Saw them perform last night. Whole different thing from cow-horses.
Apparently the performing horses are mostly 20-30 years old.
http://www.lipizzaner.com/

Oh, yeah, Equine Beauty and Grace Personified! What many people don't know is that the so-called 'Dances' are all that remains of Medieval Warhorse training, which is one of the primary reasons the Knights went out of business. A suit of Plate was hideously expensive, a Quality Sword almost as high, but the price of a well-trained Warhorse was more than sword and armor, and took longer than both.
A good Warhorse didn't JUST carry you to the fight, HE Fought, TOO. So when the armorers of Europe began to turn out usable arquebus in quantity, Economics kicked in and kicked the Knights to the curb, for you could arm and train a whole Company of Musketeers for what it cost to arm ONE Knight.
KY Jim