Lipizzaner Stud Farm Sambata de Jos
Only a few meters away from DN1, you may find a tremendous place where 300 Lipizzaner horses are clumping happily since 1874. The domain of the Lipizzaner Stud Farm was arranged near a castle of Brukenthal family, built in 1750-1760 (currently in refurbishment works) – it can be seen on the left side as you enter the farm. At the farm in Sambata de Jos there are 7 foundation lines of the Lipizzaner bred which contributed to the current horses collectives (Conversano, Favory, Maestoso, Neapolitano, Pluto, Siglavy-Capriola, Tulipan), so this makes it one of the most prestigious around the world.
The bred
The Lipizzaner (or Lipizzan) is a breed of horse closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, where the finest representatives demonstrate the high school movements of classical dressage, including the highly controlled, stylized jumps and other movements known as the “airs above the ground”. The Lipizzan breed dates back to the 16th century when it was developed with the support of the Habsburg nobility. The breed takes its name from one of the earliest stud farms established, located in Lipica (Slovenia).
Lipizzaner basics
Most Lipizzans measure between 147 and 157 cm. However, horses bred that are closer to the original carriage-horse type are taller, approaching 165 cm. Lipizzans have a long head, with a straight or slightly convex profile. The jaw is deep, the ears small, the eyes large and expressive and the nostrils flared. They have a neck that is sturdy, yet arched and withers that are low, muscular and broad. They are a Baroque-type horse, with a wide, deep chest, broad croup and muscular shoulder. The tail is carried high and well set. The legs are well-muscled and strong, with broad joints and well-defined tendons. The feet tend to be small, but are tough. Lipizzan horses tend to mature slowly. However, they live and are active longer than many other breeds, with horses performing the difficult exercises of the Spanish Riding School well into their 20s and living into their 30s.
The color
Aside from the rare solid-colored horse (usually bay or black), most Lipizzans are gray. Like all gray horses, they have black skin, dark eyes, and as adult horses, a white hair coat. Gray horses, including Lipizzans, are born dark—usually bay or black—and become lighter each year as the graying process takes place, with the process being complete at between 6 and 10 years of age. Contrary to popular belief, Lipizzans are not actually true white horses. A white horse is born white, has pink skin and often has blue eyes. Gray was the color preferred by the royal family, and so the color was emphasized in breeding practices. Thus, in a small breed population when the color was deliberately selected as a desirable feature, it came to be the color of the overwhelming majority of Lipizzan horses.
The Stud Farm is opened from 10 AM to 4 PM, access fee is 10 RON for adults and 5 RON for children (please check this info before your visit as it may change). In order to find the box there is no need to enter the farm, but since you would be here it would be a bad idea to miss it.
More info on the Stud Farm and the Lipizzaner bred: http://www.rosilva.ro/articole/herghelia_sambata_de_jos__p_149.htm - in Romanian
http://www.sambata-de-jos.ro/?page_id=160 - in Romanian
http://www.bestromania.com/profiles/blogs/the-lipizzaner-horses-of - in English