foals born each year is correspondingly small. Extreme care is taken by those involved in the production of Lipizzan horses to insure that the purity of the breed is preserved. Much effort has been expended to develop educational programs to foster voluntary adherence to the traditional breed goals and objectives.
In the late 20th century, 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. The breed has also proven to be suitable for other equestrian disciplines including pleasure riding. Owners and breeders are dedicated to the Lipizzan breed because they appreciate its rarity, cultural importance, romantic history, and its traits of intelligence, classical beauty, and harmonious, athletic way of moving.
