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Slovensko

The Lipizzan Horse
Janez Rus, Franc Habe

The Lipizzan horse is one of the oldest cultural breeds of horses in the world. Its name is derived from Lipica, the place of the animal’s origin, which is located in the Slovene region of Karst. The breed was started on the basis of the horse of Karst. It was then bred with foreign breeds and named “the horse of Karst bred in Lipica” The Lipizzan breed first appeared in the horse center in Lipica, which was started in the year 1580 by the Austrian archduke Karel. The Lipizzan horse breed was formed with the crossbreeding of the horse of Karst with Spanish, Neapolitan, Fredericksborg and later the Kladrub and Arabic horses. In the 19th century the Lipizzan horse had spread throughout the countries of Austro-Hungarian empire Croatia, Hungary, Romania and in the 20th century to Austria, Italy and Slovakia, where they become a part of the country’s national horse centers. Nowadays, Lipizzan horses are bred in over 20 countries in Europe, Africa, America and Australia.

The Lipizzan horse is considered to be of the baroque type. It is of a medium height, having a nobly thin head with a moderately convex profile. The horse has a highly placed swan-like neck and a slightly longer but solid back with a straight croup and broad and deep body. Its shorter legs have well formed joints and tough hoofs. A Lipizzan’s personality can be characterized as well-meaning with a merry temperament always looking to please. This breed is very settled and its particularities are late maturity, longevity, modesty, patience and endurance.

Traditionally it has been put forward as a classic dressage horse for Spanish riding school in Vienna that could also be used as a carrier horse of lord’s carriages. Today it is generally considered as an all-around riding and carrier horse.

There are approximately 3000 Lipizzan horses in the world, however, there is no official document containing the exact number. There are a few more than 500 of these horses in Slovenia of which 300 of them are kept at the horse center of Lipica. The remainder are cared for by private owners in the country whom we can thank for the ever growing number of Lipizzans in Slovenia. Since 1986 there has been 226 mares accepted into the stud book and 232 foals were registered. In breeding of Lipizzanes in Slovenia all six classic stallion bloodlines are present today: Neapolitano, Conversano, Pluto, Maestoso, Favory, Siglavy and 16 mares families.

References:

Bregar, D.: Ohranjanje avtohtonih pasem domačih živali v Sloveniji. Visokošolska diplomska naloga. Domžale, BF, Odd. za zootehniko, 1999, 62 s.
Dolenc, M.: Lipica. Ljubljana, Mladinska knjiga, 1980, 96 s.
Jurkovič, J.: Lipica. Koper, Založba Lipa in Konjerejski zavod Lipica, 1973, 32 s.
Jurkovič, J.: Perspektive v reji lipicanca. 400 let kobilarne Lipica. Simpozij o lipicancu, Lipica 27.-28. 8. 1980. Kobilarna Lipica 1580, 1980, s. 13 –16
LIF Establishing act,1995, Kloosterweide 6, B -1700 Sint Ulriks Kapelle, Belgium,
Nürnberg, H.: Der Lipizzaner. Magdeburg, Westarp Wissenschaften, 1993, 250 s.
Praček A.: Lipicanski konj. Sodobno kmetijstvo 32 (1999) 6, s. 298 – 302
Zakon o kobilarni Lipica. Uradni list Republike Slovenije, št. 29, 1996, s. 2353 – 2356

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