Lipizzaners get festive
KYALAMI – The South African Lipizzaners are grateful for the support they have received this year.
The Covid-19 epidemic has been a devastating, heart-breaking and traumatic wave of change that has affected many. Despite these challenges, the South African Lipizzaners are grateful for the support they have received this year.
They are not just ordinary horses but an equine breed that has a history that dates back to the year 1580 when Archduke Charles of Austria started a stud farm in Lipizza. The South African Lipizzaners’ training follows the strict principles and traditions of The Spanish Riding School in Vienna. They protected their riders in times of war and were taught magnificently powerful movements to keep their riders safe.
Gina Boxley, a volunteer with the Lipizzaners said, “This is a legacy that needs to be protected and cherished for many generations to come.
“It will be a sad day if we could not keep the breed alive and cared for in South Africa. We are fortunate to have all six bloodlines and we are doing everything we can to hold onto this heritage.”
Boxley said that despite the many challenges they have faced this year, there are so many people who have helped support and care for the needs of the horses. “The people who have made it possible to keep feeding and looking after their health, shoeing and medication. Their home and the staff who take care of them each day and the day-to-day expenses that mount up so very quickly.
“The months that we have not been able to perform have taken their toll and it is only because of the generosity of companies as well as special individuals that we are still able to open our doors to the public.
“Our generous monthly supporters that have stood by our side through these difficult times and continued to pay their promised donations have been our saviours. Without the love and continued support of these wonderful people, we would have had to close our doors and lose something that is so unique and irreplaceable.
“From the very bottom of our hearts and we thank you for knowing how treasured and special these magnificent Lipizzaners are to all of us who work with them every day. You only have to look into their eyes and know that you are privileged to be in the presence of a noble and aristocratic equine breed.”
