All language subtitles for Legendary White Stallions PBS Nature 2013 720p HDTV x264 AAC EN Sub

NARRATOR:
How does a horse bred for war

end up performing ballet
in the court of kings?

The answer is found with this
magnificent creature,

one of the oldest horse breeds
in the world,

the Lipizzaners.

Here at Vienna's
Spanish Riding School,

stallions train for years
to become top athletes --

but not every student
has what it takes.

Success relies
on one of the deepest

animal-human bonds in history --

a tradition that has been
passed down for centuries.

Each year, a new generation

aspires to join this elite group

of perfectly choreographed
performers.

But beneath
all the refinement and grace,

there still beats the willing
heart of a war horse.

[ Theme music playing ]

NARRATOR: Vienna, Austria,

once the seat
of European culture,

of Hapsburgs and Mozart,
of minuets and waltzes,

of ballrooms gleaming with
brilliant chandeliers.

Even now, in the 21st century,

much of its classical elegance
remains.

And at its very center, a palace
where time stands still,

where the royalty
it was built for

continues to grace the world

with a vision
of timeless perfection.

[Horse whinnies]

Alabaster horses.

Legendary white stallions
that for 450 years

have turned what was once
a weapon of war

into a living work of art.

It's man and horse in perfectly
choreographed harmony.

These elegant, intelligent
horses are the Lipizzaners

of the Spanish Riding School
of Vienna,

and they've been keeping
audiences in thrall

for centuries.

Behind the polished performance,
of course,

are real horses
of flesh and blood

that give their all in response
to their training

and their trust in the humans
they work with.

Their faith is well placed.

In the Spanish Riding School,
everything revolves

around the stallions.

Each stallion is a horse
of strong character

with likes and dislikes,
a personality all his own.

The man in charge, the equerry,
is responsible

for the daily routine

of all 73 stallions
that perform in Vienna.

As the undisputed master
of the stable,

he prepares detailed plans
for the care of each one...

taking into consideration

a stallion's preferences
and sensitivities

as well as his lovable quirks.

All Lipizzaners
at the Spanish Riding School

are descended
from just six stallions:

Favory, Siglavy, Conversano,

Neapolitano,
Pluto, and Maestoso.

But it's personality
that determines

where a horse is stabled.

To avoid friction, good-natured
stallions are placed

next to alpha males

and the more extroverted
next to the more introverted.

Some of these stallions have
known each other all their lives

and have friendships that began
when they were foals.

The formality and tradition
of the Riding School

is still presided over by
Emperor Charles VI,

who completed this beautiful
baroque arena

as an extension
of the Imperial Palace in 1735.

This is a unique and elite
university for horses.

But there are no books here.

None of these
training techniques

has ever been committed
to writing.

All the knowledge and skill,
refined over centuries,

of a riding style
known as high classical dressage

is passed on orally
from one generation to the next.

This is the responsibility

of the director
of the riding arena.

[Man speaking German]

INTERPRETER:
The traditional methods

at the Spanish Riding School

must always be observed.

Classic horse-riding
is pure beauty and harmony.

A balance of body and mind.

[Speaking German]

The rider is the artist,
the horse his medium.

Together, they become
a work of art.

ABRAHAM: To achieve such a level
of perfection,

the riders must build

an extraordinary rapport
with their horses.

Christian Bachinger is the son

of the director
of the riding arena,

and horses are a central part
of his life.

Like his father
and his father's father,

he had always dreamed

of being a rider
at the Spanish Riding School.

But even a third-generation
horseman

must earn a place in the school
with his own excellence.

Long-reining the horse is one of
the most difficult tasks.

The stallion must execute
the entire routine

without the aid of a rider.

It's teamwork
without fear or pressure,

and it demands complete
concentration

and an intimate touch.

It's as if there were
a gossamer thread

between the rider's
and the horse's minds,

a subtle connection
for communication

and gentle control.

As prey animals, horses have

an innate fear
of attack from the rear.

But the stallion
has complete confidence

in his human handlers --

a confidence that began
at his birth.

Far from the formal traditions
of the Riding School in Vienna,

Lipizzaner foals begin life
with their mothers

in the idyllic green hills
of western Styria.

This is the Federal Stud Farm
in Piber,

where all the Lipizzaners
of the Spanish Riding School

are born and bred.

Surprisingly, the famous white
horses are born dark brown,

even black.

It will take six years or more

for them to turn as milky white
as their mothers.

On these carefree meadows,

the mares and foals live
much as wild horses do --

in a natural society
of friends and family.

And childhood lasts
a long time.

They will run and play for years
before finally going to school.

[Church bell ringing]

The herd in Piber is comprised
of around 70 mares.

Every year, between 30 to 50
of them will bear a foal.

From the day
Lipizzaners are born,

humans are an integral part
of their lives.

Their constant presence
is fundamental

to a special relationship
between man and animal.

The horses are so gregarious
they simply learn

to accept humans as members
of the herd

with a higher social rank.

The horses are looked after in
three shifts around the clock.

Not only are they fed, groomed,
and cleaned,

they are also whispered to,
shown affection,

encouraged, or calmed down.

This personal touch is what
makes even the stallions

such friendly, good-natured
creatures.

Lipizzaner mares

and their foals spend every
minute of the day together.

But then, these horses
are never alone.

Even indoors,
they live in a natural herd,

a comforting community
they know all their lives.

This stallion is Siglavy Garba.

He is 15 years old
and highly skilled

in all the steps and movements
at the show in Vienna.

But this season,
he has been sent to Piber

on a special mission --

one of two stallions selected
each year

to sire a new generation
of foals.

[Speaking German]

As befits imperial creatures,

this is a highly ceremonial
affair.

The chosen mare is brought in
and presented to the stud.

He is allowed
to briefly smell her --

but that's as far
as foreplay goes.

The succession of
Siglavy Garba's superior genes

is assured.

His character traits
will be passed on

to the next generation.

Careful breeding has resulted

in these magnificent
white horses...

But Lipizzaners once had coats
of many colors.

It was only in the 18th century

that the imperial court decided
to selectively breed for white.

Now, a dark Lipizzaner
is an exception --

and something special.

Every tradition
has its superstitions,

and they say
at the Spanish Riding School

that as long as there is a dark
stallion in Vienna's stables,

the riding school will prosper.

Favory Aquileja is
one out of a hundred Lipizzaners

that never turns white.

And this impressive stallion
doubles the good luck --

he is Pluto Bellornata.

We owe it to the Austrian
Empire's bureaucracy

that we can trace the lineage
of Lipizzaners back

for hundreds of years.

For stud director
Max Dobretsberger,

this knowledge
is an invaluable treasure.

[Speaking German]

INTERPRETER:
The Lipizzaner horses

are the world's best-documented

breed of horses.

What I am holding here
is a stud book.

It tells me the name
of the stallion

and what age
he started breeding.

It describes the individual
parts of his body

so I can picture
what he looked like.

It also describes his character.

For us breeders,
this is an exciting story --

sometimes as thrilling
as a crime novel.

ABRAHAM: But the history
of the Lipizzaner horses

begins long before the book --

in the Atlas Mountains
of North Africa.

This was home
to a special variety of horse.

They were used to life
in both the hot, barren desert

and on ice-covered
mountain slopes.

In this harsh environment,
only horses

with a sensible nature,
extraordinary stamina,

and surefootedness
could thrive.

It was with these horses

that the Berbers --
also known as Moors --

set out to build an empire,
invade Spain,

and conquer the entire
Iberian peninsula.

While the Europeans were wearing
suits of armor

and riding slow, heavy horses,

the Berbers were able
to outmaneuver them.

With light weapons,
they ravaged the country

in small, mobile task forces.

The Berbers and their horses
epitomized perfect harmony.

As they galloped over the land,

seeming hardly
to touch the ground,

horses and riders appeared
to become a single creature.

The Berbers owed their military
superiority to their horses.

They were tough, agile,
and brave --

just what warriors needed
for brisk engagements

in hand-to-hand --

and horse-to-horse -- combat.

The Moors conquered Spain
in the year 711.

And they took their horses
with them --

horses that were said to have
the hearts of lions.

The next 700 years became
the golden age

of "Al Andalus --
the land of the Vandals,"

as the conquerors called Spain.

Favored by a climate
of religious tolerance,

culture thrived in Andalusia.

It was rich with universities,
libraries, and medical schools.

Mathematics, astronomy,
and the arts flourished.

Architecture reached
new heights.

Cordoba was the center
of "Al Andalus,"

and by the 10th century,

it was the intellectual capital
of Europe.

It would take the West
fully 700 years

to regain control of Spain.

It wasn't until 1492

that Isabella of Castile
and Ferdinand of Aragon

finally completed
the "reconquista,"

uniting Spain under the cross.

Spain was now firmly on the way

to becoming a Catholic
world power --

and an empire of its own.

A cathedral was erected
right in the middle

of the big mosque of Cordoba.

This is the famous Mezquita,

a combination of mosque
and cathedral,

that became a symbol
of the fusion of two worlds --

still a defining feature
of Andalusia's culture today.

Another product
of the successful fusion

of Moorish and Iberian cultures
was a new breed of horse --

the Spanish horse.

Apart from influencing
architecture and music,

Arabic culture had left its mark
on the art of horse-breeding.

[Flamenco guitar playing]

Spanish horses set
a new standard

for beauty, refinement,
and power.

Europe's princes and kings
would soon crave

this magnificence
for their own stables.

The horses became
highly coveted luxury items.

As the Renaissance began to
flourish in the 16th century,

classical riding was
rediscovered --

an ancient art form
that celebrated

man's ability to transform
nature was reborn.

For the sovereign,
the horse became

a symbol of his own prestige.

An Imperial stud farm was needed

to showcase the absolute rule
of the Austrian Hapsburgs.

Archduke Charles therefore
decided to develop

his own noble breed of horses
based on the Spanish model.

This is how Lipica came to be
the birthplace

of the Lipizzaner horses
in 1580.

For it was here, in the karst
forests near Trieste,

that a new race
gradually emerged.

And still there is an air
of nobility about them,

a special mystique...

as though they are unicorns

that have just stepped out
of a sacred tapestry,

missing only
their magical horns.

It's autumn in Piber.

The foals have spent all summer
at their mothers' sides.

Now the mares are pregnant
once again,

and the day of separation
has arrived.

The grooms harness the mothers
and lead them two by two.

Some of the more experienced
horses

already know
what will happen next.

Once they have arrived in front
of the stable,

the young horses
boisterously jostle

past the stable doors as usual.

But this time,
the mares are held back.

All of a sudden, the youngsters
realize they are on their own.

They are frightened.

[Neighing]

[Neighing]

It's the first,
and hopefully the last,

real moment of trauma
in their lives.

But weaning is a natural
process,

and they will get over it
before long.

The youngsters
still have their friends

and distract one another
from their loss.

And the hierarchy in their new
herd must be established.

[Speaking German]

INTERPRETER: There is frequent
contact with the foals.

We spend a lot of time with them

so that they start trusting
us human beings

and begin to approach us.

The foals must come to us --

they must be curious.

This is important
for their character.

After we have reared them,
at the age of 3½ years,

the young horses start
undergoing their training.

In particular, the stallions
we send to Vienna must be calm

and want to work
with the riders.

They must be cooperative
and have a firm character.

ABRAHAM:
At the end of the year,

the mares are preparing
for the next birth.

To Max Dobretsberger,
the mares' stable

is the treasury
of the stud farm.

Among Lipizzaner horses,
it is the mares

that are the most valuable asset
for breeding.

Mare Aurica is pregnant
for the first time

and expects a foal next spring.

[Speaking German]

The foals quickly adjust to life
in their new herd.

Colts and fillies
will remain together

until they are yearlings
next spring.

In the foothills of the Alps,
autumn soon rounds into winter.

The "teenage" stallions enjoy
their freedom in the snow.

For some of them,
this will be their last winter

to run in the mountains
of Piber.

They have had a long time

to become horses of strong
character, surefootedness,

stamina, intelligence,
and courage.

They have spent four happy years
as almost wild horses.

Soon it will be time to select
the very best of them

for a very different future.

While the youngsters
play in the snow,

the professionals
are hard at work.

Winter is
the public performance season

at the Spanish Riding School,

and the stallions stay in shape
with rigorous practice.

Each rider has
between five and six horses

that only he rides and trains --

a partnership that can last
for 20 years.

The training
of a performing Lipizzaner

takes a minimum of six years.

The riders will be learning
all their lives.

[Ernst Bachinger
speaking German]

INTERPRETER: The biggest
challenge about riding

is that two living creatures
must cooperate.

The horse and the rider
must work together

in perfect harmony.

Trying to force something upon
a horse with a mind of its own

will never work.

ABRAHAM: Step by step,
the young stallions

learn to execute
complex movements.

Daily training teaches them to
understand the discreet commands

and accept the aids.

The final ingredient is
the horse's eagerness to learn.

[Christian Bachinger
speaking German]

INTERPRETER: A horse is not
a machine.

Of course there are setbacks,

sometimes you don't understand

why something will not work
all of a sudden.

Unfortunately,
horses cannot tell us

why they will not cooperate
in a certain situation.

The art is to find out whether
the horse does not want to

or whether it cannot
do something.

[Speaking German]

INTERPRETER: It is always
about the team,

about the chemistry between
the rider and the horse

who spend all these
years together.

Although we have all passed
through the same school,

every rider still retains
his own personality.

The point here is that we want

a strong bond between the rider
and the horse to develop,

because they will stay together
for many years.

ABRAHAM: Conversano Dagmar

is one of the top performers
in Vienna.

His solo part,
the work on the long rein,

is a highlight
of any performance.

At the venerable age of 26,

his career
at the Spanish Riding School

already spans 20 years.

As any true star
on the stage must,

he concentrates fully
during the performance

and gives his all every time.

And of course
he loves the attention

and the appreciation
of the audience.

[Christian Bachinger
speaking German]

INTERPRETER: We have some horses
who are proper stars,

who enjoy it
when the music is playing.

The horses know exactly
when the performance is.

Oftentimes we try
to artificially

create a performance situation,

but you cannot fool a horse.

A horse knows exactly
when it is in a performance

and when it isn't.

ABRAHAM: At 10 years of age,
Conversano Kitty

has almost mastered
his advanced training.

His specialty is the capriole.

The horse jumps up with all four
legs simultaneously

and then kicks out powerfully
with the back legs.

The body is suspended
horizontally in mid-air

above the ground.

It is the ultimate feat.

Once upon a time, riders
on war horses used this maneuver

to clear the space around them
in battle.

Only very few horses
master these jumps.

Like all top athletes, Kitty has
that special drive to succeed.

One of the upcoming performances
will be his premiere.

He will jump the capriole
in front of an audience

for the very first time.

[Radnedter speaking German]

INTERPRETER: All the exercises
in classical dressage

are movements that the horse
performs voluntarily in nature,

of its own accord --
to express joie de vivre,

to show that it is stronger
than the others.

This can all be observed
in nature

when horses grow up in a paddock
for long enough,

or when young stallions or young
mares grow up in the wild.

ABRAHAM: This is the kingdom
of the Lipizzaner horses...

in the freedom
of the alpine meadows

just above the stud farm.

Here, at altitudes
above 8,000 feet,

the young Lipizzaners indulge in
their natural desire to run --

building their strength
and stamina.

This is the herd stallion.

Wherever he goes,
the rest will follow.

Just like horses in a wild herd,

Lipizzaners have a well-defined
social hierarchy.

However, there are
constant quibbles

about each herd member's rank.

An early morning ritual helps
set things straight.

A special scent is wafting
in the air.

The young stallions examine
each other's droppings

for clues to the owner's
maturity and fitness.

Those with the strongest scent

will impress the others
and rise in the ranks.

Although these young stallions
are not yet in their prime,

each of them has the stuff

to become a supreme athlete.

They just need time to develop.

The Lipizzaner youngsters spend
three carefree summers

horsing around
on the mountain meadows.

But for those that have reached
their fourth year,

all this is going to change.

School is about to begin.

It all starts
with the bridle and saddle.

These are the first lessons
the "boys,"

as their handlers lovingly call
them, will have to learn.

It is already easy to see

how much they trust
human beings.

Friendly and docile,

they undergo their first
training sessions.

After these initial sessions,

they are trained
on the lunge line

so that they learn to understand
and execute

the various basic steps.

Only then will a rider sit in
the saddle for the first time.

It's all done
with a gentle touch.

The young stallion seems mostly

to be enjoying
all the special attention.

Back in the riding hall
at Piber,

a young mare is also
in training.

The mares are noble horses
in their own right,

descending from 17 classical
bloodlines.

But they too are judged
on their athletic abilities...

and especially
their sweetness of temperament.

Only mares with the potential

to be fine
dressage horses themselves

will be admitted
to the breeding program.

Though her elegant gait
and manners

will never be part
of a public performance,

they matter nonetheless.

For these are the qualities
her foals must inherit --

even more than her beauty.

It's midwinter in Vienna,

the height
of the theater season.

Among the modern glass and steel
structures of the 21st century,

the elegance of a bygone era
comes alive

with the music of Mozart,
Schubert, and Brahms.

In the Imperial stables
of the Spanish Riding School,

it's show time.

Today, Conversano Kitty
will jump the capriole

in front of an audience
for the very first time.

The preparations are routine,

and Kitty has rehearsed this
many times --

but a real performance
is a very different experience.

The white ballet begins...

opening with
the "School Quadrille."

The stallions show highly
choreographed exercises

that first became fashionable

at the height
of the Baroque Period.

Meanwhile, Kitty waits
impatiently backstage.

He can hear the crowd,
feel the excitement in the air.

At last, the finishing touches
are applied.

The show moves into
the second act -- the jumps --

also called
"airs above the ground."

A levade opens the program.

In precise sequence,

the other horses perform
one jump after the other.

Finally, it is Kitty's chance

to show what he has learned
in six years of tough training.

He has worked himself up
into the heat of battle --

a war horse turned dancer
about to unleash his power.

[Cheers and applause]

His jumps are not perfect yet --

though the audience
loves his fiery spirit.

Kitty is a rising star...

but the real mark of his success
will come

when he is called back to Piber

to make his own contribution
to the line of his fathers.

Far from the Imperial Palace
in Vienna,

the headman at Piber
spends a sleepless night.

The mares are in the last stages
of pregnancy.

The young mare, Aurica,
is due any minute.

Lipizzaner foals are born
almost always at night.

Whenever one of his mares
is giving birth,

the head attendant stands by,
ready to help.

Aurica's first foal
is a strong, healthy colt,

the son of the magnificent
stallion Siglavy Garba.

Long before he was born,

his name had already
been chosen.

As befits nobility,
he will have two:

Siglavy Aurica,

the first from the original
stallion of his father's line

and the second
directly from his mother.

The newest Lipizzaner can hardly
stand on his trembling legs,

but in 10 years' time

he might be the celebrated
new sensation in Vienna.

Conversano Dagmar
is also in Piber.

For the aging star, the times
of the long rein are history.

After 20 years in the limelight,

he has gone into well-deserved
retirement

and has returned to the place
of his youth.

[Horses whinnying]

Cared for lovingly, he will
spend his last years

on the idyllic meadows
of the stud farm.

The future belongs
to Siglavy Aurica.

Only one day old,
he follows his mother outside

for the first time,

eager to greet the world.

To learn more about what you've
seen on this "Nature" program,

visit pbs.org.