Since 1580, Lipizzaners have been bred by the Hapsburgs, the royal family of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to be used in the royal carriages and as riding horses in the royal courts, including the Imperial Riding School in the Hofburg in Vienna. The pure Lipizzaner is a rare breed, due partly, at least, to its turbulent history. There are approximately 3,500 in total in the world today, of which the majority are in the state studs of the countries that originally formed the Austro-Hungarian Empire. These baroque horses are especially famous for their exceptional "schneeweiss" color--snow white...