![\"Detailaufnahme](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/spanische-hofreitschule-winterreithalle-detail.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt was finally Emperor Charles VI who had the Winter Riding Hall built in Vienna in 1729 – 1735. A large hall flooded with light was created. A 15-meter-high roof truss extends over the riding hall. However, a specially inserted false ceiling made of wood decorated with stucco makes the hall appear much flatter. The riding hall is said to have been the first enclosed riding hall in Europe. Originally, the visit and use was reserved only for the nobility and was intended to teach the young nobility the art of horsemanship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Later, the hall was also opened for masquerade parties, court balls and equestrian games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, almost every day about 1000 spectators can watch the work with the horses. I am definitely impressed by the size and beautiful appearance of the riding hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right next to the winter riding arena is the summer riding arena\u2026. In good weather the horses are ridden here as well. In addition, a covered outdoor arena has been built around the summer riding arena where the animals are exercised year-round (each horse 40-50 minutes daily). Before this facility existed, grooms would walk in circles for hours to give the horses enough exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Spanish Riding School trains exclusively Lipizzaners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lipizzaner is a gray horse. As foals, they are born with dark coats and usually mold out by 6-10 years of age. Only stallions are ridden at the Spanish Riding School. The training of the animals begins around the age of 4. In the process, close attention is paid to the special qualities of the individual animal. Not every horse is suitable for special jumps or dressage tasks. There are specialists who already show their first dispositions in the pasture at a young age. In total, there are about 120 training stallions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the mother of a daughter who rides, I had the idea that you could only become a rider at the Hofreitschule if you had been riding for years in the highest dressage classes. But far from it. That is not a prerequisite to work here as a rider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you would like to train as a rider at the Hofreitschule, you only need basic riding knowledge. More importantly, one must be 16-25 years old and about 172 cm tall. Since 2008 it does not matter if you are a male or female rider, but the training is in German and the applicant should have good language skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2-5 apprentices usually work in the court riding school, about 20% of them also manage to ride in the performances at the end. All the others complete their training after 3 years as an equine professional. People upon people are already standing in front of the entrance at 9:30 a.m. waiting to be let into the Winter Riding Hall. To be honest, I had not expected so many visitors. So we join the international crowd and enter the large riding hall. There are some seats, but as it turns out, they are not nearly enough. During the two hours that the morning work lasts, new visitors keep coming into the riding hall. Others leave after watching the beautiful horses for a while. I have the feeling that horse lovers and people who have some riding and dressage knowledge are more likely to discover the many subtleties that are shown during the daily work with the horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lessons are held in 4 groups for 30 minutes each. Each group of horses is composed individually according to the level of training and so the work with the animal differs significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The horsemen and women come to the winter riding hall with the Lipizzan horses. They wear the Empire uniform, as it has been traditionally worn for 200 years. The uniform consists of white deerskin breeches, a high-collared brown riding tailcoat, a two-pointed hat, boots, white leather gloves and swan-neck spurs. Traditionally, the riders, only when it is important for the work, use a birch whip. This whip is cut from a birch tree in January and put in water for a few days to make it more durable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the work with the horse begins, the riders first take off their hats to the image of Emperor Charles VI, the builder of the Winter Riding Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a lot of fun watching the horses and their riders. After a short warm-up, each pair works on different focuses. From working on the transitions from walk-trot-canter, shoulder in, head and neck position work, collected trot and canter, 3-way canter changes, first piaffe approaches – you can discover many different levels of training. I find it exciting to watch and discover many things that I have also seen in the course of several years on the riding track with our daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is rarely shown during the morning work are the famous jumps that many in the audience must have been waiting for. But levade, capriole and courbette are demanding and strenuous jumps that not every horse can do. In order not to overtax the animals, these jumps are trained only irregularly in the morning work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After about 20 minutes of intense work, the rider begins to cool down the horse. On the long reins, the horse goes into stretching, walks at a pace and receives the traditional sugar lump as a reward after the work is done. On the halter, the animals then leave the riding arena with the grooms and return to their stalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One hour after the morning work we are allowed to participate in the guided tour. First we go once again to the riding hall. There we learn a lot about the history of the Spanish Riding School and horse breeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are about 70 stallions in the stables directly in Vienna. Every 8-10 weeks there is a big “horse swap”. The animals from the city come to the training center in Heldenberg and can enjoy their run in paddock boxes. In return, other animals are brought to Vienna to the city stable. Thus, over the year, each stallion has about half a year’s stay in the city and half a year’s stay in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summer there is no program directly in Vienna, the horses all spend their vacations in the country. While there are no performances for 5 weeks in winter, mares and young animals move into the city stable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then we finally go to the city stable, which is separated from the winter riding arena by a road. It is just feeding time and also here it is like I know it from the riding stable. Some horses can’t wait to get their food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Renaissance building of the stables dates back to 1565-69. There are 72 modern boxes for the stallions. 16 boxes are located so that the horses can see out and since the places are in demand, the occupancy is rotated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Above the stables are 2 galleries with rooms, which today are mostly offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhich horses are ridden at the Spanish Riding School?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
From physique, the horse is about medium in size and appears very compact. The stick measure lies with 155-165 cm.
The Lipizzaner has a lot of temperament and can go under the saddle until old age. The animals are very willing to learn, have great mental and physical strength. They are excellent for dressage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to become a rider at the Riding School?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
But one after the other. An eleve is at the beginning of his training at the riding school. In addition to working in the stable, he also learns how to work with and on the horse. Once he has successfully completed this part of his training and is allowed to continue at the Riding School, he becomes an aspiring rider. At this stage of training, you get your first own young stallion and train him. Depending on the horse, this can take several years, because the animal should make it to the school quadrille and be able to compete successfully there.
Now the rider reaches the next phase of training. He becomes a rider and trains several horses at the same time. About 14 fully trained riders work in the riding school. Each of them trains 5-8 horses. Until they retire, they get new animals every 2-3 years and train with them every day. Only the most qualified riders are promoted to senior rider during their service and then work with 8-9 horses. They are responsible for the complete training of animals and people and are expected to preserve the tradition of the Spanish Riding School.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVisiting the morning work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGuided tour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n