I know pretty much nothing about horses, so it’s pretty surprising even to myself that I’m writing about the Lipica horse stables on my blog! I wasn’t planning on going here while in Slovenia, as it’s not of my top interests, but when my plans to go to Soca Valley fell through due to weather, this was en route to my next destination in Slovenia, Lake Bled.
Why the Lipizzaner Horses are so Important & what to expect at Lipica horse stables
The horses at Lipica are basically world famous. They have a special gene in them which makes them turn white as they age, at around 4 or 5 years old. It’s kind of like how humans hair turns grey/white. Not all will change to white, so you’ll have that “black sheep” but most do.
These horses have been famous and coveted since the 16th century.
These horses are the ones that “dance”. They walk like they are on their tip toes. I did ask if they are trained nicely, and they said yes, it’s positive reinforcement.
These purebred Lipizzaner horses are worth MILLIONS. They are used in the Olympics! It’s all pretty crazy and I’m sure that horse-lovers would be totally obsessed with this place!
For me, I just loved seeing them in the fields with the dandelions. They are such gorgeous animals. I do not think they allow guests to ride them (at least not the studs). The girl horses have the LIFE; they just eat all day outside. The studs have to practice their dancing and such since the are the ones used for training and competitions.
Little tidbit: in case you were wondering like me how they get these horses around the world for the Olympics…. they fly them in a private jet.
Another little tidbit: the Queen symbolically owns a horse here which was gifted to her by the horse farm. The horse farm is in Slovenia, but in Vienna, they are obsessed with these horses also and sometimes the Austrians will claim this horse breed is theirs, which I imagine is a touchy subject with a Slovenian!
Tips on Visiting
There’s not big “wow” about the place, but it’s just beautiful overall and a great place to spend an afternoon. I will be honest, it’s not the top thing to do in Slovenia, which has so much to offer, so prioritize and add this to your itinerary if you have more than a week here.
Also, if you have kids this is a cool place to go since they have ponies! For more information and ticket prices, check out their website.
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