colonel herrmann's royal lipizzan ranch

We attend this event annually and have never been disappointed. If you love horses this is a must see. The horses are beautiful and so well cared for that the love the Hermann family has for these horses shines through clearly. The training session lasted a little over an hour which was just the right amount of sitting time. We went prepared, wore tennis shoes for sand, took our own folding chairs. I had a photo taken of me with a 15 year old gorgeous Lipizzanstallion for only $5.00 which will be a cherished keepsake. During the presentation the announcer, Gabriella made the performance educational and fundespite the heat. It was worth our 90 mile drive.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching these beautiful horses practice. It was a long drive into the woods but I thought it was well worth it if you like country and horses!!! We took chairs because we had heard the bleachers were hot and hard to sit on. For the small donation of $5 person, I thought this was a great adventure.

$5.00 donation to get in; and they asked for more donations half way through the performance to support their horse rescue mission and to build a cover over the performance area. . There is a sand field you park in. The performance was about 1 hr. There is very little shade. The grand stand seating is poorly designed, very uncomfortable, please watch the steps. We sat at the top to have support on our backs and they made the back support so you don't have the full board to set on,, , result, , sore back. Many people brought their own chairs and umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun. There is minimal drinks and food for sale. There is a portajohn for your bathroom use. We sat on towels for comfort in the bleachers. The performance was just OK, but we only paid $5.00 so we got our $5.00 worth. The horses they are training go through a few of the routines they are learning. Check how long it is from where you are located, , it is near Sarasota, but still took us 40 min to get there. my opinion, NOT a good child venue.

The day we went there was some thunder in the distance but the show went on. We did get a brief shower but the show went on. The practice area is outdoors and viewers sit on bleachers or they can bring their own lawn chairs. If sitting on the bleachers bring something to clean them with or a blanket to sit on as the bleachers can get dirty/wet. Think the show may have been abbreviated a little because of the weather but was still very good. As mentioned before, it is a practice and the horses did act up a little but was well worth the $5 donation.

this is a practice session for the Lippanzer stallions, accustoming them to crowds and applause. It is totally free, although they ask for a small donation. They have snacks available, washrooms, and personal photo opportunities with a horse. Anyone who enjoys horses will love this. The show is great, and since these are younger horses, anything can happen. We have been there twice and love it. We came late so missed a seat in the bleachers, but were able to stand right at the entrance up close. Bring chairs for close searing.

Loved the interaction between the trainers and horses! Sooo much work goes into the traing of these magnificent SMART horses!!! In all fairness, it was a cold and windy day (from the North)! Will go back a bit later in the season! Watching the grace and power of these animals is wonderful!!!

I remember seeing this show when I was a kid in Seattle.As soon as I realized we were within driving distance of the training center, I had to go.What a great way to spend a few hours. And all for $5 a person.If you arrive early you can go in the stables to see/visit with the horses. They also have a small concession stand.It was real interesting to see a bit of how these beautiful horses are trained.Highly recommend it.

We had a great time today! Well worth the donation. If you have a free afternoon you should stop in. But get there early to pick a good spot to watch!

We decided to take our daughter to see the show as she loves horses. The $5 admission to this show is well worth it! We learned so much about the Lipizzan stallions of Austria and watched them do their training sessions. In spite of heavy rain the night before, the trainers put the horses through their sessions. We sat in the bleachers and marveled at what the horses were able to do and learned about the history of the horses. After we were able to feed the horses and have your picture taken with one of the horses. It is located outside of Sarasota and is in the country, and a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle. We plan to take other visitors again. You can bring chairs and need hats if you sit on the bleachers. The shows are Thursday and Friday at 3:00 and Saturdays 10:00 am. December-April. You can bring your own carrots to feed the horses too!

My husband and I went to the Thursday 3pm performance. It was very good and before and after the show you can feed the horses in the barn. They only have shows Thursday, Friday at 3pmand Sat. morn at 10 am. There is a $5 donation per person and they also take up a bucket donation during the show. Any day now they are having a new baby horse born so be sureto check their web site. Lots of parking and grandstands are provided even some in the shade.You can take your own lawn chair and sit closer. The show is just over an hour and veryinteresting. March 1 they are having their 6th annual benefit performance complete with costumes for $15 adults and $5 for children. There is one john on the spot for a washroom. For an extra $5 you can have your pictures taken with a stallion. We would go again great place.

We decided we should visit since we live only 20 minutes away. Training sessions being what they are, it was still very good to see the performance and hear some details about the breed and history of this animal and the family involved. It was definitely worth the $5 suggested donation, as I'm sure it cost much more to maintain the herd of 30 horses.It was chilly when we went so the sun was welcome, and it wasn't crowded. Enjoyable for all it lasted almost 2 hours.

While visiting my brother in Florida he took me to see the Lipizzaner Stallions at Myakka City. We saw the horses perform, heard the history and bought carrots to feed the horses in the stable which is open to all. This was a most enjoyable visit. I think in the winter they perform once a day but you can check their web site; HLipizzanStallions@aol.com.

I gave it 5 stars because of my love of all things horses & dressage, but there is obviously such a high turnover of employees who lack a true foundation of dressage that I actually thought the first few riders were purposely riding horrendous for a laugh. The gentle & forgiving nature of these animals speaks volumes against the unbalanced seats and loud aides of the riders. It's great entertainment for all but it's so hard not to cringe if you know a thing or two about riding any discipline.

Most travelers will have heard of the famous white Lippizzaner stallions but what they don't know is that tucked away on the outskirts of Myakka City is a training area where public displays are held 2 or 3 days a week. This is a free attraction but a voluntary donation is expected. The display is in the open so hats and drinks are recommended. It can be tricky to find so check out their website for directions. This is certainly worth checking out and is suitable for young children. Wheelchairs should be okay for access.

Very magical and affordable for the family. Please visit the web site. The show has been ran by family for many generations!