Post by ruthp on Dec 21, 2010 17:24:51 GMT 1
Eventually arrived back from what was supposed to be a short break in Vienna to see the Spanish Horses in their home environment - birthday present from OH.
I won't bore you with the trials and tribulations (and cost) of trying to get back to the UK, but if you ever have the chance you just have to go and see the horses.
The winter riding school (built in 1735!!!) is every bit as fabulous as you expect it to be, and the performance is wonderful. We were right up on the top tier, which made for a really different and interesting view. We could look straight down onto the horse, and see how the riders were adjusting their seat position for different moves, for example the flying changes - I've never been able to see the rider's movement before, but it was really quite clear from that vantage point.
We also had a tour of the stables - again 1735 - where all the working stalions live in Vienna. Huge beautiful loose boxes inside another palace. The ground floor is stables and the two stories above were built as appartments for the princes! Not bad accommodation for the horses. The stallions are mucked out every hour to avoid stable marks on their lovely white coats - now why didn't I think of that?
We weren't allowed to touch the horses, but I did have a lovely nose snuffle with one of them!
Fortunately memory of the horses and the amazing art galleries is already starting to dull memories of the last couple of days of airports.....!
I won't bore you with the trials and tribulations (and cost) of trying to get back to the UK, but if you ever have the chance you just have to go and see the horses.
The winter riding school (built in 1735!!!) is every bit as fabulous as you expect it to be, and the performance is wonderful. We were right up on the top tier, which made for a really different and interesting view. We could look straight down onto the horse, and see how the riders were adjusting their seat position for different moves, for example the flying changes - I've never been able to see the rider's movement before, but it was really quite clear from that vantage point.
We also had a tour of the stables - again 1735 - where all the working stalions live in Vienna. Huge beautiful loose boxes inside another palace. The ground floor is stables and the two stories above were built as appartments for the princes! Not bad accommodation for the horses. The stallions are mucked out every hour to avoid stable marks on their lovely white coats - now why didn't I think of that?
We weren't allowed to touch the horses, but I did have a lovely nose snuffle with one of them!
Fortunately memory of the horses and the amazing art galleries is already starting to dull memories of the last couple of days of airports.....!