Video: ‘Spring in Marbach’

No dialogue, no musical score, no script — just the sights and sounds of Germany’s oldest state stud, courtesy of videographer Julien Guntz.

We’ve long been fans of the work of Julien Guntz, a talented videographer whose “sights and sounds” style transports the viewer right into the scene. There’s no need for dramatic camera angles, fast-paced editing or a heart-pumping soundtrack: Guntz simply focuses on the tiny details of a scene and lets the natural drama speak for itself.

Guntz’ latest work brings us back to Marbach in the springtime: the five-centuries old state stud of Germany, featuring draft breeds, warmbloods and Arabians with pedigrees dating back hundreds of years.

The rhythm of such a stud in the springtime follows the ebb and flow of each generation: mares and foals are turned out to pasture; young horses kick and play; mature horses enter training and the breeding stock begins the whole process over again.

We recommend watching this in HD with your volume turned up:

Throughout its history, Marbach bred the finest horses to help influence local stock, depending on need: heavy breeds were introduced to bolster working horses, followed by general-purpose breeds suitable to both farming and carriage work as well as riding, to post-war sporthorses. The farm is now recognized as the establishing base for the Wuerttemberger warmblood, as well as host to a herd of fine Arabians as well as the Black Forest draught, all of appear in the video above.

Marbach hosts breed inspections as well as offering boarding opportunities; another farm campus at St. Johann offers retirement for aged equines. Marbach has become synonymous in Europe with fine breeding as well as education for both the rider and the breeder; the farm also welcomes thousands of tourists each year.

To catch more of Julien Guntz’ videos, including his excellent FEI behind the scenes series, click here. You can also follow Guntz on Facebook.

Go riding!