The Classical Lipizzan
The Lipizzan breed began in 1580 when Archduke Charles II established a stud farm 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 this trait. Until 1916, the Lipizzan stud farm remained the 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.
Today, Lipizzans are found beyond the borders of what was once the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. With less than 4,000 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 ensure that the purity of the breed is preserved.
The Lipizzan has proven successful 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 because they appreciate its rarity, cultural importance, romantic history, and traits of intelligence, classical beauty, and harmonious, athletic way of moving.
Information excerpted with permission from the
Labels: Breed Profile, June 2009, nwhs staff
posted by NWHS at
7:04 AM
1 Comments:
I found this comment bemusing: "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 this trait."
Is the author trying to suggest that Spanish horses do not have high-stepping gaits? Or, just not AS high-stepping as the Karst horse? Or that Karst traits were genetically more potent than Spanish traits, and therefore offspring of a Spanish-Karst breeding could not possibly inherit Spanish high-steppedness?
Please, inquiring minds want to know.
My Spanish horses are naturally gaited and very high-steppers. My Spanish foals naturally do the Piaffe and Passage all over the pasture before they've turned even one month old. Collection, high stepping and gaitedness are part of their genetic code. They step so high, their hooves touch their bellies, and this is without human intervention or training. What a puzzlement, that my horses could be such high-steppers, when they have no Karst in their bloodline!
I love Lipizzans, and I appreciate their similarities to Spanish horses, as well as their differences. But if Lipizzans are high steppers (and I haven't met one yet that steps as high as my Spanish horses), to suggest that they did NOT inherit this trait from the Spanish horse is just plain silly. Karst horses may be high steppers, too. If so, then Lipizzans had more than one high-stepping breed contributing to their current genetic make up.
The author would have been far more accurate to say, "Most people assume that Lipizzans' high-steppedness comes exclusively from the Spanish horse, but the Karst horse was a high-stepper, too."
That would be more accurate, and no need to diss one breed in order to praise another.
Dee
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