© Slovak Post, 2005 The Lippizaner is one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe. The cultivation of this breed required the observance of courteous etiquette and ceremony at the royal court in Vienna, which was inspired by the Spanish royal court. The Viennese royal court required a heavier type of horse for pulling heavy carriages, and a lighter type of carriage and riding horse. In 1580, the court stud of Lippiza was founded in the limestone plateau region of Slovenia, specifically for the breeding of a lighter. The Classical Spanish, Italian, as well as Arabian horses were used for the breeding of the required type of horse. The imperial court studs in Kladruby nad Labem, Lippiza, Kopčany pri Holíči, as well as the Spanish court riding-school in Vienna, cooperated in this breeding programme. The final breed was named after the seat of the stud in which it originated. Lippizaner horses are of medium robustness with excellent morphological and biological features; typically their heads have a moderately curved nose, a noble gait at trot, a modest nature, a quickness to learn, and submissiveness. The Lippizaner breed is mostly white (about 80%), reaching a height of 155 – 160 cm at the withers. The Lippizaner became popular at the royal court and courts of the aristocracy, as well as in farming studs. Upon the foundation of the National Stud Farm in Topoľčianky in 1921, an original Lippizaner herd of 32 mares and one stallion from the Lippiza stud formed the basis for the breeding of the Lippizaner. The Lippizaner herd at the National Stud Farm in Topoľčianky currently breeds 30 – 40 mares, 3 – 4 stallions, and some young colts and fillys. The Lippizaner breed at the National Stud Farm is pure-bred, balanced in type and appearance, forming a genic reserve. The Presidium of the Slovak Gold Foundation awarded the Lippizaner herd at the National Stud in Topoľčianky the “Above-Standard Quality Certificate”, which was the first time this award was granted to a breed. Vladimír Hučko