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The Habsburgs' world-famous Spanische Reitschule ( www.spanische-reitschule.com ) originated with the Archduke Karl, brother of Maximilian II, who established several studs at Lipizza, northeast of Trieste (now the Slovene town of Lipica) in the 1570s. By cross-breeding Spanish, Arab and Berber horses, the Lipizzaner strain was born, and subsequently supplied the Habsburgs with all their cavalry and show horses. However, it was only properly expanded by the Spanish-bred Emperor Karl VI, who gave the riding school a permanent home in the Hofburg. After World War I, the stud was moved to Piber, near Graz, though the silver-white stallions are now bred at both places. The Spanish Riding School is such an intrinsic part of Vienna's Habsburg heritage industry, it's difficult not to feel a certain revulsion for the whole charade. That said, to witness the Lipizzaners' equestrian ballet is an unforgettable experience; certainly those with any interest in horses will feel compelled to see at least a rehearsal. Performances take place regularly in the splendidly Baroque Winterreitschule (Winter Riding School), on the west side of Reitschulgasse, purpose-built by Josef Emanuel Fischer von Erlach in 1735. Access to the Winterreitschule is from the north side of Josefsplatz. The complicated public schedule of training sessions and performances is written up outside the entrance. There are one or two performances ( Vorfuhrungen ) a week (usually Sun 10.45am and, less frequently, Wed 7pm) between March and June and September and December, though for at least a month of the latter period the school is usually on tour. Seats cost oS300-900/?21.80-65.41, and standing room is oS200/?14.54. Even at those prices, the performances are booked solid months in advance; to be sure of a place, you must check the Web site and then email tickets@srs.at . From mid-February to June and from late August until early November, the school also holds training sessions ( Morgenarbeit; Tues-Sat 10am-noon), which are open to the public. Seats cost oS100/?7.27 and are sold at the Josefsplatz entrance box office; the queue for tickets is at its worst early on, but by 11am it's usually easy enough to get in. The cheapest option of all is to visit the Lipizzaner Museum (daily 9am-5pm; oS70/?5.09; combined ticket with a training session oS140/?10.17; www.lipizzaner.at ), which is housed in part of the Stallburg (stables). Along with various equestrian bits (literally) and bobs, you can watch videos of the several set pieces of equestrian ballet, look at the horses snoozing in their stables through a two-way mirror, and catch a clip from the Disney film of the riding school's liberation by the US Army under General Patton in 1945.
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