The Lipizzaner -

These horses have the village of Lipizza in present day Slovenia to thank for their name. It was near this village that the then court stud in 1580 was founded with spanish horse stock. Lipizzaner Stallions are and have always been the main players in the Spanish Riding School.

They are the result of 100s of years of breeding from spanish, italian and oriental arabic blood. They are distinguished by their perfect, classic bodies, their gracious movements, willingness to learn, vivaciousness and good temper and their resilience. 

An expressive head with the occasional ramsnose ( a trait of the african inheritance), a highly set neck, relatively low withers, a fairly long and powerful back, which runs into a muscular crupper, pronounced bodily proportions and simple profiled limbs with strong well forms joints and elegant hooves; the tail and the main are thick and fine haired - absolutely the baroque horse. The horse's size is between 155 and 158 cm. He has a springy gait with a high knee action and is particularly nimble. 

The Lipizzaner matures late, but also lives to a ripe old age of often between 28 and 32 years. As for the colouring the white horse is dominant - a brown Lipizzaner is a rarity, which for tradition's sake however can always be seen at the Spanish Riding School. 

The foals
Are born dark or black brown and acquire their white apparel only further on between the age of 4 and 10 years. For six months the foal remains with its mother, then it is separated and unhitched and marked with the traditional 4 brandings. 

The Studbrand
This is on the left croup - a P with the Austrian Crown above it. 

The ancestral brand
This is under the left saddle. The parents of the horse are represented here. The letter indicates the father, and the symbol under it the father of the mother. The Lipizzaners are branded with the starting letter of one of the six stallion lines (fathers - see below). After the respective letter one can also see the breed number. 

The symbols for the family tree for the mothers are: 

Conversano	Neapolitano
Favory	Pluto
Maestoso	Siglavy

A stallion who has the following brand markings  is Siglavy III Flora.