Spanish Riding School TV Special

There’s a great PBS special coming up! On Wednesday, May 1, the stories of the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions, from their origins in ancient times?as a war horse to their?transition?as show horse.

The striking white Lipizzaner stallions of the famed Spanish Riding School in Vienna have been thrilling audiences for centuries. During the winter public performance season, these elegant and intelligent horses execute a breath-taking display of carefully choreographed and synchronized movements known as high classical dressage. Their success relies on the very strong bonds this historic breed has established with their riders over years of training.

How the Lipizzaner developed from a horse bred for war to one bred for performance is the subject of?NATURE?s Legendary White Stallions?airing Wednesday, May 1 at 8 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings). After broadcast, the program will stream at?pbs.org/nature.

The origins of the Lipizzaner, one of the oldest horse breeds in the world, began in the rugged Atlas Mountains of North Africa. To thrive in both the hot barren desert and on icy mountain slopes, horses needed to possess tremendous stamina, agility, and courage. See the trailer here: ?Lipizzans

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