Lipizzan horse

The Lipizzan’s roots go back to Moorish-occupied Spain when Spanish-bred horses were considered the optimum cavalry mount. In 1562, Maximillian II brought Spanish horses to the Austrian court. His brother Archduke Charles II created another stud at Lipizza by the Adriatic Sea.

The White Stallions of Vienna at the Spanish Riding School in Austria are part of this heritage. The school’s performances were originally for the cavalry to show off the best-trained horses of the Austrian empire. Six stallions are foundation sires: Conversano, Favory, Maestoso, Neapolitano, Pluto and Siglavy.