Our story
Presentation
Our center is located in the village of Prešnica, below Slavnik, where the Karst world and Brkini meet. We are organized as a family organic farm and ensure high standards of nutrition and accommodation for the horses. We are engaged in the breeding of the autochthonous breed - LIPIZZANER. My husband and I are engaged in work, and the hardworking hands of our daughter Natalija and niece Julija have also been helping us for the last two years.
I started riding more seriously at the age of 12, at the Stožice Hippodrome, under the watchful guidance of Mojca Koren. Years ago, I completed my education at the Grm Agricultural School in Novo Mesto as – an Equestrian and Horse Breeding Consultant. The title enabled me to register the farm and get a job at home. Her husband, Marko, is employed at the Lipica Stud farm as a team driver, and at the same time, he is also a riding instructor at the Equestrian Association of Slovenia. Through his work and years, he also gathers experience in international competitions. We are members of the Lipizzaner breeding association (ZRLS) and are thus connected to the organized breeding of the breed at the national level. The breeding program and selection give us guidelines that allow us to improve the quality and develop the herd. At the same time, our stable is also a registered admission station. In cooperation with the Lipizzaner Breeding association (ZRLS) of Slovenia and the Lipica Stud farm, We also rent a breeding stallion every year. Such support and cooperation enable us to have genetic diversity and herd development.
Freedom of the herd
Most of the center's pastures are located on karst-altitude areas, which represent the original habitat of the Lipizzaner. Horses grow up on more than 100 hectares of pastureland. In winter, the herd is in Prešnica along the paths to Črnotiče, which in recent years has become an attractive destination for locals and tourists. In the summertime, part of the herd can be seen on the pastures of Slavnik, more precisely on Planina Jegno.
New life and first years
When the foals are a month and a half old, they start living in an organized herd 24/7 on vast pastures, in a herd that they already know. From that time on, they trust us 100%, and in the following months, their mothers teach them about the dangers of nature, how to move through vast pastures, how to find food and water, and the importance of the herd, which becomes their family. Mares and stallions of the same year thus spend the following years growing up with their companions.
Foals are born in the springtime. All are born in birthing boxes equipped with a video surveillance system. There they take their first steps and experience their first human contact. In the following days, we will start socializing the foals. They all get used to being led on the pommel and lifting their legs. For breeding, we only use calm mares that we can completely trust because a calm, smart and well-trained mare is the best investment in the future. At the age of two or three weeks, the mare and foal are housed in stalls at the end of the village, where the mare and foal spend the days in the common herd, and the nights in the stalls. This way of working allows us to further socialize and contact the foals, and during the period of maximum lactation, care for the mares according to their needs.
When selling, we advise the new owners and organize the transport of the horses to their new homes. The horses are accompanied by veterinarian and any other documents, which we take care of. You can find our horses all over the World.
We are looking forward to your visit!
Jana