Christine Wels

http://www.rtl.de/rtlaktuell/rtl_aktuell_videoplayer.php?article=22641&pos=2

Gen. George S. Patton Jr. and the Lipizzaners

A member of H&D gave me the link with this text:

On May 7, 1945, the day before Germany surrendered and the war in Europe ended, Gen. George S. Patton Jr. and Robert Patterson, the Undersecretary of War, drove to Schloss Arco in nearby St. Martin im Innkreiss in Upper Austria to see the white Lipizzaner stallions of the famous Spanische Hofreitschule, or Spanish Riding School.

The Lipizzaners had been secretly evacuated to St. Martin from Vienna in March 1945 by the Spanish Riding School's director, Col. Alois Podhajsky, who was afraid the stallions would be killed by air raids or captured by the approaching Russian army and sent to the Soviet Union.With lack of fodder for his horses and uncertainties facing the future of the school, Podhajsky thought the American Army could help him protect his magnificent stallions and the 200-year-old Spanish Riding School. To that end, Podhajsky enlisted the aid of XX Corps commander Walton Walker, who invited Gen. Patton to a demonstration of the haute école.

At Schloss Arco, Patton and Patterson watched a performance of the Lipizzaners. The white stallions were famous the world over for their splendid leaps, the graceful dance of Pas de Trois, and the quadrille ballet. Known for their classical beauty, intelligence and athleticism, the origin of the Lipizzaners goes back to the village of Lipizza in present day Slovenia, where the court stud was founded in 1580 with Spanish horses imported by Archduke Charles II.

Through the centuries, the descendants of the Lipizzaners were carefully bred from the foundation sires: Pluto (b.1765), Conversano (b.1767), Neapolitano (b.1790), Favory (b.1779), Maestoso (son of a Neapolitaner and Spanish horse) or Siglavy (b.1810). The Lipizzaner is known for its expressive head, a highly set neck, a long and powerful back, and a tail and mane that are thick and fine haired. The foals are born dark, either black or brown, and they acquire their white coloring between the ages of four and 10 years.

At the end of the performance at Schloss Arco, Podhajsky rode a white Lipizzaner stallion named Neapolitano Africa over to Patton, who was in uniform and wearing his trademark helmet with stars embossed on the front. Podhajsky saluted with a wave of his gold-cockaded hat. Patton rose from his seat.

Podhajsky, who held his hat in his right hand and the reins and a crop in his left, addressed Patton and the other visitors.

"I ask you, Gen. Patton," said Podhajsky, "and the representatives of the U.S. government to take under your protecting hand this old Austrian Academy, a cultural institution of the noble art of riding, unique in Europe and perhaps unique in the world. This school demonstrates the development of culture of the 16th century and it represents the era of the Baroque almost intact."

Patton nodded and replied, "Magnificent! These horses will be wards of the U.S. Army until they can be returned to the new Austria." In appreciation, Podhajsky, and the other riders slowly raised their hats in salute. The white Lipizzaner stallions stood at attention.

As one of the outstanding field commanders in the U.S. Army, Gen. George S. Patton Jr. was flamboyant, temperamental and controversial. Closely associated with the development of tanks and the tactics of armored warfare, Patton was a former cavalryman and an accomplished horseman.

After graduation from West Point in 1909, Patton's second assignment was with the 15th Cavalry at Fort Myer, Va. There he found time to race horses, compete in steeplechases and play polo. His equestrian skills were evident. As a member of the American team in the modern pentathlon at the 1912 Olympiad at Stockholm, Sweden, Patton, on a borrowed Swedish cavalry horse, registered a perfect score in the 5,000 meter steeplechase.

Patton distinguished himself during World War I with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, where he commanded the 304th Tank Brigade. In the peacetime era before the outbreak of World War II, he rejoined the cavalry and owned a dozen horses. While pursuing his military career, Patton also played on the Army polo team and enjoyed foxhunting, steeplechasing and horse shows, where he won some 400 ribbons and 200 cups.

Patton's cavalry training and fondness for horses made his decision in 1945 to assume responsibility for the magnificent white Lipizzaner stallions understandable.

Patton wrote in his diary that day:

It struck me as rather strange that, in the midst of a world at war, some 20 young and middle-aged men in great physical condition, together with about 30 grooms, had spent their entire time teaching a group of horses to wriggle their butts and raise their feet in consonance with certain signals from the heels and reins. Much as I like horses, this seemed to me wasted energy. On the other hand, it is probably wrong to permit any highly developed art, no matter how fatuous, to perish from the earth-and which arts are fatuous depends on the point of view. To me the high-schooling of horses is certainly more interesting than either painting or music.

With his stallions now in the safe hands of Gen. Patton and the U.S. Third Army, Col. Podhajsky was faced with another concern. Two years earlier in 1943, the Lipizzaners' breeding mares, which were bred to supply the Spanish Riding School's stallions, were taken by the German High Command from the lush green pastures of the Austrian Federal Stud in Fiber. Podhajsky knew that without the mares, the Lipizzaner stallions and the Spanish Riding School faced extinction.

What Col. Podhajsky did not know at the time was that Gen. Patton was already involved in the Spanish Riding School's destiny.

Nine days before, Patton had given approval to one of his commanders, Col. Charles Hancock Reed of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group (Mechanized), to execute an operation to rescue from the German Army more than 1,000 horses that included the Fiber breeding mares.

The story of the dramatic rescue began on April 25,1945, when Capt. Ferdinand P. Sperl, who was attached as an interrogator to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group, received information that a German intelligence unit that lacked transportation to Berlin was bivouacked in an area on the Czechoslovakian border. After negotiating with the German commander, Capt. Sperl led an "attack" early on April 26, and after a prearranged exchange of harmless gun fire, the Germans surrendered.

Later that day Col. Reed and the German general in charge of the intelligence unit had breakfast together. The two men found that they had a mutual interest in horses. The general showed Reed some beautiful photographs of Lipizzaners and Arabs that had recently been taken at the German Remount Depot at Hostau, Czechoslovakia.

R eed was told that a large number of valuable horses taken in territories under German control had been moved to Hostau, where there were ample stables, paddocks and enLclosures. Reed also learned that several hundred Allied prisoners of war were held there. Both agreed that the prisoners and horses must not fall into the hands of the approaching Russian army.

Like Gen. Patton, Col. Reed was a former cavalry officer, who had excelled in all aspects of equestrian sport. A graduate of West Point in 1922, Reed had served with the 8th Cavalry at Fort Bliss, Texas, and the 2nd Cavalry at Fort Riley, Kan. He was also a member of the Army Horse Show Team 1930-31 and an instructor at the Cavalry School.

After assuming command in 1942 of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, later organized as the 2nd Cavalry Group, Reed led the unit throughout World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his skillful command of the group and personal courage while under attack by German tanks at the battle for Luneville.

After his breakfast with the German general, Col. Reed acted quickly. He sent a prisoner by bicycle to Hostau to arrange for a German officer to come through the American lines that night to arrange terms for surrender. Reed also sent a radio message through XII Corps to Third Army Headquarters requesting permission from Gen. Patton for a military operation to rescue the prisoners of war and the horses.Patton's reply was relayed to Reed: "Get them. Make it fast! You will have a new mission."

That night at about 8:00 P.M. Capt. Rudolph Lessing, German staff veterinarian at Hostau, arrived at one of Reed's border posts to arrange the surrender. He was riding a Lipizzaner and leading another. The German officer was taken to Col. Reed's headquarters, where the men had cocktails and dinner.

It was agreed that as an act of good faith, an American officer would ride back with Lessing and arrange the surrender of Hostau. Lessing warned Reed that between the American lines and Hostau there were elements of an SS Division that would fight. Reed was not concerned.

Capt. Thomas M. Stewart of the 42nd Squadron, a fine horseman from Tennessee and the son of a U.S. senator, volunteered to ride back with Lessing. The men were taken by jeep to the border post, climbed atop the Lipizzaners and rode off to Hostau.

After some harrowing experiences behind German lines, Stewart returned by motorcycle sidecar on the night of April 27. He reported that the German commanding officer, Lt. Col. Hubert Rudofsky, and his staff at Hostau, with the exception of a Czech-born lieutenant colonel, agreed to surrender when American forces arrived. Stewart told Reed that the Germans preferred to turn the horses over to the Americans rather than to the approaching Russians.

Col. Reed went ahead and gave the order to a small force he had already assembled to proceed with the mission to capture Hostau. Named Task Force Reed, the unit consisted of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group's 42nd Cavalry Squadron, which included a platoon of tanks and assault guns. Maj. Robert P. Andrews, with Capt. Stewart as his assistant, commanded the task force.

At daybreak on April 28,1945, American forces opened a firefight on the front line. After capturing two towns along the way, the task force broke through to Hostau. Col. Reed wrote that when his men reached Hostau, it "appeared as a fiesta rather than a battle. Townspeople and Allied prisoners lined the streets-the German soldiers presented arms-the German flag went down-ours went up, and after placing outposts, the officers, intelligence personnel and as many soldiers as could be spared went to look at the wonderful array of captured horses."

For Col. Reed and the men of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group, it was a special moment.

The unit's origins went back to May 1836 when President Andrew Jackson signed a bill forming their forebears-the second Regiment of Dragoons. Over the next hundred years, the soldiers of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment fought on horseback in the second Seminole War, the War with Mexico, the Civil War, on Frontier Service and in Indian Campaigns, in the War with Spain, the Philippine Insurrection, on Mexican Border Service and in World War I. It was only in recent times that the men and officers of that famed cavalry regiment traded their beloved horses for armored tanks.

With remnants of the former 2nd Cavalry Regiment at Hostau, Col. Reed recalled proudly: "Horses captured consisted of about 300 Lipizzaners, the Fiber breeding herd plus the Royal Lipizzaner stud from Yugoslavia-well mixed together. Over 100 of the best Arabs in Europe, about 200 thoroughbred and trotting bred horses collected from all of Europe-finally about 600 Cossack breeding horses."

The Headquarters 2nd Cavalry Group combat log for April 28, 1945, showed the 42nd Squadron also captured 416 prisoners and released 150 Allied prisoners of war. The next morning, a part of the task force rejoined the 2nd Cavalry Group. Capt. Stewart and one platoon of tanks were left to control Hostau and to protect its valuable horses.

Fearing an attack by the SS troops in the area, Stewart organized a defense force using some of the released Polish prisoners and Hostau's German troops and their anti-communist Cossack allies, who wanted to maintain the horse farm. The SS troops attacked Hostau late on April 30, 1945. A five-hour battle took place, which resulted in Stewart's forces defeating the attackers and capturing 100 prisoners; one soldier of the 42nd Squadron was killed and another wounded.

With Germany's unconditional surrender a week later, the war in Europe ended. On the day hostilities ceased, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group was on the general line extending about 10 miles southeast of Pilsen-Horsice-Zinkovy-Nepomuk in Czechoslovakia. Their new mission was to prevent the Russian army from penetrating American-held territory.

On or about May 9, 1945, Col. Reed received a message from Third Army Headquarters that Gen. Patton had been in contact with Col. Podhajsky, head of the Spanish Riding School. Reed was informed that Podhajsky was at St. Martin in Austria with the Lipizzaner stallions. The message went on to tell Reed that Podhajsky would be flown up to his headquarters at Zinkovy as soon as practical to check the breeding mares and to have them join the stallions in Austria.

Meanwhile, Reed had reason to want to move the horses.

"A day or so after the German surrender, it became evident to me that the Czech and Russian Communists were showing a great interest in the captured horses," recalled Reed. "In fact, they made several stealthy visits to Hostau, apparently to connive with the Czech-born lieutenant colonel, who was second in command when we arrived."

Col. Reed informed Gen. Patton's headquarters of his concerns and recommended that the entire herd of horses be transferred to Schwarzenberg, a safer base some 30 miles away in Bavaria, where the Russians would not be tempted to seize the animals. Patton's headquarters authorized the movement of the horses and "issued orders giving the horse movement priority on all needed roads during the time necessary."

At dawn on May 12,1945, the movement of horses began from Hostau to Schwarzenberg. With few trucks available, the animals were moved in small herds, each preceded by an American vehicle. Germans, Russian Cossacks and a few American cavalrymen served as outriders and guides.

The young colts stayed with their dams, and the mares heavy in foal, were moved in trucks. German, Polish and Russian women and children, with few possessions and little food, accompanied the procession in trucks and horsedrawn carriages. Late that night the strange convoy of soldiers, civilians and horses reached Schwarzenberg safely.

On or around May 14, 1945, Col. Podhajsky flew into Zinkovy on an American plane, where he spent the night and dined with Col. Reed and his staff. Plans were made for the breeding herd to be returned to Col. Podhajsky at St. Martin's as soon as practical. The next day Reed and Podhajsky drove to Schwarzenberg, where the Riding School's director pointed out the horses of the Fiber herd. Podhajsky was very pleased with their condition.

Col. Reed arranged for two convoys on May 18 and 25, 1945, to return the Fiber herd to Podhajsky at St. Martin in Austria, a distance that required the Lipizzaners to be transported by trucks that were refitted as best they could to carry horses. The trip was difficult and a few mares were injured; two suffered broken legs and were destroyed. Two hundred and fifteen Lipizzaners arrived at St. Martin. The arrival of the breeding mares ensured the future of the Austrian Lipizzaner stallions and the 200-year-old tradition of the Spanish Riding School.

"The remaining horses," recalled Reed, "were later transferred to the large and most suitable German horse breeding establishment of a remount depot in Hessia. This included the Arabians, racing horses, the Yugoslavian Lipizzaners and a number of the Cossack horses. Since all were war booty of the American Army, the best of these and other captured animals were later shipped to the United States for use by the U.S. Remount Service."

In appreciation of Gen. Patton's personal involvement on behalf of the Spanish Riding School, the Austrians presented him with a white stallion named Pluto XX and several mares, which he sent back to the United States.

Seven months after the Lipizzaner stallions and the Fiber herd were reunited in Austria, on December 21, 1945, Patton died in Heidelberg, Germany after an automobile accident. Col. Reed of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group commanded the guard of honor at Patton's funeral.

Of the many famous photographs of Patton taken before his death, there was one of him in Salzburg, Austria, on a white horse. It showed Patton in uniform and helmet proudly astride a magnificent Lipizzaner stallion named Favory Africa. The Lipizzaner had been chosen by Adolf Hitler as a present for Japan's Emperor Hirohito, a gift that Patton had made sure was never delivered.

SRS in Stockholm - 1952

http://svt.se/play?a=534590

Wonderfull video! Showed the video to First Chiefrider Krzisch today. He said that he recognises Podhajsky, Handler and Irbinger in the video.

1944 - Dancing Lipizzaner Horses

As far as I can tell is this video done in the summer stables in Hermesvilla-Lainzer Tiergarten-Vienna.

Leo

YouTube - CDI 5*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnsWQ4kNG-w

YouTube - CDI 5*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnsWQ4kNG-w
Mixed species dressage!

Jazz & Zip

Conversano II Medussa IV (Zip) & Conversano Paloma II (Jazz)
August 2008

Tour 2009

Start:	May 14, '09
End:	May 16, '09
Location:	Berlin

Tour 2009

Start:	May 21, '09
End:	May 23, '09
Location:	Düsseldorf

"Conversano Dagmar" Wine!

"Conversano Dagmar" Wine !!!

An austrian wine is named after "Conversano Dagmar"!!!

www.winzerkrems.at

Spanische Hofreitschule & Bundesgestüt Piber

http://www.srs.at/
The Spanish Riding School

Foto and Country!

Would love that all the members edit their profiles and add a foto!

To check the country would be great as well!

Andreas

"Herr Baucher und seine Künste" Louis Seeger

Dear friends and members,

I'm searching for "Herr Baucher und seine Künste" from Louis Seeger. Can anyone help?

Andreas

Dacing with horses

Hi I just wanted to share!

I just love to watch and learn from this remarkable Horseman Klaus Hempfling.

Does anyone else know him?

Dancing With Horses: The Art Of Body Language

Hempfling, K.F.

For master trainer Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling, work with horses is comparable to dancing. The primary obligation of riding, he explains is to maintain the horses powerful and elegant movement under saddle. Improper training compromises the horses naturally joyful steps with confusing commands; a horse moves with extraordinary grace only if the request is effectively communicated. In this demonstration, Hempfling teaches us the language of horses. Advising that even the slightest movement conveys powerful information. Hempfling shows how to use body language to communicate. He demonstrates his methods one wild Pyrenees stallions that are, within minutes, transformed into tame, willing partners - nevertheless retaining all their spirit. As Hempfling insists, when the trainer uses languae the horse can understand, the horses movement will always be beautiful, from the first lesson.

DVD 50

Click Here to view image

Coming Together: Use Body Language To Establish Leadership, Friendship And Trust

By Hempfling, K.F.

DVD 50 min

Click Here to view image

What Horses Reveal: From First Meeting To Friend For Life

Hempfling, K.F.

Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling took the international horse world by storm with his acclaimed book and companion video Dancing With Horses. Now, he returns with another illuminating look at his groundbreaking theories. In What Horses Reveal, Hempfling explains his unique system for recognizing horses personalities: every horse no matter what breed or type, fits into one of his 26 clearly defined character groups. Each of these character groups has a corresponding training methodology – a carefully considered process of learning that best serves that type of horses habitual behaviors, inclinations, and pet peeves. Hempfling also emphasizes the importance of understanding the intricacies of body language: both the horses and your own. He explains that mental and physical self-control are imperative when working with horses – one misplaced or misunderstood feeling, glance, posture, attitude or movement can make the difference between success and failure in your relationship.

Hard Back 206 pgs.

Click Here to view image

Horse Training Books, Videos and DVDs

http://www.horsesinyourmailbox.com

Horse Training Books, Videos and DVDs

http://www.horsesinyourmailbox.com

2700+ Titles of Specialty horse training and rodeo books, horse care videos, DVD's and more

Welcome!!!

Welcome to here!!!

Gala Performance

Start:	Oct 23, '08 6:00p
Location:	Spanish Riding School - Vienna

David de Wispelaere - riding in balance

http://www.dwdewispelaere.com/
David de Wispelaere, an American Grand Prix Rider and Trainer, has made the pursuit of Harmony and Ligthness in the daily work with horses, his primary objective. David de Wispelaere's approach is strictly classical and requires creating a trusting relationship between horse and rider. Every horse is treated as an individual and trained accordingly. David lives and works in Aachen (Germany).

SRS is performing for Gen. Patton in Wels - Upper Austria

HRH Queen Elizabeth 2nd recieves a special gift

Good evening everyone,

Please log onto www.metro.co.uk   then go to the search bar  and type in Queen + Lipizzaner.

 

Yesterday, Our Queen was presented with the most  beautiful gift of a sixteen year old Lipizzan stallion at the famous stud in Lipica.  Sadly the horse will remain there and not join her many horses stabled at the Royal Mews in London.  You may already know what a devoted horse woman she is and that she takes the opportunity to ride most days.

 

Karen,  in Manchester, England.

Favory Plutona - Herbert Seiberl

Favory Plutona

The Lipizzaner stallion Favory Plutona and SRS Bereiter Herbert Seiberl during the Long Rein perfomance in Piber (Herbstparade, 27 Sept.2008)

Which country are you from?

In September 08 Andreas sent us this message:-

 

"please can you just tell the other members which country you are from? please edit your profile! thanks!"

 

I am sorry Andreas, I cannot edit my profile - I presume it is because I do not have an MSN "nickname".

 

So, whilst I do try to remember to sign my messages with my name & location, I thought it might be useful to start a thread in which other members who, like me cannot edit their profiles can let us know which country they're from.

 

Jos챕

Wales UK

RIP Blanca

Jorie wrote, "Conversano Blanca I: 1984 - 2008"

 

Joriejay, I am so sad to hear of the loss of your beloved Blanca. Blanca was a special gelding who found a special partner in you. He will always be in your heart and in the hearts of those of us who were lucky enough to meet him, see photographs, or hear you speak of him with such joy, love, and devotion.

 

RIP, dear Blanca. And hugs to you and your daughter, Jorie!

 

 

female eleves: pics and video!

video:

 

http://wien.orf.at/stories/314968

 

pics:

 

      

 

500 hits with a whip in 30 minutes!!!

What a wonderfull world!!!

 

A well know german Grand Prix rider (she is now in Denmark!):

 

http://www.rtl.de/rtlaktuell/rtl_aktuell_videoplayer.php?article=22414&pos=5

Andalusian stallion Bondadoso

Pictures long reins en riding.

General Assembly International Dressage Judges Club!

The 18th annual IDJD General Assembly takes place on October 16th - 19th in the Spanish Riding School.

Gala in Oktober!!!

We do have a gala performance on oktober 23. 2008!

hello

Hello ones again, i will introduse my self ones more

 

My Name is Patrick Molenaar im from holland, and have a P.R.E stalion named Gitano, age 5

I'm a student of Willy Ten Hagen in holland, he teach me classical dressage.

If i can i wil poste some pictures  

Question about saddle pads -reference pictures of Gala 25-10-07 (gold/red pad)

In the pictures you posted from the 25-10-07 gala event, it looks like the red and gold saddle "pad" isn't a pad at all in that the saddle doesn't sit on top of it.  Correct?

 

This leads me to ask:  Do you use full saddle pads that go under the entire saddle?  Or does the saddle sit directly on the horse and the decorative pad is only there for decoration? 

Piropo MF

PIcture off a Andalussier stalion

Mr Krisch

Hello Andreas, I am planning to come and visit the SRS with my trainer, Barbara Leach, who is a ex pupil/student of Hans Handler (when she lived in Africa). She studied and rode dressage all her life and is dedicated to the SRS. She asked me to accompany her for a trip the the magic school and one of her wishes is to meet for some time with Mr Krisch, which she respects highly as  a rider.   Would it be possible to have his contact/address so that I can organise a meeting/visit. I also would love to visit the school with you of course and present you this wonderful lady who still ride at her age. I am myself her pupil and run a yard of 12 horses at the moment and this is why it will take some time to organise a trip abroad !   Thank you in advance and there is no problem "bien entendu" if the above is not possible. I wish nevertheless that we will meet you in May 2009. (And meet the new ladies 'rider..mmmm  :)  )   Catherine A. Iselin Great Farm Stables West Woodhay Newbury RG20 0BS   Mobile 07915 388962

Female Eleves at the Spanish Riding School!!!

We took the first female eleves at the school!!!

 

In Memoriam Siglavy Mantua I

In Memoriam

Siglavy Mantua I

(1979-2008)

  

Last Saturday (August 16, 2008), the world famous Lipizzaner stallion   Siglavy Mantua I   died in his old-age home in the Federal Stud of Piber (Austria) at the age of 29. For more than 24 years he was the stabled in the Spanish Ridingschool in Vienna, and became under his rider, 1 st Oberbereiter Klaus Krzisch the icon of this century old riding institution.

For more than 15 years he was the star of the Spanish Ridingschool during all performances. For many years in the "Quadrille" and "All Movements". With his long, silver haired manes he really was an eye-catcher from the beginning.

But Siglavy Mantua I became really famous in the solo-performances with Mr Krzisch, in the classical exercises "Auf blanker Kandare" (only ridden on weymouth with one hand). Not only in Vienna, but really around the world. Perfectionism, classical lightness and elegance were their trademark.

And the most amazing part: he performed on the highest level up till the age of 27!

During his long career in the SRS, he was always ridden by Klaus Krzisch. When the young stallion arrived in Vienna in the winter of 1982-1983, he was immediately assigned to him. It must be said: in his youth, Siglavy Mantua was not quite a beauty. He was tight in the chest and long in the back. And also his neck was not ideal in its position. His movements and strength in the hindquarters were only average. But the consequent training in the classical way, and the skills of Mr Krzisch paid off: the ugly duck really became a swan! His best qualification however was his character. Just like all other sons of Siglavy Plutona, he was very friendly, balanced and willing to work. The dedication to his rider was immense. He was sensitive, but not hyper.

 

His official farewell as a performing stallion was the US-Tour 2005. But after coming home in Vienna, he appeared to be so fit, that it would be a pity to send him in retirement. So he remained in Vienna till 2007. In the meantime he could be seen during the morning exercises, and sometimes still in performances. He was the old professor to the young assistant rider Mr Schreiner, and took him in his first Quadrilles.

In March 2007 he was really send into retirement. Since then he enjoyed a quiet life in the Federal Stud of Piber. And here his last duty called: to serve the future of the Lipizzaner breed. In 2007 he was used (again) as a breeding stallion. Although his offspring of 2001 appeared not to be really satisfactory in exterior and movements, his mental and physical skills were reason enough to try again. The result can be seen this year: he left some elegant foals!

 Also for the breeding season 2008 his efforts were scheduled. Unfortunately his fertility and health appeared to be decreasing already. His half brother Siglavy Palma had to take over his duties in the stud.

Last Saturday his conditions turned bad. Since some time he had some "Kreislauf" problems (how to translate that in English…? - Let’s say "circulation problems": blood-oxygen-digestion). In good cooperation between Dr. Max Dobretsberger (stud manager), Mr. Ernst Bachinger (leader of the SRS) and Mr Kzrisch, the final decision was made…

In the Spanish Ridingschool, in Piber, but also around the world his fame will survive for ever. Hopefully his son Siglavy Malina II (2002) will turn out to be his prominent successor in the Hofburg.

Atjan Hop

 

Siglavy Mantua I  &  Dr. Max Dobretsberger - Piber, 2007  (Foto: Langhammer)

 

 

Sofia-95  (S.Mantua I  x  86 Biserka) - Piber 2002  {Kirsch-Lipizzaner, Germany}

Wikipedia

I edited the site of the "Spanisch Riding School" at Wikipedia.

Please have a look and tell me what you think.

Please correct my english there as well!

 

Support your Olympic dressage competitors!

Hi

If you wish to express support for the Olympic dressage competitors in Hong Kong, the Dressage.com website has launched its "Operation Hong Kong Mail" which will deliver your messages to all dressage competitors (and support staff) from all countries.  It's a free service that they have provided at past Olympics but I think this is the first time they have extended it to competitors from all countries.

You can read the details at http://dressage.com/HKMail/

John

Anya Bershad

Anya Bershad did great at the Young Rider Championships in Colorado.

 

Gratulations Anya and Wonderboy!

 

I worked with both at her parents barn in Santa Fe.

 

 

 

Young Rider Freestyle Championships:

 

1 135 Laura Noyes Syncro 74.750%

74.000% 74.000% 73.750% 76.250% 75.750%

2 129 Brianna Dutton Tibet 71.900%

70.250% 70.750% 71.750% 73.750% 73.000%

3 125 Chelsea Pederson H.S. With Honors 70.500%

71.500% 68.500% 70.500% 68.750% 73.250%

4 130 Katie Johnson Millenium 67.800%

67.000% 69.000% 68.500% 66.250% 68.250%

5 126 Chelsea Seburn Rolex 66.550%

70.000% 67.750% 67.000% 63.500% 64.500%

6 134 Julie McKean Stravinsky 66.300%

66.250% 66.000% 68.500% 63.000% 67.750%

7 113 Brittany McCarthy Cinbad 65.750%

69.250% 65.000% 67.750% 65.500% 61.250%

8 122 Anya Bershad Wonderboy 65.400%

69.750% 66.500% 66.000% 59.250% 65.500%

9 111 Kristen Becker Ramses 65.300%

65.500% 63.500% 66.000% 66.750% 64.750%

10 107 Sarah Cunningham Ivan 64.600%

67.500% 63.000% 60.000% 66.500% 66.000%

131 Christine Stephenson Charly 285 64.150%

65.250% 65.250% 64.500% 64.250% 61.500%

119 Emily Wagner Wagnis 63.800%

65.750% 65.000% 65.500% 59.750% 63.000%

137 Jessica Blackmon Irnas 63.200%

65.750% 65.000% 62.000% 62.750% 60.500%

102 Jaimie Holland Fleurina 62.500%

64.000% 62.750% 64.500% 60.250% 61.000%

103 Amy Jager Jive 61.650%

66.500% 64.750% 57.500% 58.000% 61.500%

Andreas Clinic @ Pinon Farms, Santa Fe, New Mexico

"Awesome clinic" are the only words to describe this fabulous 5 day experience.  The facilities for this clinic, graciously donated by Karen Bershad were lovely! (and that is an understatement!)  The staff and host made us feel most welcome and were so accomodating...you could not have asked for more!  Andreas was outstanding...I got so much out of the 5 days...he really was able to get the "best" out of you! It was our first time with Andreas and already Macho and I are looking forward to 2009.  Meanwhile, we will be working on the the concepts that Andreas helped us with over the 5 days!  Thank you, Andreas!  Ann

Wonderful photographs!

Lovely pics from Carmel---thank you!

Can we see more photos from this summer's clinic tour?

Pinon Farm in Santa Fe, NM

Just home from a wonderful week at Karin Bershad`s Pinon Farm  in Santa Fe, and a Clinic with Andreas, and want to thank him for all his wonderful work.  I ask him to help me with the in hand work and the results withing the five sessions were amazing.  I will be studing my DVD`s and looking forward to 2009 Andreas Clinic.

Thanks again Andreas for all your hard work and patience.  

Nancy

Maestoso II Omegga

Re: That's why Lipizzans are grey!!!

--- On Mon, 7/21/08, Karen Mackenzie wrote: From: Karen Mackenzie Subject: Re: That's why Lipizzans are grey!!! To: horsesanddressage@groups.msn.com Date: Monday, July 21, 2008, 7:59 PM Good evening Andreas and everyone in H and D,   Here is a quotation from a feature in todays Daily Mail [ a  UK newspaper..] on 21st July 2008. I have abridged this from the lengthy  article by David Derbyshire.   WHY EVERY WHITE HORSE CAN TRACE ITS ROOTS BACK TO JUST ONE ANCESTOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.   They have been favoured by kings and emporers, in the form of Desert Orchid they became the housewives' choice and in Billy the police horse they helped clear the Wembley pitch and make history.   Now scientists have identified  the genetic mutation that turns horses grey and then white - and it could mean that they all trace their ancestors back to just a single mare or stallion more than 2,500 years ago.   Grey horses are typically descended from Arabian  ancestors, including the famous purebred Lipizzaner  stallions that are trained for classical dressage, and have been selected by humans for their striking appearance.  Born with dark hair greys gradually lose pigmentation.  As their hair becomes white between six and eight years old they take on a grey appearance due to their black skin underneath.   Dr Leif Andersson and colleagues at Uppsala University, Sweden, found mutated genes in more than eight hundred grey horses from eight different breeds. Crucially the variants are not present in horses of other hues and through further DNA mapping the phenomenon was nailed down to the over expression of two neighbouring genes, known as STX17 and NR4A3.  It is not known if one, or both of the genes is responsible for the loss of hair pigmentation, according to the study published online in Nature Genetics.   Dr Anderssons team also point out between 70 and 80 percent of grey horses older than 15 years have melanomas, the most serious form of skin cancer that reduces their lifespan.  They believe the defective genes trigger both the disease and the loss of hair colour through reducing protective pigment containing cells in the skin and hair follicles.   Dr Andersson analysed the coat colours and skin of thoroughbreds from five national studs in Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.  He said the grey provides a notable example of how humans have cherry-picked mutations that produce attractive appearances in domestic animals. He said, " The manifestation of this mutation as a white horse has had  a strong impact on human culture and has left numerous traces in art and literature from Asia and Europe, such as Pegasus and the unicorn."    The oldest written record is by the Greek historian Herodotus, who describes the Persian emporer Xerxes who reigned from 485 to 465 BC as keeping sacred white horses.   Dr Andersson said, " The prestige of riding a white horses has thus led to the selection of the grey causing mutation by humans.  This mutation is by far the most common cause of white colour in horses."   For the full article and pictures [ Desert Orchid / Billy / Lipizzan in Courbette / Saxon horse carvings ]  please go to  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1036871/Why-white-horse-trace-roots...   Karen MacKenzie, Manchester, England.

Work in Hand Seminar at Across the Diagonal Farm !!!

July 16th 2008:

 

Did a great Work in Hand Demo at Jennifer Roth's in Carmel Valley.

We showed horses in hand and under Saddle.

 

R.I.P. SP

 With a sad, heavy heart, I'm back on the boards

 

Dear, dear SP was put down on the afternoon of Saturday 28th June 2008.

 

He was the unexpected arrival in October 2003 from Ragyogo1 who I'd bought as a riding mare in the March - a far from unfamiliar occurance today, from what I understand.

 

He came in on 15th of May with an evident problem, lifting his off hind leg high, not as though indicating colic pain or a laminitic shuffle.  Inspite of all attempts, the underlying problem was undiagnoised by 2 vet practices

 

Dear, dear pony - he'd captured my heart & given us all so much joy!

 

He's sadly missed by everyone but could not be allowed to suffer.

 

What a nightmare!

 

He was surrounded by so much love & support ,,, there was no truma for him even at the end of his suffering.  As I said "sweet dreams" to him, he'd got a shine on his coat & a twinkle in his eye that many a show person would be proud of.

 

The dear young lady who helped us through this was so upset herself yet so able in her professional responsibilities.

 

Not unsuprisingly, I'm in pieces, yet, amazingly overwhelmed by the love & support that's surrounded us ,,,  & continues.

 

What a bally experience!

 

Dear, dear pony!

 

Please R.I.P. SP

That's why Lipizzans are grey!!!

 

A cis-acting regulatory mutation causes premature hair graying and susceptibility to melanoma in the horse.   In horses, graying with age is an autosomal dominant trait associated with a high incidence of melanoma and vitiligo-like depigmentation. Here we show that the Gray phenotype is caused by a 4.6-kb duplication in intron 6 of STX17 (syntaxin-17) that constitutes a cis-acting regulatory mutation. Both STX17 and the neighboring NR4A3 gene are overexpressed in melanomas from Gray horses. Gray horses carrying a loss-of-function mutation in ASIP (agouti signaling protein) had a higher incidence of melanoma, implying that increased melanocortin-1 receptor signaling promotes melanoma development in Gray horses. The Gray horse provides a notable example of how humans have cherry-picked mutations with favorable phenotypic effects in domestic animals.   <http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ng.185.html;jsessionid=289D4F316962FA837D2377FBCFD429DB>

Lessons in Vienna with SRS Riders

Hi All

 

My friend is planning to go for a long weekend in Vienna September/October time and while there she is hoping to  see the young horses being exercised, visit the National Stud and have one or two lessons on school masters with SRS riders. She believes that the head riders have their own establishments but has no idea how to find out their contact numbers or addresses. 

 

Does any one have any ideas please?

 

Many thanks.

 

Elaine

Work in Hand Demo at Raflyn Farm !!!

Wednesday evening I did a wonderfull Work in Hand Demo at Raflyn Farm in Snohomish-Washington.

7 horses were presented on the lounge, in hand and under saddle.

All horses did extremly well, specially the young ones.

Thanks to Ralp Dreitzler to host the demo.

Work in Hand Demo Werndl Stables in Aubenhausen !!!

Saturday evening I did a work in hand demo with 7 horses from Werndl Stables. Great audience!!!

Ulla Salzgeber, Gina Capellmann-L체tgemaier, Dieter Laugks, Dorothe Schneider, Wolfram Wittig, Dr. Sch체le, Mrs. W체st and many more saw the demo.

All went very well. I showed the different levels, from the unexperienced to the fully trained horse for piaffe in hand.

hey

hey iv been riding since i ws bot 5 n iv been jumpin bt recently iv brought a retired steeplechaser and sadly he cant jump as high as i want hm 2 so iv started duin heaps of dressage trainin wif him and i wish i hadve had a bigger interest in dressage longer ago as both me n Jack mi boi r enjoyin ourselves

Rodriga

My new horse, a 4 year old Kladruber mare.

Kladruber mare

Wednesday May 14 my new Kladruber mare Rodriga (but now renamed Meissie) arrived from the Czech Republic in Los Angeles. The German company that organized the trip was Guido Klatte, but they could not have done it without the great support of our Czech trainer and friend Katarina Hlavova. Katarina also traveled as a groom with the horse(s). She said they had to load 30 horses at Schiphol airport, of which 15 came to LA, the rest went to Mexico.

After two days quarantine in LA, Meissie travelled to UC Davis for her two week quarantine before she can come home. On Sunday we went out there to greet her and give her some exercise. She is a very social girl, and even after such a long travel and new surroundings, was very calm. Katarina said she had lost quite a bit of weight, and she also had had a bit of a fever after getting off the airplane, but had already gotten over that. At UC Davis she will get good care and exercise every day, while being tested for CEMs.

Can't wait to bring her home next week and get her ready for the clinic with Andreas in July.

 

Clara

2010 SRS USA tour

Hello Andreas and USA members of the group,

 

I have been thinking about the 2010 tour of the USA's east coast. The 2008 tour of the west coast was cancelled for financial reasons. If the Atlanta and Houston venues were any indication, the 2005 tour was not sold out.

 

I have heard concern about the success of the tour because the World Equestrian Games are also in 2010. Many US folks will only be able afford to go to one or the other. The concern is that many would choose to spend their vacation money on travelling to see the WEG rather than to see the SRS. If that happened, the 2010 tour might not be a financial success for the School. If the tour is not successful financially, the fear is that it would be many years before the School would visit us again.

 

Here, it is not like Europe. When the School visits a European country, most of the audience can get to a performance by local public transportation or automobile in a short time. Here, it can take a day of travel by airplane to get to the east coast for a performance. By car, it might take longer even if you are in the same state! For example, the Houston venue in 2005. It takes at least 12 hours to drive across Texas.

 

Has the School considered the apparent competition with the WEG? Does it make a difference? Many people who go to see the School (on tour or in Vienna) are not horse people but just ordinary folk who love beauty and harmony.

 

Is the "competition" between the WEG and the SRS for an audience real?

 

For me, it is "no contest". Jan and I will go to at least one of the east cost cities to see the School in 2010.

 

John

Les Quatre Ecoles d'Art Equestre

Paris - November 2007

Barock Indoor Vienna-Fotos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SRS commercial

I totall agree with allof your comments  the video is wonderfull !
--
Yours Aye,  Bobby

charming SRS commercial

have y'all seen lovely SRS commercial? it will make you smile!

http://web.wien.info/viennacollection/?lang=en&vid=4

Barock Indoor in Vienna!

old barock indoor in Vienna!

I saw "Drawing Restraint", a Matthew Barney exhibition by Kunsthalle Wien and Serpentine Gallery, London.

I liked it very much!!!

Kunsthalle Wien is lokated in an old barock indoor arena. This arena is as beautyfull as the Winterreitschule (Spanish Riding School). The location is in walking distance to the SRS.  I did some pics, you can see them in "Pictures" (I hope I can upload them ;-))

 

„I FIRST UNDERSTOOD ABSTRACTION, ON A BASIC LEVEL, ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD.”

Matthew Barney

Matthew Barney: DRAWING RESTRAINT is an exhibition by Kunsthalle Wien and Serpentine Gallery, London.

Houdini and the US football star Jim Otto, struggles against the resistance of constructed and natural boundaries of the human body. Like the magician and the competitive sportsman, Barney relies on the physical dynamics continuously oscillating between self-control and energetic impetus. For the artist, who was a sportsman and model himself, the genesis of the artwork is based on overcoming one’s self-imposed boundaries. He uses gymnastics, climbing, and weight-lifting as performative subjects, turns into a fantastic kid satyr, or boards a Japanese whaler as an “occidental guest” to unite with his love – Björk. This location of a mythical parallel world distilled from cultural-historical elements of Japanese Shinto, Western performance-oriented thinking, and industrial aesthetics sees the reinvention of the Moby Dick story culminating in an “erotic communion”, in which the lovers are transformed into whales and enter a state of oceanic being.
With DRAWING RESTRAINT, Matthew Barney, who regards himself as a sculptor, extends the notion of sculpture to include almost every visual medium and combines performance, video, photography, installation, film, and drawing to a fascinating total work of art.

Born in San Francisco in 1967, Matthew Barney is one of the shooting stars of the American art scene and has become internationally acclaimed for his CREMASTER Cycle. He lives and works in New York.

Coming to the SRS and Lipizzans

New the forum, from Snohomish WA.

 

I am coming to the SRS on May 11th for the Sunday performance. This was a last minute arrangement as I am going to Copenhagen  on business for a seminar. It is a challenge to try to go to Vienna around a business trip, when things tend to get confirmed on a relatively short notice, as the SRS and the flights get booked. But after thinking of going to 4 ecoles, but not able to do so, and then with the cancellation of the 2008 West Coast tour, I decided to try to go to Vienna at the first opportunity. I am in

 

This is particularly meaningful at this time, as I am interested in owning a Baroque horse in the relatively near future, and I am now having the opportunity to ride Lipizzans regularly. I am discovering what may be the Lipizzan most appealing characteristic: their temperament! I have yet to meet one Lipizzan that I do not like. I think I am starting to understand what the SRS means by 'Noble Character'. Actually, I think I am getting 'hooked'.

 

I would appreciate any insights/comments about the Lipizzan temperament.

 

Andreas, congratulations for your promotion to chief rider!

 

(I had the privilege of meeting Andreas while auditing the 2006 clinic in Snohomish. I was very lucky to be there on the day when he rode several of the horses! I could not attend in 2007, but I am definitely planning on auditing again this year.)

Polonaise and Integrity

Holsteiner Mare

Polo and Teggi

recent srs articles in Dressage Unlmt.com

Is John d'Addamio a member?.

Please email me.

Kent Gilmore/ Eichendorf

Thanks

HM Queen Beatrix - Rotterdam

HM Queen Beatrix honours the SRS while performing in AHOY-Rotterdam.

Xenophon

Pics from the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Gala Performance,25.October 2007

In this Gala I was promoted to Chief Rider !!!

Xenophon

I have been in Athens last week. It was a wonderful trip, except the day when I left at the airport.
Anyway.....
I spent a day in the Archaeological Museum in Athens. Very interesting!
I was most surprised to see spectacular antique horse equipment from 5th and 4th century BC.
Unbelievable how horses had to suffer in Xenophons (426 - 355 BC) time.
I'll post pictures soon!
Andreas

SRS Financial challenge

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Werner Pohl for California Riding Magazine shortly after a reorganization of SRS was announced publically. A flattering article followed. Toaday, however, privatization is apparantly not going well and keeping SRS on a sound financial footing will be challeging, to say the least.

I would like to help but I need your help in putting me in touch with parties in the film industry.

I control the rights of my novel, KIRCHBORN, published in 2003. It is a suspense thriller with a European setting and, yes, there are horses in it. In fact, international dressage and the IOC are at the core of the plot. A treatment is available upon request.

The profits of such an enterprise could and would be dedicated to SRS.

Kent Gilmore

"Eichendorf"

Question about training and de la Gueriniere?

Andreas,

 

I was reading some excerpts from de la Gueriniere's "Ecole de Cavalerie" and ran across a passage which made me stop and wonder about how the stallions are trained at the SRS.  The passage was this:

 

"It is a principle to which all experienced masters subscribe that a horse should never be galloped before having been suppled with the trot so that it neither bears on the hand nor pulls at the reins. One must wait, then, until the horse is supple in its entire body, trained to the shoulder-in and the croup to the wall, and is accomplished in the piaffe between the pillars; and as soon as it has reached this point of development, it will perform the gallop willingly without much coaxing."

 

If I understand this correctly, it sounds as though de la Gueriniere is saying not to canter the horse until it is thoroughly developed in collection.  Am I misunderstanding this?  It could be that I am reading the passage entirely out of context as all I have are excerpts rather than the whole text.  However, it got me wondering -- Is this something the SRS has ever practiced? 

 

Thank you, in advance!

 

 

Basic, very basic question

Hello,   I am a new member and have a very very simple question about the management of the horses in the Spanish riding school.   Many trainers now say that horses can eat hay before work, but I was taught to withdraw hay from horses two hours before they work. Is this the case in the SRS too or do they eat hay before work ? I know horses digest very quickly as all prey animals, but in the past this was a rule.   Because the high level of quality of the work the stallions at the SRS achieve and the fact that they may be the last horses trained with a swinging back and moving "middle" (belly muscles not stiff), it would be very interesting to know how they are managed on that level too !    I think in Dressage the SRS are the reference about top quality and I would not ask this question to no one else ! I hope I am forgiven to ask such a simple question..   Catherine

Welcome !!!

Welcome to all new members !!!   Andreas Hausberger

Favory Dubovina

Atjan - Thanks for posting the picture of Favory Dubovina and our favorite Oberbereiter. We saw him a few times during Morning Training when we were in Vienna, but not in a performance. What part of the performance was he in?

Jan

Favory Dubowina

Arrival of the young stallions in the SRS

Four young Lipizzaner stallions from stud Piber arrived in the Spanish Ridingschool, and were presented to the press today! It concerns

• Pluto Malina
• Favory Duba
• Maestoso Bellamira   and
• Neapolitano Madera

All are born in 2004.

 

You can find a small video about this here:

http://video.vienna.at/members.stadtreporter/20080108_spanische.mov/viewer.html

 

Beside those 4, some young stallions of the same age remained in Piber, as "reserve". (This is a new situation) They will be trained there by the stud personell, guided by "Oberbereiter" from Vienna. After some time will be judged, if those 4 in Vienna are really the best.

 

Atjan

 

 

Attachment: SRS_Junghengste 2008.jpg