The Lippinzaners - Part 1

The Royal Lippinzaner Horses are a world famous breed of horse that originated in Spain and then to Austria.  Their specialty was in training for battle.  They were taught to raise themselves on their back legs to better allow for army generals to better see the battleground.  They also had a knack for kicking their hind legs when prompted by their riflers to help clear out soldiers on the front lines during engagements.  

The current Mrs. Blythe asked if I would like to join her in a trip to the Hermann's Royal Lippinzan Stallions Farm in Myakka City, Florida.  At Hermann's, they train the stallions during the winter months in preparation for shows across the US and Europe in the summer.  They open the training sessions, free, to the public.

I rode a horse once over at the Seaton's.  I was always a bit leery of their giant mouths and giant teeth, and those swirling lips.  But, ever the gentleman, I assented and was very happy I did.  They were magnificent beasts. 

Today, and for quite sometime, the horses stopped going to war, and became dancers.  That makes it sound a little light-hooved, but by dancing, I mean a very regal and noble type of dance.  

All of the trainers at the Hermann Farm are females, since that was what Old Man Hermann had as children.  The horses are now used to the female touch and so all new trainers and interns are girls.

It was a rainy afternoon but the show must go on, and after the national anthem and flag-bearing horse, they settled into a wonderful 2 hour show/training session.

This beautiful guy was named Antares and did some nice moves and choreography with the trainer.

This was a prance or dance by Antares which was pretty damn cool.

Here, two horses were working on their parade-field synchronized dancing. 

The above picture was a demonstration on their kicking abilities.  Like I said above, these guys were trained to kick to clear an area around the front lines back in wartime.  Today they continue with those lessons and the host told us that in usual horse world such kicking would be disqualifiers or is frowned upon.  But not in the world of the Lippinzaner.

The above two pictures was a bow to the audience.  The beast crosses its from two legs and then bows, or may curtsies.  I'm sure there is a professional name for it, which eludes me at the moment.  

And the demonstration of the horses acuity to lift its rider above the fray in order to better assess the battlefield situation.

I intend to bring you a little more on the Lippinzaner and the Hermann Lippinzan Farm in the coming weeks.  I must say that it was a Hell of a show and would gladly go back anytime.  Brilliant and dazzling, these are wonderful horses.  But it does remind me of a joke.  A Lippinzan horse walked into a bar...