Levade, cabriole, bow: the elegant Lipizzaner horses entertained an audience from all over the world during a recent equestrian ballet given in their Slovenian cradle, on the occasion of the ceremony of registration of this tradition at Unesco.
The small alpine country celebrated this new status a few days ago, within the confines of the national stud farm of Lipica (south). An “honor” hailed by the Minister of Culture, Asta Vrecko.
Cream-colored with colts whose chocolate color will only turn white in adulthood, the haughty Lipizzans are a legacy of the lost glory of the Habsburgs.
The stable of Lipica was founded in 1580 by Archduke Charles II in this verdant country and gave its name derived from the Slavic “lipa” – lime tree – to this strong-tempered breed.
Originally, the goal was to breed the descendants of stallions, imported from Spain for the representation needs of the imperial court of the Habsburgs, in Vienna.
And if the monarchy did not resist the First World War, the tradition continued.
Eight countries formerly united by the crown continue to pamper the species, to the delight of history buffs.
Austria, Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Slovakia and of course Slovenia: gathered in the very official International Federation of the Lipizzaner breed, all took part in the parade, with teams in uniforms varying according to the region.
“These are phenomenal animals!”: Laura Highlander, a horse breeder herself, traveled from the United States to visit the estate. “Their level of dressage is incredible,” the 42-year-old tourist told AFP.
Lipizzans are predestined for figures called “raised airs” thanks to their rare morphology combining “strength and balance” allowing them to rise gracefully from the ground, explains to AFP the happy leader of the riders, Miro Dragic .
Horse therapy, equestrian sports, weddings, folk festivals, ecotourism: today, the 400 animals of Lipica also participate in daily life.
The exceptional genetic heritage of Lipizzaners – which can be worth several hundred thousand euros per head – is strictly preserved by meticulously selected breeding.
Broodmares spend most of the day frolicking in the open air with their young and it is only around the age of four that dressage skills are first assessed.
“It’s up to us to identify the qualities of each one in order to train them as well as possible”, underlines Mr. Dragic.
After years of training, the best stallions then join the very elite high school, where they will learn to master pirouettes and acrobatics to the sound of music.
“Horses are like us: they can be affected by outside elements, including the weather,” describes groom Amadej Cej, who pampers them “from birth to last breath.” Grooming, feeding, hoof cleaning: their five-star pampering has hardly changed over the centuries.
Now listed since 2022 on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity, Lipizzaner farms have a bright future ahead of them.
In Vienna, their legendary agility attracts many tourists who flock to the shows of the prestigious Spanish school, in the heart of the Hofburg Palace. Since the dismantling of the empire, Austria has had its own breeding.
The horses – which can remain active for twenty years – even cross the oceans, leaving their old Europe to integrate the stud farms of enthusiasts in South America, Africa or Australia. Some even provide tours, sometimes pushing as far as Japan.
29/05/2023 10:08:24 – Lipica (Slovenia) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
