| The Spanish Riding School or the Spanische | | | | the classic equestrian skills (haute école) has |
| Hofreitschule, which literally means – | | | | been preserved and is still practiced in its original |
| Imperial Court Spanish Riding School of Vienna, | | | | form. Many years of training fuse horse and rider |
| Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan | | | | into an inseparable unit. The audience is treated to |
| horses. It was established during the | | | | an unforgettable experience by the precision of |
| Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1572. It was named | | | | movement of the Lipizzan horses in perfect |
| for the Spanish horses that were, and still are, the | | | | harmony with the music. |
| mainstay of the riding school. Today the horses | | | | In the course of gala performances, visitors |
| are bred in a court stud in Lipica, near Trieste in | | | | experience unique presentations of the Lipizzans in |
| nowadays Slovenia, and at the Piber Stud in | | | | the most beautiful riding hall in the world, which |
| western Styria, Austria. | | | | was impressively outfitted by baroque architect |
| The methods used by the Riding School, like | | | | Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach between 1729 |
| those of the Cadre Noir, are based on the | | | | and 1735. It was originally built to provide |
| teachings of the French riding master | | | | aristocratic youths with the opportunity to take |
| François Robichon de la Guérinière. | | | | riding instruction. Morning training with music gives |
| The standards are just as strict at the School as | | | | a good impression into the training program of the |
| they were years ago. The young stallions are | | | | White Stallions; the guided tours include visits to |
| taught the basics first, then, as they strengthen, | | | | the stables. |
| begin collected movements. They are then | | | | A new program provides one with exclusive |
| assessed to determine if they are suitable for the | | | | background information about the traditional |
| demanding 'airs above the ground.' The riders, too, | | | | training and education of the world famous white |
| are carefully schooled, working first without | | | | horses of the Spanish Riding School. For the first |
| stirrups and reins on well-trained horses to teach | | | | time in the history of the High School of Riding, |
| a balanced and independent seat. Performances at | | | | one of the chief riders will explain personally how |
| the Spanish Riding School include individual and pas | | | | the horses are classically trained. One after the |
| de deux – two horses at once displays, as | | | | other one will encounter the steps horse and |
| well as a Grand Quadrille consisting of 16 horses | | | | riders have to take in the course of their |
| working in formation at the walk, trot, and canter, | | | | education, and how this life-long bond is formed |
| including flying changes, piaffe, and passage work. | | | | and cultivated. |
| All riders wear the traditional brown frock coat | | | | The visitors are enthralled by the world of the |
| uniform with bicorne hats, and all horses wear red | | | | noble stallions and their riders. Man and horse have |
| and gold saddle cloths. | | | | to brave years of intensive training to master the |
| It is regarded as the top of the classical art of | | | | High School in absolute harmony and perfection. It |
| riding, with skills and traditions dating back to | | | | is a pleasure to share in the stages that make an |
| Ancient Greece. The Spanish Riding School in | | | | élève into a rider and a young horse |
| Vienna is the only institution in the world where | | | | into a school stallion of the Spanish Riding School. |