For Lipizzaner crops

Riding students go “harvesting” in the Vienna Woods

Out into the forest, into the big "ring"! The youngest Hofreitschule students - visibly thrilled - brought the delicate birch twigs from the Vienna Woods to the Hofreitschule.(Bild: © srs/renevanbakel.photo)

In keeping with an old custom, the riding students are currently swarming into the Vienna Woods to pick delicate birch branches for their riding crops themselves. The tradition dates back to the 16th century.

"We are in the middle of the best harvest time. This is because the trees and shrubs are still dormant before the crucial budding in spring. These young branches have just grown, are slender and have few branches," enthuses Andreas Gruber, Head of Forestry and Nature Conservation at the Federal Forestry Office. The experienced forest warden is downright enthusiastic about the "high stability and flexibility" of the sprouting shoots. They are therefore perfectly suited for the unusual use on the Lipizzaner horses in the heart of Vienna.

The court riding students during the "harvest" in the Vienna Woods.(Bild: ÖBf-Archiv_F. Helmrich)

Custom from the 16th century
But generations of female elevators and trainee riders have also been "green" before. After all, the custom of these young riding students going out into the fields and meadows has existed since the 16th century. A few days ago, the horse-loving generation of today followed in the footsteps of their predecessors. A total of 1,000 main shoots - and only these are eligible for the delicate eco-mission - have now been carefully picked by hand from the greening fir trees in the Pressbaum district. They are currently awaiting air-drying in the cellar for their later use on the noble stallion's body. Beforehand, they have to be soaked in water so that they buzz elastically through the air in the stables and arena.

This is what the traditional whips look like.(Bild: SRS)

Alfred Hudler, Managing Director of the Spanish Riding School, is no less delighted: "The ancient ritual that is passed on to the youngest members of the team is a wonderful example of how living history continues to be written here!"