Prancing and dancing at the Richmond Coliseum

If you love the Lipizzaner horses, thank Gen. George S. Patton.

The majestic animals that dance in synchronization, leap as if flying and perform other stunning gymnastic feats were again on the verge of destruction and extinction last century.

But, in 1945, the 42nd Squadron of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry acted under the orders of Patton, a horseman, and rescued about 150 Lipizzaners from Hostau, Czechoslovakia, where most of the horses had been relocated during the war.

If you go

What: The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions

When: 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Richmond Coliseum

Tickets: $20.50-$30.50 (children 2 and older require a ticket)

Info: http://www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000

But the Lipizzaners can be traced to approximately A.D. 800, when Andalusian horses, from which the Lipizzaners descend, were first bred in Spain; in 1920, the Piber Stud Farm in Austria became the breeding ground for Lipizzaners.

“When they were first bred, they were bred to be war horses,“ said Gary Lashinsky, the producer of the Lipizzaner show, which he began in 1970. “Those maneuvers that you see them do were to be used by the rider in the saddle to protect himself. Now, we present those maneuvers as an art form.

“These are all natural movements. When the horses are young and running in the paddocks, you can see them naturally moving and kicking and standing on their hind legs.“

The Lipizzaners are intriguing both because of their unusual movements and their undeniable beauty and grace. They are athletes who train for years to learn their steps, and, when on stage, “love the applause — they’re definitely hams,“ Lashinsky said.

The horses possess many unusual qualities with some, such as their size, being a bit deceptive.

Here are some Lipizzaner tidbits:

They are born black or dark brown and turn white or dapple gray between the ages of 8 and 10.

They start their training, which lasts for about six years, at about 4 years of age. Most horses live and work into their late 20s to early 30s.

There are only 3,000 Lipizzaners in the world. The biggest breeding farm, in Austria, houses 325 horses. More than 40 horses reside in central Florida, where Lashinsky is based.

For this 40th anniversary of the show, Lashinsky said to expect three new solos, the highest level of dressage and an expanded “Airs Above the Ground” sequence.

During this presentation, the stallions perform the “courbette” (balancing on their hindquarters and jumping), the “mezair” (lowering their forefeet to the ground before rising again on hindquarters) the “levade” (maintaining a haunched position at a 45-degree angle) and the “capriole” (leaping in the air, drawing their forelegs under their chest and kicking out with their hind legs, achieving, briefly, flight).

Lashinsky said the smaller horses make the best “Airs Above the Ground” horses.

Only the stallions perform (hence the name of the show), while the mares remain on the farms for breeding purposes. Lashinsky said they tried integrating a couple of mares into the show by having them trot a carriage around the arena. But an issue arose with the many males always being in proximity to the females. “Boys will be boys,“ Lashinsky said with a laugh.

The horses look much bigger than they are: The stallions’ average height is 15.2 hands (about 5 feet 2 inches), the size of a typical riding horse. But their burliness and decorative saddles give them a towering appearance.

About 12 to 14 Lipizzaners travel for the shows. Though the tour is on the road 44 weeks per year, the same horses aren’t. Another set of fully trained performers is available on the Florida farm, and the horses are rotated to get ample rest.

The ones who do travel do it in style. A custom trailer that is air-conditioned and equipped with TV and audio monitors transports them.

Melissa Ruggieri is a reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch