Old Mill Creek, IL–They live like royalty, resting in dark mahogany wood stalls and keeping warm under a bay of heat lamps after a bath. Actually, these horses are royalty: part of the Hapsburgh lipizzan stallions, bred in Austria as intimidating warriors. Their “airs above ground” with rear legs extended or front legs in the air and hopping forward, were moves to threaten enemy forces some 400 years ago. Pretty impressive stuff then, and still is. The Tempel Farms horses were brought over in 1958 by Tempel Smith and his wife, and the farm is still owned by their children. Tours are available for groups in the winter; performances are in the summer. Look for the one dark horse: that’s the lucky bay, a rare genetic quirk when the lipizzan (all are born dark brown) does not turn white.
