Gonzalez Takes a Trip to Vienna's Spanish Riding School

Chilean Fernando Gonzalez (pictured) took time out from the Bank Austria-Tennis Trophy in Vienna on Thursday to visit the Spanish Riding School, which is home to 73 Lipizzan stallions.

The 28-year-old visited the stables to meet a 15-year-old Lipizzan stallion called Conversano Tiberia. Afterwards he watched the morning practice show at Vienna's Imperial Hofburg Palace.

Gonzalez said: “It was very nice. The horses are really taken care of perfectly. I’ve never seen this many white horses at once!”

“My sister loves horses and has taught me a lot about them. I’ve been riding a few times and it’s really fun. I have to be careful though because it can be dangerous for my career but in the future I’m going to ride more for sure.”

“The buildings here are unbelievable. There is a lot of tradition here dating back to the 16th century.”

The Spanish Riding School is the only institution in the world that continues to cultivate classical equitation in the Renaissance tradition of the haute école. The Lipizzans are Europe's oldest breed of horses, with their origins dating back to the 16th century.

Gonzalez, who reached the 2006 Vienna final (l. to Ljubicic), is the No. 2 seed this week and will meet No. 8 seed Gael Monfils of France in the quarterfinals on Friday.