Schwaiganger State Stud

Deutschland

  • Schwaiganger – The name is made up of Schwaige = “single farmstead” and Anger = “pasture/meadow”.
  • Schwaiganger is one of the last three main and state studs in Germany.
  • The historic buildings (main building and dance house) date from the time (1780-1790) of Elector Max III and Duchess Maria Anna.
  • The stud complex and a large part of the stud stables were built around 1900
  • Area: 850 ha, of which 500 ha are grassland and yard areas and 350 ha forest
  • Location: 70 km south of Munich at almost 700 m above sea level at the foot of the Heimgarten, surrounded by the Staffelsee, Kochelsee and Riegsee lakes.
  • 210 horses of the breeds warmblood, South German coldblood, Haflinger and noble blood Haflinger are kept.
  • Schwaiganger is also dedicated to the preservation of endangered livestock breeds such as the Steinschaf, Brillenschaf, Schwarze Bergschaf and Murnau-Werdenfelser Cattle.
  • The Schwaiganger Teaching, Testing and Specialist Center offers expertise in the field of horses with basic and advanced training in horse keeping, horse breeding, riding/driving and the state farriery school.

Schwaiganger State Stud

Schwaiganger 1
82441 Ohlstadt
Deutschland

www.schwaiganger.bayern.de
E-Mail: schwaiganger@baysg.bayern.de

History

Horses have been kept in Schwaiganger for more than 1000 years. In 955 AD, the “Schwaige” was first mentioned in a document in the possession of a Hungarian.
Ownership changed constantly until the end of the 15th century. It was not until the 16th century, after the House of Wittelsbach took over, that ownership stabilized.

Around 1550, a horse corral is marked on the first Bavarian map under the name Angern, which indicates the importance of Schwaiganger for horse breeding even at that time.

From 1780 to 1790, Schwaiganger was the widow’s seat of Duchess Maria Anna of Bavaria, widow of Duke Clemens Franz de Paula, by order of Elector Karl Theodor.
The sundial on the main building, the upper part of which depicts Duchess Maria Anna of Bavaria, bears witness to this period.

In 1920, the Bavarian state took over the Schwaiganger stud farm and initially established a cold-blooded stud farm to promote rural breeding.

In 1980, the Landshut State Stud was dissolved and Schwaiganger became the Bavarian Main and State Stud. Since 2004, Schwaiganger has been the teaching, testing and specialist center for horse husbandry of the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture (LfL).

In 2020, Schwaiganger is merged with 8 other state owned companies under the roof of the newly founded Bavarian State Farm and is now the competence center for horse management in Bavaria.

Horse keeping & breeding

State stud farm

Stallion breeding (the state stud) has been one of Schwaiganger’s main tasks to date. Stallions of the breeds German Sport Horse (Warmblood), Haflinger and South German Coldblood are available to breeders for mating (covering or insemination) of their mares during the breeding season from March to August.

In the main stud farm, broodmares of the three breeds mentioned above produce offspring. The foals are separated from their mothers (weaned) in late fall and are then allowed to grow up in herds, separated by gender, on the stud’s large pastures (summer) and loose stables with runs (winter). From the age of three, the best mares and stallions are selected for breeding. The horses not used for breeding are broken in or broken in and are for sale.

Tasks

The BaySG Education Center Schwaiganger is the competence center for horse breeding and keeping in Bavaria. The training center offers a variety of courses, seminars and training programs for horses. From the intercompany vocational training and horse keepers (focus on breeding, keeping & service and special riding) to courses in driving, timber backing and the state fassiery school, basic and advanced training is offered. At the same time, we try to underpin with our work the value of preserving a state stud, a living cultural asset, even in today’s world.

Around 40 people are currently employed at the stud, and there are also 8 training positions available.

Training center

  • Training to become a Pferdewirt /-in specializing in Stabling & service, classical riding training
  • Inter-company training for horse managers and master courses
  • Certificate of competence in horse keeping
  • Courses on artificial insemination for horses
  • The Bavarian state farriery school is located in Schwaiganger. The training courses to become a state-approved farrier take place here.
  • Advanced training courses for horse owners on the topics of rearing, feeding and keeping horses
  • Driving courses for pair and four-in-hand horses
  • Courses in logging with horses
  • Various seminars, basic and advanced training courses on all aspects of horses