After the 400 year old Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria became privatized it decided to reduce the amount of it's broodmares. About 30 horses were for sale. I decided to purchase a mare with outside bloodlines that I could breed to my stallions. With so few Lipizzans in the world, inbreeding is something that must be scrupulously avoided. I chose a yearling filly named Patrizia.

It is a long way from Austria to Deerhorn, Oregon and Patrizia had to stop in California to stay in quarantine for three days. Then she boarded a horse van and was shipped up to Oregon. I thought the plane ride, and the quarantine in a strange place might be a bit much for a young mare who had spent her whole life in the quiet mountainous region of Piber pastures. But when Patrizia came to her new home she was not shy at all. A perky little filly, she made herself right at home. It was as if she looked around at the barn and pastures and said "OK. this is MY home now." and that was that.

Patrizia is now almost three years old. She is the trickster of the mare band. She loves to open doors, squeeze through holes in the fences and go exploring. She's very intelligent but at the same time she's the most affectionate mare we have. Patrizia loves to put her head on your shoulder and be petted and stroked.

Patrizia can breed to any of our stallions. But before that she will go into training this Fall to learn how to be a saddle horse. Being quite an intelligent mare who loves attention and adventure she should enjoy the stimulating environment of school.