SRS stallions sick?

I just saw on the SRS website that some stallions are sick with a cough and some performances have been cancelled.

Best wishes for their quick and full recovery, I hope it's business as usual before too long!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Andreas !!! Happy Birthday !!!

 

 

May your days be filled with sunshine

Your nights filled with joy

May all your dreams come true this year

Have a great birthday !!!

{{küsse}}

Romy

Bred/Trained for Battle Or No?

Andreas,

In an interview for Fox News (I think it was) during the last US tour of the SRS, the reporter made a comment about Lipizzans being bred and trained for battle. You told her that that was not true and that Lipizzans had never been used for battle. Paraphrased, of course, as I cannot find the video on YouTube anyhow.

Anyhow, would you please verify this? Were Lipizzans bred to be used as calvary mounts? Were they used for battle?

Spanishe Hofreitschule Honored by UNESCO

Spanish Riding School honoured by UNESCO

Vienna’s Spanish Riding School has been put on the list of Austrian immaterial cultural objects by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Maria Walcher from the Austrian UNESCO committee for immaterial cultural values said today (Fri): "It is a matter of a ritual, traditional craft, oral tradition and timeless knowledge in relation to protection of nature," in explaining the reason for UNESCO’s decision.

Eva Nowotny, the president of the Austrian UNESCO committee, said: "Let 1,000 flowers bloom. Other traditions are welcome."

Elisabeth Gürtler, the general director of the school, said: "Employees like our Andreas Hausberger have orally communicated their priceless experience to our students and candidates."

Patience raising a Lipizzan horse

http://www.lipizzan.com/patience.html

Fionna (Pluto Triesta x Canissa-10)

Lipizzaner with blue eyes

In fact we had a mare with two blue eyes once, we are looking for old lipizzaner with blue eyes. We already found out some studs with this sign. Does anybody have such a horse in mind too? Favory Sarda, Pluto Presciana and Favory Montenegra had at least one blue eye (we don't see both eyes on the pictures). Any else known by accident ?

edit: found this picture some time ago. i had to search it. a lipizzaner stallion painted by hamilton with blue eyes

 

Ernst Lindenbauer

Have a look:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Montanabw/Sandbox2

Ancient Oberbereiter

Some pictures of ancient "Oberbereiter" (Chief riders) of the 'Spanische Hofreitschule' - Spanish Ridingschool, in Vienna.

Time area: 1900-1940

Gottlieb Polak

An interesting new article about Gottlieb Polak on Wikipedia - I thought the SRS historians here might be interested!

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb_Polak

Lipizzan Longevity

We are discussing Lipizzan longevity -- how long they live and can work -- in our Lipizzaner group that we would like to post here for a more definitive answer:

On average, how long do the Lipizzans at the SRS stay working?
Do most of them work into their 20s?
On what grounds are they retired?

Thanks,
Eileen

Gribaldi Elite preferent KWPN stallion DIED 14-02-2010 sire of Moorlands Totilas

Only a few days after his official retirement and proclamation as preferent sire by the KWPN society at the 2010 KWPN Stallion Licensing on 5 February 2010, the 16-year old licensed Trakehner stallion Gribaldi passed away.

The black stallion suffered from a tear in his aorta and spent two days in the clinic fighting for his life. Unfortunately the highly decorated breeding stallion passed away on 14 February 2010.

"We just can"t believe it that this had to happen to him," said a saddened Edward Gal, who rode Gribaldi at FEI level. "You will always be in our heart. Rest in peace, sweet Gribaldi."

Gribaldi was bred by Marika Werner in Germany and was out of elite mare Gondola II. He sold as a foal to Otto Langels, who presented him at the Trakehner Stallion Licensing in 1995. The colt then sold at auction for 300,000 DM (150,000 euro) to Dutch stallion owners Joop van Uytert and Rinus de Jong. In 1996 Gribaldi was approved by the KWPN society. 

Gribaldi was proclaimed Elite Stallion by the Trakehner society in 2003 and keur stallion by the KWPN society in 2004. In 2008 he was Trakehner Stallion of the Year. Of 707 KWPN registered Gribaldi mares, at least 332 received the star predicate. He sired Grand Prix horses and Dutch A-team horses Totilas, Sisther de Jeu and Painted Black. He produced 16 licensed offsping!

His last ride  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5hst1bh8qk

Spanische Reitschule in trouble?

Did anybody see this? There seems to be trouble in Austria.

http://www.dressage.com/SRS/Default.htm

and

http://tvthek.orf.at/programs/1310-Report/episodes/1220693-Report/1224443-Spanische-Hofreitschule--Herrenreiter-gegen-Direktorin

FEI Round Table Press Release

This was posted on another site:

FEI PRESS RELEASE
Lausanne (SUI), 9 February 2010


FEI ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE RESOLVES ROLLKUR CONTROVERSY

Following constructive debate at the FEI round-table conference at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne today (9 February), the consensus of the group was that any head and neck position achieved through aggressive force is not acceptable. The group redefined hyperflexion/Rollkur as flexion of the horse’s neck achieved through aggressive force, which is therefore unacceptable. The technique known as Low, Deep and Round (LDR), which achieves flexion without undue force, is acceptable.

The group unanimously agreed that any form of aggressive riding must be sanctioned. The FEI will establish a working group, headed by Dressage Committee Chair Frank Kemperman, to expand the current guidelines for stewards to facilitate the implementation of this policy. The group agreed that no changes are required to the current FEI Rules.

The FEI Management is currently studying a range of additional measures, including the use of closed circuit television for warm-up arenas at selected shows.

The group also emphasised that the main responsibility for the welfare of the horse rests with the rider.

The FEI President HRH Princess Haya accepted a petition of 41,000 signatories against Rollkur presented by Dr Gerd Heuschman.

The participants in the FEI round-table conference were:

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President
Alex McLin, FEI Secretary General
Margit Otto-Crépin, International Dressage Riders Club Representative
Linda Keenan, International Dressage Trainers Club Representative
Sjef Janssen, Dressage Representative
Frank Kemperman, Chairman, FEI Dressage Committee (by conference call)
François Mathy, International Jumping Riders Club Representative
David Broome, Jumping Representative
Jonathan Chapman, Eventing Representative
Roly Owers, World Horse Welfare Representative
Tony Tyler, World Horse Welfare Representative
Ulf Helgstrand, President, Danish Equestrian Federation
John McEwen, Chairman, FEI Veterinary Committee
Dr Sue Dyson, Veterinary Representative
Dr Gerd Heuschman, Veterinary Representative
Prof. René van Weeren, Veterinary Representative
Jacques van Daele, FEI Honorary Steward General Dressage
Graeme Cooke, FEI Veterinary Director
Trond Asmyr, FEI Director Dressage and Para-Equestrian Dressage
John Roche, FEI Director Jumping and Stewarding
Catrin Norinder, FEI Director Eventing
Carsten Couchouron, FEI Executive Director Commercial
Richard Johnson, FEI Communications Director

Reader?

Dearest Friends,

I am 3/4 done with the book you all have done so much to shape -- I cannot thank you enough for the invaluable advice, details, clarification, and tolerance of all of my questions! I am wondering if I could find a reader for the first 50 pages of the book, to check for any glaring errors related to Piber, Lipizzaners, the SRS, etc. I know it's quite a favor to ask, but (as you might suspect) I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to getting things right (though I take liberties with certain things ... like horses talking in complete sentences!). I am about to launch into the Anschluss, the arrival of Podhajsky, and my hero-horse hitting a bit of a wall in his training, and I'd like to know soon if there are any major changes I need to make in the first part of the book. I would love to have an expert eye on the material -- it's in English, I'm afraid!

All roads seem to be leading me to Vienna ... I'm on the jury of this year's Goethe Prize (for outstanding translation from German) and all of the novels seem to be set in the city...

Many, many thanks in advance for your consideration....

Annie Wedekind

Charon takes first place with his Lipizzaners

Yes! last night in Bordeaux Chardon got his first first place with his Lipizzaners. He got a 9 seconds faster ride with a first place before wildcard rider Daniel Wurgler!! 9 seconds is very much in de driving sport!! Chardon was very pleased with the ride and said it was easy going, the horses responded correctly and gave him a great feeling. Chardon feels like he's back!

What a great news it is, isn't it? In such a sort time! I think it's a very good promotion for the Lipizzaners horses!

Klaus Balkenhol Letter to The FEI for the February 9th Meeting

(Translated)
Originally Sent Feb. 3 2010
Federation Equestre International
Avenue Rumine 37
CH – 1005 Lausanne Rosendahl
SWITZERLAND

February 3, 2010

Dear Sirs and Madames:

We submit herewith some comments concerning your upcoming roundtable discussion, scheduled for February 9th, at which you will be establishing a final plan for the handling of the topic of Rollkur/Hyperflexion.

Those of us who have signed this letter wish to point out sharply that new or amended rules with regard to the accepted classical precepts of riding, which are contained in the guidelines written down in your Handbook, are absolutely superfluous and therefore unnecessary. These precepts, which the FEI has up until now felt obliged to uphold, are already fully developed, tried and tested! They are already recognized world-wide as authoritative, and as fair to the horse. Based on centuries of experience, they offer a stable and secure foundation even for today’s riding.

No changes may be made that constitute a burden to the well-being of the horse, either physically or mentally. If you accept riding in hyperflexion as a permissible training method, you legitimize aggressive riding. We protest that in the strongest possible terms!

As horse people, we expect the FEI to maintain unaltered their regulations, which have until now been valid, resting as they do upon the classical precepts of riding – for the good of the horses and the continued good repute of international equestrian sport.

The undersigned support this statement:

Klaus Balkenhol (Olympic medalist)

(Joined by, in alphabetical order)
- Laura Bechtolsheimer (British Record Holder, 3. Europameisterschaften 2009)
- Wilfried Bechtolsheimer (Trainer)
- Ingrid Klimke (Olympic medalist)
- Ruth Klimke (Vice President of the German Riders Union)
- Beezie Madden (Olympic medalist)
- John Madden (Trainer)
- Debbie McDonald (Olympic Bronze medalist)
- Susanne Miesner (Trainer)
- George Morris (Chef d’equipe USEF show jumping team, Olympic silver medalist)
- Martin Plewa (former German national Three-Day Event trainer, Director of the Riding and Driving School of Westfalia)
- Michael Putz (Trainer and judge)
- Klaus-Martin Rath (Trainer, member of the Dressage Committee of the German Olympic
Committee)
- Matthias Alexander Rath (German Meister 2009)
- Hinrich Romeike (Olympic medalist)
- Hubertus Schmidt (Olympic medalist)
- Günter Seidel (Olympic bronze medalist)
- Christine Stückelberger (Olympiic medalist)
- Paul Stecken (Trainer)
- Hans Günter Winkler (Olympic medalist)
- Harry Boldt, Dressur. Doppel-Olympiasieger, früherer Bundestrainer Dressur, GBR
- Beatrice Büchler-Keller, Swiss, FEI O-Richter
- Nadine Capellmann, Dressur, Olympiasiegrin
- Carsten Huck, Springen, Olympia Bronze-Gewinner
- Michael Klimke, Deuscther Meister, Dressur
- Ann Kathrinne Linsenhoff, Olympiasiegerin, WElt- und Europameisterin, Mitglied im FN-Präsidium
- Michael Robert, Olympia-Gewinner Bronze, Trainer

Petition against the Rollkur.

There is a new email petition against Hyperflexion.

Please go to www.wu-wei-verlag.com

For those who don't speak German, please click on weiter.

The top left hand box is the anti Rollkur petition. Please click on this.

Vorname is your first name. Zuname is your surname. 

Pruefun und abschliessen  will send the petition on.

You will receive a confirmation email, just click on the link in that and your vote will be official.

Please sign the petition and pass this link to wu wei onto your equine loving friends.  The F.E.I. should be made aware of how so many of us are disgusted at this abuse of the equine.

Karen 

 - aka Basowizza. 

The Criollo

The Criollo (in Spanish), or Crioulo (in Portuguese), is the native horse of Argentina (1918), Uruguay (1923), Brazil (1932) and Paraguay. It may have the best endurance of any horse breed in the world next to the Arabian. In fact, due to the criollo’s low basal metabolism, it may be a better long-distance horse than the Arabian in prolonged races over a week in duration with no supplemental feed. The breed is most popular in its home country, and is known for its hardiness and stamina. The breed dates back to a 1535 shipment of 100 Pure Bred Spanish - Andalusian stallions coming from Cadiz, Spain, to the Rio de la Plata imported by Buenos Aires founder, Pedro de Mendoza.

In 1540, Indian hostility forced the Spaniards to abandon Buenos Aires and between 12 and 45 surviving horses were set loose. When Buenos Aires was resettled in 1580, it is estimated that the feral horse population numbered around 12,000. Since it largely reproduced in the wild, the criollo developed into an extremely hardy horse that was able to survive the extreme heat and cold, subsist with little water, and live off the dry grasses of the area. Settlers later came and started capturing horses for riding and for use as pack animals. The Native Americans had already been doing that for many years.

The criollo is a hardy horse with a brawny and strong body. They have short, strong legs with good bone, resistant joints, low-set hocks, and sound, hard feet. The long-muzzled head is medium- to large-sized and has a straight or slightly convex profile with wide-set eyes. The croup is sloping and the haunches well-muscled, the back short with a strong loin. They have sloping, strong shoulders with muscular necks. The body is deep with a broad chest and well-sprung ribs.

The criollo is tractable, intelligent, willing, and sensible. Criollo horses average 14.3 hands high. The maximum height for stallions and geldings is 15 hands high and the minimum height is 14 hands high. The maximum and minimum heights for mares are 2 cm less (approximately one inch). The line-backed dun is the most popular color, but the breed may also come in bay, brown, black, chestnut, grulla, buckskin, palomino, blue or strawberry roan, gray and overo colors.

The breed is famous for their endurance capabilities and ability to live in harsh conditions, as their homeland has both extreme heat and cold weather. They are frugal eaters, thriving on little grass. They have good resistance to disease and are long-lived.

One example of the breed's fantastic endurance was the ride made by the Swiss-born Argentine rider Professor Aimé Félix Tschiffely (1894-1954) in 1925-28. Tschiffely took two criollo’s, 16-year-old Mancha and 15-year-old Gato, on a 13,350 mile (21,500 km) trek from Buenos Aires to Washington D.C., crossing snow-capped mountains, the world's driest desert, the thickest tropical jungles and riding in all types of weather. Alternating the riding and packing between the two horses, the trio took three years to finish the trip. Although Prof. Tschiffely went through many hardships on the trip including a bout of malaria, the horses did wonderfully in the wide array of extreme topographies and climates. Gato lived to be 36, Mancha lived to be 40, living out the last years of their lives as celebrities in La estancia El Cardal (El Cardal Ranch), the breeding establishment of the man most credited for developing of the criollo breed, Dr. Emilio Solanet.
In 1987, Jorge Saenz Rosas, owner of the Argentine Estancia Cristiano Muerto, offered his criollo Sufridor to the American Louis Bruhnke and the Russian/French Vladimir Fissenko for a horseback ride from the Beagle Channel in Tierra del Fuego to the shores of the Arctic Ocean in Deadhorse, Alaska. After traveling for five and a half years, the ride was accomplished in the summer of 1993. Having made the entire journey, the Criollo Sufridor is likely the horse that has traveled the furthest in a single direction. The ride was chronicled in the book "Sufridor," written by Louis Bruhnke.

Question:Saddle for Conversano Santa

Dear Horses and Dressage community, I’am new here and owner of a nearly 5 years old Lipizzaner gelding named Conversano Santa. Santa is not very big (1,53 cm) and has a really short rounded back. I’am on search for a dressage saddle and consulted a saddler for advice. He put some saddles on him to make a choice and found only 2 saddles from his 350 saddles in store, which could come into question. I took a seat in the saddles on a saddle tree and we decided in favour of a Schumacher Saddle.

The saddler made some modifications on it, decreasing the pad on the shoulder to keep the shoulder free for the movements, widen the tree and give the girth another position.

Now after several number of uses on the lunge and mounting on him I’am not really happy with this decision. The saddle slips to Santa’s shoulder and in case of mounting the saddle slips too, even the girt is tighten. On top, a physiotherapist for horses had a look at the saddle yesterday and confirmed my impression that this saddle is quite too long for him. But this saddle is one of the shortest we’ve found and a pony saddle is too small.

Now I ask for your experiences regarding the right saddle for Lipizzaner. It would be very helpful for me, if members of this community could give me some hints which saddle is in use on their own Lipizzaner horse (label/model). My saddler told me, that he is in the position to order a special saddle from the producer on demand.

Many thanks for your help in advance and feel free to enjoy Conversano Santa’s photos on my site. And I apologize for my english....

Petra