Ancient History

• The lineage of these animals can be traced to Arabian desert horses that lived in 800 A.D.
  
  

Modern Times

• Lipizzan stallions have a 400-year history of training and performing at Vienna's Spanish Riding School, named for the bloodline of the breed.
  
  

Conformation

• The horses are bred for powerful hindquarters needed to execute airborne dance maneuvers such as the capriole.
  
  

Temperament

• A Lipizzaner is intelligent, kind and amenable to the long training period needed to master the intricacies of dressage.
  
  

Color

• The Spanish Riding School trains white stallions exclusively, but the Royal Andalusian Horse Academy of Jerez (Spain) features light gray horses predominantly.
  
  

Fun Fact

• The Lipizzan is born a dark color that gradually lightens until it turns white at around age 11.