Lipica:The Original Home Of The Lipizzaner

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of this historic beacon of classical dressage training.

- Annie Morris

When I was a kid, I saw the traveling Lipizzaner show at our local university football field. Often, those who hear the name “Lipizzaner” recall classical training, classical riding, the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, and, of course, the airs above the ground. I was amazed to see live the quadrilles and the airs above the ground since I had only seen photos in books. Since then, I have always had a place in my heart for the breed, which is, in fact, named after the place of its origin—Lipica (the “c” is pronounced as a “z”), located in today’s Slovenia.

I was lucky enough to visit the Lipica Stud Farm last November. This is the time, after the tourist season is over, when the focus returns to training the horses. The head trainer at the farm, Igor Maver, finds great pride in working with the Lipizzaner horses who have been bred there since the farm’s beginnings in 1580. He has competed internationally, but was raised in the tradition of training Lipizzaners and is proud to be a part of their cultural heritage. The farm at Lipica not only upholds this heritage, but has many programs to share the unique Lipizzaner horse with the rest of the world. I had traveled to Lipica hoping to see the classical training system in action, and I witnessed it there, in a deeply traditional setting.

Visiting the Farm 

As you enter the Lipica farm, yo u are first welcomed by the border of white fences lining the nearly endless fields and accented with rows of huge trees. The area is as lush and fragrant as a deep forest. Once you arrive at the center of the farm, you see many yellow buildings. All are historically styled, and the setting is picturesque. A period mansion is located on the grounds as well as a chapel and other administrative buildings.