Marbach State Stud – 500 year heritage
The “Baden-Württemberg” Marbach State Stud with its 500 year history is a cultural gem. The studs’ historic facilities located at the heart of the UNESCO biosphere Schwäbische Alb (Swabian mountain area) are the centre of the stud’s daily activities, together with all related services and events.
At Marbach State Stud, the oldest German State Stud, heritage and innovation are closely linked to provide the best service, science and education for around 100,000 horse keepers in the State and around 500,000 visitors per year.
The State-owned stud is of outstanding commercial significance as an employer in the region. Marbach is Germany’s largest apprenticeship provider in the equine industry and home to the State Riding and State Driving schools.
Being part of national and international networks, Marbach contributes to the preservation of the cultural heritage and to a sustainable further development.
In 1932, Marbach State Stud took over the world famous Arabian Thoroughbred breeding of the Stud of Weil. The transition of the State’s horse breeding from working horses to modern sport and for pleasure horses by the end of the 1960s succeeded with use of Trakehner and English Thoroughbreds. Marbach State Stud now maintains a herd of 30 Warmblood and 20 Arabian Thoroughbred mares.
The stud’s own foals are reared professionally together with privately owned foals at Marbach’s own stud farms. The young horses are carefully backed or trained for driving to the highest standards and prepared for performance tests and auctions.
Marbach State Stud is also home to about 60 stallions, including stallions of the preservation scheme of the endangered breeds of the Black Forest Heavy Horse and the “Altwürttemberger” (Old local, slightly heavier warmblood breed).
The EU Insemination Station located at one of Marbach’s stud farms supplies breeders and other breeding farms in the country and world-wide.