The life of the Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School, in Vienna, Austria, can be compared to that of a top athlete. The riders work with the horses individually to build up their muscles and to prepare them for their performances. Between the age of 12 and 25 the stallions show performances of the high school of classical horsemanship in Vienna and on worldwide tours.

“Additional to the individual care provided by the riders and grooms, the horses need a steady workflow, get specially developed diet plans, sufficient periods of exercise and rest, as well as many other important measures that are conducive to the well being and health of our Lipizzaner stallions,” explained general manager Elisabeth Gürtler. “The welfare of the horses is always our key concern—without the Lipizzaners there would be no Spanish Riding School.”

To ensure optimal health conditions for the horses during and after these years, a horse health handbook has been developed for each of the three locations at which the Lipizzaners reside (the riding school in Vienna, the training center in Heldenberg, Austria, and the stud in Piber, Austria). This guide includes all prophylactic measures to ensure the health maintenance of the horses, but also a catalogue for the handling of diseased animals. And, with the construction of a new arena with a mobile roof, another recommendation of these guidelines has been implemented: Riders can now train their stallions in fresh air year-round, as well as warm them up and cool them down before and after a performance.

The roof of the "Summer Riding Arena" is powered by two electric motors and can be closed in a few minutes if required in case of bad weather. For the rest of the time the roof will remainy open