DANCING HORSES

Beneath Chandeliers

by Colleen Guilfoile Richmond

Imagine watching beautiful, white stallions dance beneath delicate chandeliers in an impressive hall fit for the Louvre. The world famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria is the only one of its kind. The people and amazing horses behind this riding school is intertwined with its interesting history.

HISTORY OF THE SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL

The Spanish Riding School has its origins in 1565 near the Hofburg Palace. The original site was to be a residence for Ferdinand I, but it was soon converted to stables for the Habsburg body horses from 1565 to 1569. The Archduke Charles II of Inner Austria is responsible for founding the stud near Lipica in 1580. Spanish horses were imported to breed with local horses to produce the best horses for classical riding. The horses produced from this breeding are what we now know as Lippizaners.

Emperor Leopold I had a riding school built in 1681 on Tumblplatz. The riding school was almost destroyed during the Turkish wars in 1683. Emperor Charles VI restarted construction for the school in 1729, which was completed in 1735 by Emanuel Fischer von Erlach.

Despite wars and unrest, the Spanish Riding School of Vienna has been preserved throughout the years and continues to impress visitors from afar.

SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL OF VIENNA

The Spanish Riding School is considered the most incredible riding hall in the entire world. It has been meticulously preserved in its original form. The Riding School consists of several buildings, which are the Winter Riding School, Stallberg, the summer riding track, and the Spanish

Riding School Salons. Masked parties, court balls, carousels, and riding games were observed here. Guests can enjoy watching the Lippizaner stallions riding through the great Winter Riding School Hall under magnificent chandeliers, a free floating ceiling, a rider portrait of Charles VI, along with incredible artwork and architecture.

LIPIZZANER HORSES

The world famous Lipizzaner horses did not acquire their breed name until 1780. The stallions trained at the riding school all came from the Karster Stud Farm, also known as Lipizza. Up to 1780, these horses were known as Spanish Karster due to their Spanish heritage. This breed is still known as the oldest in Europe and continues to be bred at the Lipizzaner Stud Piber.

Lipizzaners are born black, but become white when they reach six years. When not in training, the horses spend their time at the stud in Piber.

Only the best stallions are taken to the Spanish Riding School for classical training. The stallions are trained at the Heldenberg Training Center and Vienna when they are only four years old. This initial training is very similar to basic training for all horses.

The stallions are first trained to be obedient and calm, and to take directions willingly from their trainers and handlers. Once that stallion masters this training, he moves on to the next level.

TRAINING LEVELS AT THE SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL

There are three training courses that the stallions go through at the Spanish Riding School. These courses are The Remont School, The Campagneschule, and The High School. It takes most stallions six years of training to complete all three courses.

The Remont School consists of riding the horses in natural ways using all their gates along straight lines. The Campagneschule is training the horse to move with all their gates. The stallions are trained to do tours and trains with perfect balance at this level.

The High School is the highest level of training the stallions go through. What each stallion achieves at this level is based on their intelligence and strength. These stallions are trained to perform the passage, piaffe, gallop changes and gallop pirouettes. Some highly talented stallions are able to learn famous school jumps, such as the Courbette, Levade, and Kapriole.

THE PREPARERS

The stallions would not be able to perform these impressive feats without their trainers, riders, and handlers. Classical riding is passed on through oral tradition over the years. An individual must go through years of intensive training to move from the ranks of apprentice to trainer. It takes about twelve years for a person to go through extensive training to go from an apprentice to be considered a professional with the stallions. Very few apprentices make it through these rigorous years and only a few make it to become a top trainer.

THE SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL TODAY

Guests from all over the world can enjoy roaming the grounds and watching the famous Lipizzaner stallions perform at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria.