About the Lipizzaner horse: description of the breed and characteristics of horses, care of the breed

The Lipizzaner horse is the only breed used in the ancient Spanish riding school. Classic dressage and the unusual light gray color of the horses make competitions on the white arena of the Hofburg a landmark of the Austrian capital.

Lipizzaner horse breed

The Lipizzaner horse breed is an excellent example of more than four hundred years of selection, which was based on the selection of the best horses from all over the world.
The Lipizzaner breed of horses is not only an excellent example of nobility and beauty, they also represent a rare combination of strength and courage, intelligence and temperament, in one bottle. Maximilian II decided to bring Spanish horses to Austria, approximately in 1562. In fact, it was there that he founded a court-type stud farm, in Kladrub. And his brother, Archduke Charles II, decided to repeat his brother’s success by founding a similar stud farm on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, in Lipica. In the breeding process they used the best Barbary horses, Andalusian and Spanish horses that were imported to them. Thus, he certainly sought to improve the local karst rock.

These horses were small and light gray in color, with slow gaits, and, moreover, unusually hardy. Many people mistakenly believe that the Lipizzaners inherited their high speed from their ancestors from Spain.

But, nevertheless, this gait, with the high extension of the horse’s limbs, was inherited by the Lipizzaners, precisely from the karst horses. In those days, it should be noted that both of the above-mentioned stud farms were in a period of their own prosperity. And Kladrub happened to become very famous for his own unsurpassed carriage horses.

Well, directly, in Lipica itself, there was the breeding of light draft and riding horses. It should be noted that both these plants had a common connection, since intensive deception was carried out between them through breeding material.

At the Kladrub horse stud, Favori and Maestoso were bred. These are just a couple of the founders of the Lipizzaners of our time. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, several Spanish-Arab stallions were purchased in a special way for their use in Lipica and Kladrub. Already in the eighteenth century, in addition to horses of Italian and Spanish blood, in these stud farms there were also stallions from Holstein and Denmark, but with Spanish origin.

Lipizzaner horse in saddle

At the end of the eighteenth century, during the Napoleonic bloody wars, horses were moved as many as three times. For some time, Napoleon managed to take possession of Lipica's horses, using his own Arabian stallion, nicknamed Vezir, as a sire.

And in the time period from 1807 until 1856, as many as seven Arabian stallions were used in the creation of this breed, and from 1792 to 1815, due to the use of Kladrub horses, two new lines arose in the Lipizzaner breed. This is Favori and Maestoso. In the eighties of the nineteenth century, there were three hundred and forty-one head of the Lipizzan breed at the Lipica stud farm.

Origin story

In Slovenia, on the border with Italy, there is a small settlement - Lipica. It was once part of Austria-Hungary. A stud farm was located here, where a new variety appeared, which is still considered Austrian. Horses are the pride of the country.

The breed was named after the place where it was obtained - Lipizzaner. In the translation into Russian there are other options: with a double “p” and without the last letter “i”. In the latter case, the name sounds like “Lipizzan”.

In the 16th century, Spanish horses, popular at that time, were brought to Austria-Hungary. The animals were crossed with Neapolitan and Arabian horses. Since the latter are the ancestors of Spanish horses, the qualities along this line were enhanced.

The result was a riding breed adapted to local conditions. Lipizzaners are horses that were treated with reverence in the empire for several hundred years. They were bred not only in Lipica, but also in Kladrub.

After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, the horses were divided. Today the Lipizzaner breed is bred in Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Romania. There were also horses left in the second part of the former empire - in Hungary. But most of these horses today are in Austria. The Piber stud farm, which once kept the Spanish breed, is located in Vienna. Nowadays only Lipizzaners are bred there. The most capable individuals who have shown themselves well in training become breeders.

Horse colors

Depending on the color of the horse, there are different horse colors; here are the names of the most popular:

• A black horse is a horse that is completely black.
• The dun horse has a sand-colored body, black legs, mane and tail. The dun horse also stands out for its beautiful brown eyes.
• What color is a bay horse? The classic bay horse has black limbs and a dark tan body. There are several subspecies of the bay horse.
• But horses of the nightingale color are white. The white horse, the nightingale, is rare and therefore has great value. It was not for nothing that in ancient times important people rode white horses: kings and queens, princes and other nobility.

Exterior and color

External characteristics of animals:

• the average height of a horse varies between 1.47–1.57 m;
• a small, dry head with an elongated muzzle and a straight or slightly convex profile;
• nostrils widened;
• large eyes, intelligent, expressive gaze;
• the ears are compact, mobile, with pointed tips;
• the neck of the Lipizzaner is thick with a beautiful swan curve;
• the withers are low and quite wide;
• the back is slightly elongated, curved in the sacral area;
• the croup is large and muscular, round in shape;
• limbs of medium length with well-developed joints.

The Lipizzaner breed is characterized by a gray color. Some people confuse it with white, but then the horses would have light skin, but it has a dark pigment, like the iris of the eyes. Sometimes in the breed there are horses of bay or black color. The Lipizzaner breed is characterized by a gray color.

Horse breeds

Horse breeds are very diverse, interesting and, at times, very unusual. According to the exterior and general constitution, the horse is divided into draft, riding, pack, trotting and racing. Horses are also classified according to various criteria:

• Zonal-climatic characteristic: - forest
• - mountain
• - steppe

• Purpose: riding
• horse-drawn
• light-harness
• heavy-duty
• horse-and-pack

• Origin: cultural
• transitional
• aboriginal (local)

• Breeding methods: factory
• herd
• cultural herd

The beautiful Paso Fino, bred by Spanish settlers in the 16th century, became a symbol of grace and a special, pronounced individuality in character.

A friendly and easy-going Pinto horse, distinguished by its surprisingly valuable piebald color and often having blue eyes.

A smart, slightly squat and hardy horse of the Yakut breed, which was bred by local aborigines.

A massive, powerful, but good-natured and calm Vladimir heavy truck.

The Norwegian Fjord horse, which is one of the oldest horse breeds and has retained all its purebred qualities.

And this is only a small part of the breeds known today, resulting from selection or bred by horse breeders with absolute preservation of purebreds.

Description of the Lippizzan horse

It is difficult to imagine the animal world without such graceful and kind animals as horses. In the same way, the list of horse-drawn horses will be incomplete without a bright representative who has gained unprecedented popularity all over the world. This is a Lipizzaner horse. No matter what they call it: Lippizza, Lippisanskaya, Lipizzanskaya, but this in no way diminishes its merits.

Heavy draft breeds

Popular representatives of heavy draft breeds include the following types.

Russian heavy truck

Horses of this type are designed to perform complex agricultural work. In addition, animals demonstrate high milk production and good meat qualities, which makes them in demand in industrial horse breeding. Heavy trucks are characterized by efficiency, endurance and fertility.

Arden

An ancient Ardennes breed, named after its place of origin (the region on the border of France and Belgium). The combination of strength and energy made these horses indispensable during the First World War, when the animals were used in artillery. The use of horses is beneficial in small farms, since representatives of the Arden breed demonstrate unpretentiousness in feed and maintenance.

Soviet heavy truck

The largest heavy draft breed in Russia is the Soviet draft horse. Animals are valued for their agility, productivity, and ability to survive even in harsh climatic conditions. Externally, horses are distinguished by their massive build and docile, calm character.

Brabançon

Belgian draft breed, common in Europe. Animals were used to transport goods, in agriculture, and in warfare. The “Spartan” conditions of detention affected the character of the Brabançons. These strong, agile, efficient horses easily cover significant distances and are not afraid of cold and temperature changes.

It is impossible to list all known horse breeds from A to Z, because there are a huge number of them, including rare, little-known species. In addition, many special-purpose animals were in demand before the 20th century, when mechanization had not yet affected industrial sectors. Today, construction and agriculture involve machinery, so some breeds bred specifically for heavy work are experiencing a crisis or are even on the verge of extinction. Their further development depends on the efforts of breeders.

Where are you from?

There are fans of this breed in all corners of the globe. Why? First of all, because of the horse’s ability to perform dressage of extremely high complexity. This is not to mention the many other possibilities of use. The combination of skills causes such delight and arouses interest.

In times of luxury and horse riding, back in the 16th century, these horses appeared. They received such an unusual name from the village of Lipitsa, which is now located in Slovenia, where, thanks to the work of specialists, the breed arose. At that time it was the Austrian Empire, so the breed is considered Austrian. The Lipizzaner horse is the result of selection from the following breeds: Arabian, Andalusian (originally from Spain), Northern Italian and Neapolitan.

Having collected all the best qualities of its ancestors, the Lipizzaner horse became the embodiment of an ideal breed. The efforts of Austrian horse breeders were crowned with success, giving the world a special legacy: a horse whose popularity only increases with time. It is impossible not to mention the fact that in 1735 it was this type that became the basis of the Spanish Higher Riding School, which at that time was the pride and main attraction of the capital of Austria, Vienna.

general characteristics

This breed, bred in the training conditions of the Spanish riding school, was intended primarily for the needs of the cavalry, although, ironically, these horses never had to take part in military operations. Nevertheless, the qualities of a horse necessary for military campaigns in the form of discipline, complaisance, the most convenient trotting method for the rider and unpretentiousness remained among the priorities of the breed.

The result was a beautiful and even elegant horse, but not distinguished by either the outstanding speed of sports riding horses or the power of draft breeds. That is why its spread throughout the world, which prefers a purely consumerist view of animals, turned out to be quite modest, especially since the time of the cavalry has faded into oblivion.

Check out the top ten Russian horse breeds.

Exterior and color

The famous “princes on a white horse” are always and everywhere depicted riding horses of the Lipizzan breed - these horses look so harmonious, elegant, if not charismatic from the outside. Only they are not white, but light gray. True, some of them are bay and black, but their classic distinctive color is light gray.

In addition, their appearance is different:

• relatively short height, reaching 1.57 m at the withers, although the draft line of the breed can exceed this height by 8 cm;
• elongated body;
• long head with a profile marked by a slight hump;
• small ears;
• large and expressive eyes;
• low withers;
• short, firm and curved neck;
• flaring nostrils;
• dry muscular legs;
• wide rounded croup;
• powerful shoulders;
• deep back;
• low-set bushy tail;
• hooves of almost perfect shape.

Did you know? Horses have the largest hearts among domestic animals, with an average weight of 4 kg. In horses it is twice as heavy.

Character

In addition to their beautiful exterior, horses of this breed demonstrate excellent character, manifested in:

• extreme discipline;
• meekness;
• good nature;
• tolerance towards strangers;
• agreeableness;
• unpretentiousness and ability to easily get used to different living conditions;
• intelligence and intelligence.

A prominent representative of the riding horse breeds is the Kabardian horse.

Advantages and disadvantages

To the excellent character qualities listed above, you can also add the advantages of horses of this breed, expressed:

• endurance;
• good health;
• ability to train;
• rhythmicity of movement, which is an innate property;
• natural increased stability on the feet;
• highly developed maternal instinct;
• longevity, allowing you to reach the age of 35 years.

Many horse breeders are not satisfied with the too slow maturation of these horses, which can last up to 7–10 years.

Important! Oddly enough, but grooming horses in the cold season protects them from colds. An animal that sweats after training dries faster with short hair and thereby avoids hypothermia.

Scope of application

The unique characteristics of the Lipizzaner horses were developed for their specific use. Initially, these animals were planned to be used for military purposes (in cavalry), but they never found their way onto the battlefield.

They did not use Lipizzaners as workhorses, and continued to improve them with the help of dressage training, which was practiced in the very famous Spanish riding school. Over the past more than four centuries (430 years), the curriculum has not changed at all.

It is interesting that the secrets of this school have never been published in paper form. The skill was passed on (and is still passed on today) by word of mouth, from teacher to student.

This training program for Lipizzaner horses is characterized by a high level of complexity and intensity. It includes not only elements included in the mandatory program of this equestrian sport discipline, but also special tricks that cannot be seen at regular dressage competitions.

The calling card of this training school is capriole. Its essence lies in the fact that the horse jumps from a place high up, and at the peak of the jump the animal makes a pushing movement with its hind legs, while stretching out into a string. To an inexperienced viewer it may seem that there is nothing particularly difficult in this trick, but experienced horse breeders know that under natural conditions horses never jump.

There are several such unique programs at the Spanish School:

• “Work in the hands”: here a person controls an animal that performs various exercises, not sitting in the saddle, but from the ground, holding long reins in his hands;
• “High School”: the essence of the program is the horse’s performance of very complex dressage elements;
• “Arias above the ground”: performing a variety of jumps;
• “School Quadrille”: a synchronized group performance involving eight riders at once.

Igor Nikolaev

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All performances are performed to classical music. Riders show the public an impeccable understanding with the animal by controlling it without the aid of stirrups. In addition, the school has many beautiful traditions that relate to the special uniform of the riders and elegant equipment, so each such performance is more like a work of art than a sports discipline.

In addition to “equestrian ballet,” Lipizzaners are also suitable for use in light harnesses. It is horses of this breed that carry tourists along the beautiful streets of the Austrian capital, harnessed to elegant national carriages. Thanks to their excellent obedience and friendly attitude towards people, these horses are often used in vaulting competitions, as well as for horseback riding in the most beautiful places of the Austrian Alps.

Currently, the total population of the Lipizzaner worldwide is only three thousand animals.

Despite this, all horse breeders in the world recognize this breed as one of the best for dressage and simply unsurpassed in performing jumping tricks.

More on the topic: External signs of Don horses

Horse breeding

The horse becomes sexually mature at the age of two years. Horses reproduce by inseminating a mare's egg with male sperm. The period when a horse is ready to conceive is called “hunting.” At this time, she allows the horse to mate with her. However, on farms, a horse can also conceive through artificial insemination. This method relieves horse breeders and owners of private farms from many difficulties associated with transportation and selection of a suitable pair.

A horse's pregnancy lasts eleven months. Basically, a horse gives birth to one foal, less often - two. The baby is born clumsy, does not stand well on its long legs, but after three to five hours it is quite playful and can move behind its mother, who will feed her child with milk for 5-6 months.

The average lifespan of horses is 25-35 years, although there are also long-livers among them. There are known facts when horses reached the age of 45 and even 60 years.

Description of the breed

Lusitano horses are slender and graceful, the height of stallions at the withers reaches 160 centimeters, and mares 155 centimeters, weight ranges from 540-590 kg.

Horses of this breed have a long, proportional head, with almond-shaped, lively and expressive eyes, a wide forehead and medium-length ears. A distinctive feature of the profile is the smooth curve of the nose, inherited from Arabian horses.

The neck is powerful and strong, wide at the base with a high outlet and a well-developed crest. It somewhat resembles an arch from which a lush and silky mane of medium length falls.

The body of Lusitanian horses is round and wide. The horse has powerful shoulders and a deep chest. The loin is powerful and wide, the slope of the croup is smooth, and the tail is set quite low.

The legs are dense, not long, with smooth curves and developed joints, have no brushes and end in a neat hoof.

Most modern Louisiana horses are gray or bay, but they can also be isabella, damask, chestnut or nightingale.

Unique appearance

It is a great pleasure to see such a handsome man at least once in my life. The expressive appearance is recognizable even in the photo, but in real life the horse looks unsurpassed. The main characteristics of its description include the following:

• The height of an adult at the withers reaches 157 cm, but the draft representatives of the breed are 10 centimeters higher;
• proportional physique;
• strong muscular torso;
• graceful posture, indicating nobility of origin;
• small head in relation to the body and straight profile;
• fairly short, firm neck, slightly arched;
• heavy-looking thighs with well-developed muscles;
• long hind and front legs with clearly defined joints;
• more than wide croup and deep back;
• chic fluffy tail.

Purpose of the breed

Saddlebred horses are intended only for riding or racing. These are the most graceful representatives of the horse tribe. And the most capricious. But they are of no use in ordinary life.

Harness-riding breeds are stronger and more resilient. They can handle a small load quite well, and traveling on them is quite comfortable due to their rather narrow back. Such breeds are sometimes called light draft breeds.

Draft breeds are intended for transporting goods. Sitting astride them is completely uncomfortable, but, in principle, possible. The discomfort will be more pronounced for the rider than for the horse. But such breeds can cope with quite a serious load.

Heavy trucks. This is the strongest and most resilient horse. They perfectly transport the heaviest loads without compromising their own health. They are often called heavy draft breeds.

But sitting on them will be a big problem; the too wide back of the draft horse breed will not allow you to sit more or less comfortably.

Characteristics of horses

They say only the best about this wonderful brainchild of breeders. Horses are distinguished not only by their nobility and gray-white coloring, but also by their rare strength, courage, intelligence and temperament. Rearing horse - why does a horse behave aggressively?

Lipizzaner horses are unusually hardy. Thanks to all these qualities, they often take prizes at exhibitions and competitions. And training them is a real pleasure.

When looking for a foal for subsequent participation in outings or driving performances, first of all, they turn to the owners of this particular breed. They are also suitable for classical horseback riding.

Artificial production of dwarf breeds

Considering that the attention to dwarf horses was largely due to a fashion trend, there were unscrupulous breeders who wanted to make money from unscrupulously bred breeds. The methods of obtaining small ponies can be called savage - small foals were taken from their mother and starved to slow down their development

Lack of calcium in a horse's body inhibits its growth and harms its health.

First of all, calcium was removed from the foals’ diet, which helps strengthen and grow bones. In this regard, the foals developed rickets, which had a negative impact on their entire future life. Rickets led to a disproportionate physique, in which a large head contrasted with a fragile, small body.

The only way to obtain a dwarf individual is hereditary

Despite such harsh selection methods, some individuals even managed to celebrate their anniversary. One of the famous horses raised with calcium withdrawal is a mare named Angel. She managed to live to the age of fifty, but the owners of the farm had to try hard to cure the animal from a number of pathologies of internal organs, as well as skin infections.

Features of miniature horses

When purchasing a dwarf breed, owners do not always realize that caring for it will differ from caring for a regular horse. Despite the fact that most miniature horses are in good health, once they get into stable conditions, they quickly begin to wither, plunging the owner into shock. In addition to failure to comply with basic zootechnical standards, there are many not so obvious mistakes that owners make out of ignorance.

Caring for dwarf horses is significantly different from caring for their larger counterparts

Among the health features of dwarf breeds that you should pay attention to are the following:

Although miniature horses are anatomically similar in structure to sporting breeds, there are important physiological differences that must be taken into account. Toy breeds have a faster heart rate and higher breathing rate than their athletic cousins. It follows that the distribution of loads on compact horses should be based on the degree of their endurance.

Dwarf breeds are more susceptible to overheating due to their long coat and heat exchange processes in the body

Therefore, if such horses are kept in heated arenas or stables, it is important to trim them periodically to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Obesity is common among miniature horses. This feature of dwarf breeds is explained by their lifestyle in the wild - the regions in which such horses lived rarely pleased them with rich vegetation

Miniature horses ate large quantities of food in a limited amount of time so that nutrients would be stored in the body until the next fertile season. Regular high-calorie feeding in captivity quickly leads these animals to excess weight and subsequent problems with the joints and cardiovascular system.

There is a common misconception among owners of miniature horses that to get the optimal diet for such an animal, it is enough to take half the diet of a sports horse. This does not take into account the difference in energy expenditure - not many miniature horses spend their days galloping or trotting, so they need to be more careful in making up for the lack of calories.

Miniature breeds have fragile bones that need to be maintained in good condition with a proper diet. Feeding concentrates tends to cause bone wear and tear and increases the likelihood of fractures and dislocations. The reason for bone fragility in dwarf horses is metabolic disorders (especially calcium and phosphorus). In advanced conditions, the bones of such horses stop healing altogether, which leads to the need for euthanasia.

Distinctive features

Many Lipizzans are gray in color, but bay and black ones are very rare among them. This is due to the whim of the imperial family, for which experts made every effort to achieve the desired shade. This struggle for the color lasted for almost 4 centuries and as a result everything worked out: even today the image of the Lipica horse is associated with the gray color of the coat. What is interesting is the requirements for appearance provided by the Spanish Higher School of Riding, where invariably, along with the classic light ones, there must be at least one dark horse. The tradition has been around for a long time, but no one is going to break it.

There are other specific features of the color of this type of horse, namely:

• black skin color;
• absence of stains and patterns;
• only dark eye color surrounded by light fur.

It is surprising that foals are always born dark and only after some time, during puberty, they acquire a characteristic gray color, while light horses usually immediately from birth have the same color as in maturity. And only the Lipizzaner horse is an exception to the rule in this sense. the second oddity is that in all other varieties the skin color matches the color of the coat, but here it does not: black skin and gray wool. Paradoxical but true.

But it is not only the appearance that distinguishes the animal from the rest, but also its intelligence and good nature. There are few equals to her in meekness and ability to be friends with people. She quickly becomes attached to her owner and often even shows sympathy to strangers, thereby winning human hearts. She is obedient and balanced, but at the same time majestic and intelligent.

Interesting facts about horses

• Horses have a beneficial effect on people's health, especially on their emotional background. There is a whole direction - hippotherapy, treatment with horses.
• Horses are one of the few animals with color vision. It is true that horses do not distinguish between blue and red colors.
• Horses have excellent memory; in particular, they can remember for a long time both grievances caused and joyful memories.
• Horses have a well-developed ear for music. Horses can even increase the volume of sounds they hear.
• Although horses usually live on average up to 30 years, among them there are exceptions to the rule, true long-lived horses. This was the horse named Billy, who lived on the farm of a certain Edward Robinson in Woolston (England). This horse lived 62 years (!), twice the average life expectancy for horses.

Why are small horses needed?

The main task of small horses is to treat people, otherwise it is called hippotherapy. In Europe, these animals are used to treat children and adults; they can cure cerebral palsy, autism in children, any nervous disorders and many other diseases. Also, these small animals help people calm down, treat the nervous system, and after communicating with a pony you can get a charge of positive emotions.

Abroad, mini-horses are used as guide horses for visually impaired people. And if we compare them with guide dogs, then horses have more advantages, since they are calmer, do not show aggression and perfectly remember the desired route. But not every horse can be chosen as a guide horse; they are carefully selected by veterinarians. When examining a horse, it is taken into account that there are no congenital diseases or physiological disorders.

History of the Kazakh horse breed

Back in the 1st millennium BC. the Saka tribes that inhabited the endless steppes of Western Asia (the direct ancestors of the Kazakhs) were engaged in breeding horses. According to the testimony of the ancient historians Herodotus and Ptolemy, Saka children previously learned to ride horses rather than walk. The entire life of these nomadic peoples was built around horse breeding. Horses gave them a huge advantage in combat, all crafts were based on the processing of horse breeding products, and the horse gave them everything for food.

In addition to the fact that the horse was used for riding and as a pack animal, it also produced kumiss and meat, which was extremely valuable due to its high protein content.

Even in that distant time, the Sakas bred two types of horses: tall at the withers and long-legged, playful and with a long, steeply curved neck, and large, with wide legs, hardy and slow. Naturally, each breed had its own functions.

The modern Kazakh horse belongs to the breeds of the steppe type, accustomed to herd (layage) keeping, in which horses graze in the steppe all year round under the supervision of two or three shepherds. This type of housing is also called Tebenevka, in which the horses themselves get their own food from under the snow. Of course, the Asian horse was influenced by the Arabian, Don and purebred English horse breeds.

Education

All elements of high school are taught to young Lipizzaner stallions by specialists from the Spanish School located in Vienna. The duration of such training is usually several years, and it is extremely painstaking. Being true to centuries-old traditions, the current owners of the school continue to organize their performances in the arena built in the 18th century. Powerful horses, as hundreds of years ago, demonstrate their skills in the light of elegant antique candelabra.

Care and feeding

Their health and mood depend on the proper maintenance of animals. Communicating with a horse that is satisfied with its life is not only pleasant, but also safe. There are a number of requirements and rules that every person who decides to own a horse should know.

Stable

Care

Care refers to a certain list of operations. It includes:

1. Cleaning the premises.
2. Cleaning, bathing and combing horses.
3. Creating comfortable conditions for keeping animals.

Particular care should be taken for horses performing heavy physical work or participating in racing. To maintain Lipizzaner hygiene, you must have the appropriate equipment. This includes: brush, combs, combs. Special devices are provided for cleaning hooves.

Basic safety rules when grooming a horse

How to properly clean a stable

The stables are divided into stalls or stalls. The most spacious sections house mares with foals. Dirt is a source of spread of various diseases. Stalls and stalls must be cleaned every day. During harvesting, horses are taken out of them. Drinking bowls and feeders are taken out of stalls and stalls in order to avoid the ingress of horse manure.

Stable cleaning

After cleaning the room from large dirt, sweep the floor. If necessary, it is washed with special disinfectant solutions. At the end of cleaning, the floors in stalls or stalls are covered with fresh bedding made of hay or large dry sawdust. Water bowls and feeders are returned after they are washed.

Horse care

Experienced horse breeders recommend:

• Horses need to be brushed at least 2 times a day;
• After training, allow the horses to dry, rest, and only then bathe them.

The optimal temperature of water used to wash animals is 18 degrees Celsius. It is recommended to trim the Lipizzaner's coat periodically. This is done in autumn and winter so that horses dry out faster after training.

Hairstyle for a Lipizzaner horse

The long hair of animals makes it difficult for them to dry out and leads to hypothermia and illness in the cold season. Horses' hooves are regularly cleaned and lubricated with special softening ointments. Every day the animals are taken for a walk.

Feeding

Feeding animals must not only be correct, but also timely. Horses are herbivores. They get the bulk of their food in summer from pastures. Here they can get all the nutrients their body needs. In winter, horses need to be given balanced feed.

Horses in the pasture

Horse nutrition components

Table 2. Feeding horses

It is strictly forbidden to feed horses with poorly dried, moldy hay. Sick, weakened animals and lactating mares are recommended to be fed every day. Every day it is necessary to introduce succulent feed into the horses' diet. They stimulate the digestive system. Constantly filling the stomach is a necessary need for horses.

Feeding horses

Watering

Horses need to be watered at least 2 times a day. They need to be given something to drink before and after meals. Constant access of animals to liquid is a prerequisite for their maintenance. Their body should not be allowed to become dehydrated. This can lead to the death of horses. They need to be given water only with clean, running water. The daily norm for one horse is 20-30 liters of fluid. It is strictly forbidden to water hot horses. It is necessary to let them cool, otherwise they may catch a cold.

Horses at a watering hole

Breed characteristics

The vast majority of the breed are light in color. Horses with a pure gray color are very rare, and only a few are bay. Lipizzaners are sometimes deservedly called the white royal horses. This assessment is fully consistent with their majestic appearance.

An interesting fact is that Lipizzaner foals are born dark. They begin to lighten a few months after birth. The same feature that is not typical for horses of other breeds is the discrepancy between skin and coat color in Lipizzaners. They have black skin covered with gray fur.

Lipizzaner horse

Main characteristics of the breed

Table 1. Breed characteristics

Lipizzaners mature extremely slowly. They reach full physical development by 5-7 years. There are also representatives of the breed whose period of growing up ends only at 10 years. The average lifespan of the Lipizzaner is 35 years or more.

Lipizzaner horse

Standing on short legs, the body of the Lipizzaner appears extremely massive. The expressive head has a barely noticeable hump. The power of the horses is emphasized by their thick necks. The real decoration of animals of this breed is their bushy tail. Horses' hooves are small and considered ideal.

Character

Lipizzaner horses are distinguished by their intelligence and flexible character. They quickly get used to people who evoke positive emotions in them. Good nature is a character trait of all representatives of the breed. Horses always demonstrate complete obedience. This makes their learning process much easier.

Horses quickly get used to people

Lipizzaner horse exterior

The format of the modern Lipizzaner is somewhat elongated. Its body is extremely massive, while its legs are relatively short. Such a horse is easily recognized by its large and quite expressive head, which has an inconspicuous hump. The power of these beautiful horses is further emphasized by the thick and long neck with a low outlet. As a rule, it makes an extremely strong impression on newcomers. The elongated back of the horse's head is also notable for its curved shape.

Thanks to its very wide and muscular croup, the true Lipizzaner horse is distinguished by its strong constitution. Her impressive shoulders and medium height withers only enhance this impression. The tail of any representative of the breed can be called, without exaggeration, luxurious. The size of the Lipizzaner horse's hooves is considered small, and their shape is almost ideal. When trotting, the horse raises its short, muscular legs high.

The Lipizzaner's stride is relatively short and very similar to the famous "Spanish trot".
But at a gallop the horse is somewhat heavy. Taking into account the exemplary trot of the horse and its docile disposition, the Lipizzaner horse can be considered almost ideal for the highest school of riding. Her height is usually in the range of 155-168 cm , and in some cases even higher. Most often you can see gray horses and only occasionally bay ones.

Some features of the breed

American citizens are involved in two organizations: one breeds Pinto animals, and the other breeds Paint animals. Any spotted individual is registered with the pinto organization. The Paint Horse Association registers those individuals whose pedigree includes English Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. All horses with spots differ in height from 145-155 centimeters. Such animals are characterized by the presence of stateliness, power, and strong muscles. Individuals have a beautiful head, and they are also rich in muscular croup. Basically, this animal is considered a good riding horse, and a good exterior.

Black and white spots appeared in individuals quite recently; many animals do not have them at all. No breeding work was carried out on such horses; they did not undergo special registration. The Arabian and Quarter Mile drove out the piebalds. To obtain official registration, it was necessary to take a DNA test and prove that the Arabian breed contains the sabino color, and the Quarter Horse has not only sabino, but also tobiano and overo.

Thoroughbred riding animals are not allowed to be piebald. A special shelter for humiliated and abused animals was created by American citizens in 1984. The Americans felt that this attitude was unfair to the suit. Only those individuals that matched their color could be registered as Pinto.

Where is the breed used?

A story about the remarkable gray Austrians would be incomplete without mentioning the characteristics and scope of use of the horses. The athletic build itself determined the scope of use of horses. Since ancient times, owners of strong, muscular limbs have been used both for riding and for draft purposes. Looking at an animal at rest, it is difficult to guess how impressive it will look in motion. In the Viennese school they are used for walks and are also harnessed to carriages.

And although the breed was bred to participate in military operations, for a long time it has been participating in numerous and varied shows both in Austria itself and abroad. The paradox is that, despite the purpose for which this animal was planned to be kept, it never had to participate in wars, but in dressage it is an undisputed professional. Training programs for horses are more complex than for other breeds, but they easily and successfully master them, thanks to their natural intelligence and good learning ability.

Every tourist who has visited Vienna has witnessed how Lipizzaners take people harnessed to colorful carriages around the city. But in the Austrian Alps they are used for horseback riding in the countryside. Unfortunately, the total number of the breed worldwide is only 3,000 horses. It is clear that this makes them even more valuable and each individual individual becomes significant, but the uniqueness of the animals should make horse breeders even more inclined to breed them.

Even when crossed with others, all the advantages of the species are retained. We can only hope that the situation will not change for the worse and the Lipizzaner breed will not be on the verge of extinction, this will be an irreparable mistake of people. No matter how significant progress is from a technical point of view and no matter how many different things are replaced by special equipment, the horse must remain a part of our lives. Let it be more in a decorative than a practical sense, but it should be.