The Lipizzan: He and his Rider are One!
To see a photo of a Lipizzan horse, go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipizzan
“…believe these works. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me
and I am in the Father.”
(John 10:38b NIRV)
The Lipizzan is one of the most beautiful horses in God’s creation. He’s known as “the dancer” and is considered the ambassador of all the fancy horse performances: classical dressage.
The dressage this equine has perfected is completely different from what you see in the familiar dressage performance in a horse show or the Olympics. The Lipizzan, with powerful haunches, performs high jumping and kicking movements such as the piaffe (pee´ af) and passage (pass sahg´). Strange as it seems, the Lipizzan was specifically bred for an ancient art form that began as training for cavalry mounts.
The Lipizzan’s roots go back to the Muslim Moors, who occupied Spain from about 711 to 1492 and considered the Spanish horses the supreme cavalry mount. By the 16th Century, when the Habsburgs ruled Spain and Austria, they wanted to develop a powerful but agile horse for the military and for use in the popular riding schools for the European nobility. In 1562, Habsburg Emperor Maximillian II brought the Spanish Andalusian horse to Austria. In 1580, his brother, Archduke Charles II, perfected a similar stud near the village of Lipizza (now called Lipica) in Slovenia (a small country just south of Austria).
The White Stallions of Vienna at the Spanish Riding School in Austria came from that lineage. The Lipizzans, (only stallions), still train at the world-renowned school to learn the complicated and beautiful movements called “airs above the ground.” The horses arrive when they’re four years old and train an average of six years. They graduate when they’ve mastered all the skills required to perform perfectly before large audiences all around the world. Despite their demanding work, Lipizzans are an extremely hardy breed. Some have been able to perform the difficult exercises well into their 20s and have lived into their 30s.
Over the last century, the breed has been endangered numerous times by wars in Europe. Fortunately, horse enthusiasts have stepped in every time and rescued them. The most famous rescue occurred during World War II by General George S. Patton and our American troops. The 1963 Disney movie “Miracle of the White Stallions” made that rescue famous. Besides being featured in the Disney movie, Lipizzans have also starred or played supporting roles in many movies, TV shows, and books. In 2005, the Spanish Riding School toured the U.S. to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Patton’s rescue.
Today, all Lipizzans standing between 14 and 16 hands trace their bloodlines to eight stallions. Various breed registries also recognize 35 mare lines. The majority of horses, 11,000 in 19 countries, are registered through the Lipizzan International Federation. Most Lipizzans are in Europe, but small numbers can be found in the Americas, Africa, and Australia.
Watching a performing Lipizzan, you’d think he’s pure white. However, most Lipizzans are not true white horses. They’re gray. Like all grays, they have black skin, dark eyes, and a coat that looks white. They’re born dark—usually bay or black—and become lighter each year until they’re between six and ten years old.
Because the Lipizzans are the only breed of horse developed in Slovenia, the Slovenians are proud to call the Lipizzan their national animal. They’ve even honored the horse by featuring a pair of Lipizzans on the 20-cent Slovenian euro coins.
Who can blame the people of Slovenia when considering their amazing dancing Lipizzans? If you ever have the privilege to see the Lipizzans in person, you’ll probably sit in awe of their magnificent performance. But those horses didn’t just happen to be that way.
The Lipizzans perform at the whim of skilled riders who, with the slightest signal of their hands or feet, direct the horses to execute their moves. Each horse and his rider move so perfectly together, they appear as one body, stunning the audiences with their spectacular maneuvers.
There are three important persons who also work together as one unit, and that’s God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Many times in the scriptures, Jesus claimed that He and God are one. Therefore, Jesus claimed to be God, and rightfully so. We can’t fully understand what Jesus meant when He said that He is one with God, but the Bible says to believe in faith that it’s true.
Sadly, many people in the world today think Jesus was just a good man or a prophet of God, but not the Son of God, who is equal with God. If that were the case, Jesus couldn’t be our Savior because only a perfect sacrifice can forgive our sins and make us ready for heaven.
If you believe that God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Son are “one” and that Jesus is your Savior, then you are on your way to heaven. With all the miracles Jesus performed on earth, how could He be anyone other than God in the flesh? Thank Him for being your Savior.
PRAYER: Dear God, although I might not understand how You, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus can be “one,” I believe it by faith. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth and dying for my sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.
SADDLE UP! (What would God have you do now?)
Read the following verses in the Bible to see the miracles Jesus performed:
Matthew 14: 15- 21 ____________________________________________________________
Mark 3: 1-5 __________________________________________________________________
John 11: 14, 38-44 _____________________________________________________________
Take your ride: (Do you know?) The Spanish Riding School has a long-standing tradition to have at least one bay Lipizzan stallion in the stables, continued through the present day.
Dismount and cool down your horse! (Do you know?) “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30).
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