The Lipizzaner horse is the oldest cultured breed in Europe. Its ancestry can be traced back to the 8th century. The modern Lipizzaner was first bred in 1580 by the Hapsburgs - the Royal family of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its name comes from the village Lipizza (now spelt Lipica) where the first stud was based.

The Lipizzaner horse has been World famous for over 430 years as The dancing white horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, so called because the foundation horses in the 16th century came from Spain.    More...