Anyone who has witnessed the white Lipizzan stallions of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna perform daring aerials or an intricate drill team maneuver is aware of the dramatic feats and rich history that define the breed. To most of the world, the Lipizzans are practically mythical creatures; dancing white horses that only exist in the famed Viennese arena.
Though they remain rare due to careful breeding, Lipizzans are, in fact, present in homes and in hearts nearby. This is largely due to passionate breeders like Margaret Hoog of Lakeview Lipizzans in Marin County, whose stock is sought after from all over the country.
The high demand for Lipizzans from Hoog’s facility occurs not just because of the novelty of the breed. Hoog and her family run a small, highly practical operation and breed for historic lineage and temperament and movement. Lakeview foals are imprinted, or handled, from their first days of life and thus develop trust and respect for humans.



To ensure that her stock is properly cared for, Hoog invites prospective buyers to stay for a visit and foster a relationship with the horse that they are interested in. “It is the horse that chooses the owner, actually,” she maintains. Hoog frequently hosts potential new owners for several visits so that both parties can determine that there is undoubtedly a match. Even though there is such an interview process before Hoog selects a buyer for her yearlings, she has never had to wait more than a year before her babies relocate to suitable homes. One buyer is even waiting up to 16 months just to visit a foal that is currently en utero.
“Lipizzans are very intuitive. They truly bond with people,” Hoog explains. Her philosophy is to sell horses when they are young so that they become accustomed to one home and one owner early in their lives. “Once Lipizzans have become comfortable with someone, they are completely loyal. After that, owners seldom sell horses that they have worked with, so it’s hard to find Lipizzans past a certain age.” Thus, the relationship between a Lipizzan and a rider is often life-spanning.



Lakeview Lipizzans descend from a mare line that traces back to the 1500s, associated with Maestoso, one of the six stallion bloodlines that still exist in the modern breed. When the line originated in Austria, the mares underwent rigorous examinations until the best were selected to be bred. The line includes the stallion Amadeus, a performing stallion that was a gift to President Reagan in the 1980s. Lakeview Lipizzans display characteristics of the Baroque style or the true grey, and will eventually be white. They also have the even temperament that is attributed to the mare’s personality and influence in their developmental stages and the intelligence and inclination for classical dressage that has been passed down from their ancestors for generations.
Though the current sport of dressage does tend to be dominated by Warmbloods, the Lipizzan remains the prevailing symbol of artistry on horseback. The horses bred at Lakeview Lipizzans are truly homage to their majestic heritage. Prospective buyers should be prepared to invest not just in competitive success, but a lifetime companion and an icon of equine history.
Visit Lakeview Lipizzans online at www.lakeviewlipizzans.com or call 415-662-2242.