As we walked from the town of Oberammergau to the village of Unterammergau, Germany, numerous horses trotted past us. The animals’ beautifully decorated manes and tails blew in the late autumn breeze. Not to be outdone by the animals’ distinguished appearances, the horse owners also sported fine Bavarian attire. Men wore grey woolen jackets finished with deer-horn buttons, and dark green or brown Lederhosen. The ladies, on the other hand, sported Dirndls with colorful flowing skirts, as well as button-down sweaters to protect them from the chilly air. As someone who adored coiffing her My Little Pony figurines’ hair as a child, I was soon in shutterbug heaven.
On horseback and on foot, we were all heading through the idyllic Bavarian countryside to Unterammergau’s 50th annual Leonhardiritt or Leonhardifahrt procession and horse-blessing ceremony. Such events are held in parts of Germany and Austria mostly during the autumn months to honor St. Leonhard, the patron saint of agricultural animals. The occasion is a way of celebrating the horses that have historically played such an important role in rural communities.
With late-autumn scenery like this, we were delighted that we opted to make the 4-kilometer (2.5 mile) walk from Oberammergau to neighboring Unterammergau, where the horse blessing takes place every October.Left: Red and white ribbon pins served as our entry tickets to the day’s events. Right: colorful mums adorn a bandwagon.
Even before the parade officially started, the mood was festive. Participants on horseback poured liqueur-laden hot beverages into mugs while catching up on village gossip, as band-members with impeccably-shined brass instruments warmed up. Though they’d only been lined up for the parade for a short time, some spunky horses already looked impatient, ready to escape the upcoming parade in favor of a trot through the countryside.
Left: St. Leonhard, the patron saint of agricultural animals sits on a decorated cart. Leonhard is the namesake for the Leonharidiritt procession. Right: A tuba awaits its musician owner.Left: The St. Leonhard Club parade wagon, which carried the patron saint figure. Right: The man on the left is wearing a Gamsbart hat pin (which is made of chamois hair. Such pins can sell for as much as $2,500 USD or 1,900 Euro) while his companion is wearing a white Verein feather, a more cost-effective accessory.Horse owners from a neighboring village ride to Unterammergau for the annual blessing.
The event commenced with a procession, featuring brawny, Clydesdale-like horses pulling carts. There were also fluffy miniature horses, bands from neighboring villages, local dignitaries, and church leaders. After the one hundred or so horses had triumphantly trotted through the tiny town, they headed to the Kappelkirche in Unterammergau’s outskirts, where the blessing would take place. The highway intersecting the parade route was temporarily barricaded so that the human and equine participants, along with approximately 5,000 spectators, could transition from the village to the rural chapel.
Police officers on horseback, as well as a Munich bishop had all come to Unterammergau to facilitate the open-air blessing, which lasted for approximately one hour. Having gotten up around 4 am for mane and tail-grooming sessions, I noticed some yawning owners and restless horses fidgeting during the ceremony. The Catholic service culminated with the bishop and priests blessing the horses with spritzes of water, while altar boys carried silver thuribles that had incense wafting from within. The participants and their horses then returned to their respective villages, while spectators congregated in Unterammergau’s town square for a traditional concert.
A couple watches from their home, alongside frescoed characters. This type of painting is known as Lüftlmalerei.Colorful mums and boxwood trimmings woven into a horse’s mane.These gentlemen were in good spirits, engaged in lively conversation prior to the parade starting.The band gets ready to play on.Green and white-diamoned Loferl half socks.Bavaria’s blue and white flag flits in the autumn wind across the street from Unterammergau’s St. Nikolaus Church. Its bells were melted down during WWI and weren’t replaced until 1922. A trio of horses sported this elaborate hair-style in their manes. The ribbons resemble Bavaria’s blue and white flag. As time went on, the road became more and more treacherous to pass through.Left: The Kappel Church in Unterammergau’s outskirts, where the open-air blessing is held. Right: a young parade participant rides to the small chapel. A bishop and priest walk from aisle to aisle to bless the horses at the end of the mass.A priest sprinkles holy water on participants from an aspergillum.Horses of all sizes from many villages were brought to the open-air service to be blessed.Shawn poses with some of the event’s most-photographed horses. Note the Bavarian blue and white ribbons tied to the trio’s manes.With my mom. The Kappel Church, or Church of the Holy Blood, is in the background. It’s said to be one of the oldest churches in the Ammer Valley. The Ammergau Alps provided a stunning backdrop for the open-air blessing.Oberammergau’s signature mountain, the Kofel, stands proud in the background during the service. Left: A young boy sports a massive Gamsbart hat pin. Right: Note the embroidered horse on his suspenders. We heard that these suspenders can take months to make, mostly done by hand, of course. The procession returns to Unterammergau’s center following the service. The Kappel Church — in miniature form — sits on this wagon.
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
The village of Unterammergau is located about 90 km (55 miles) southwest of Munich.
For the dates and times of next year’s Leonhardiritt horse blessing ceremony, see the Ammergauer Alpen website.
To get to Unterammergau and Oberammergau via mass transit, research the Bayern Ticket (website is in German, but you can use Google Translate). As of 2021, these tickets start at €25 for one passenger, and cost €8 for each additional passenger. You can use the Bayern Ticket for most trains, trams, and city buses, making it a good deal if you’ll be doing a lot of exploring in one day. You can purchase tickets online, via a ticket machine, or in person.
Tricia A. Mitchell is a freelance writer and photographer. Born in Europe but raised in the United States, she has lived in Valletta, Malta; Heidelberg, Germany; and Split, Croatia. An avid globetrotter who has visited more than 65 countries, she has a penchant for off-season travel. Tricia has learned that travel’s greatest gift is not sightseeing, rather it is the interactions with people. Some of her most memorable experiences have been sharing a bottle of champagne with distant French cousins in Lorraine, learning how to milk goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village, and ringing in the Vietnamese New Year with a Hanoi family. She welcomes any opportunity to practice French and German, and she loves delving into a place’s history and artisanal food scene.
A former education administrator and training specialist, Tricia has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in international relations. She and her husband, Shawn, married in the ruins of a snowy German castle. They’ve been known to escape winter by basing themselves in coastal Croatia or Southeast Asia.
Her writing has appeared in Fodor’s Travel, Frommer’s, and International Living.
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35 thoughts on “A Bavarian Horse-Blessing Ceremony”
What a fantastic opportunity for a photographer Tricia! Love the bow-tied tails!!!
The event was indeed a shutterbug’s and horse-lover’s paradise. I’m impressed that the horses were able to stand still long enough to allow their owners to weave in all of the ribbons into their manes and tales!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Tina, and thank you for dropping in. :)
Wonderful post, Tricia, the colours, the scenery, the horses, the people and the occasion… really fascinating, and somehow very touching that this sort of ceremony has survived wars and revolution and even the EU !!!
Thank you, Valerie. You make an excellent point about this sort of tradition enduring. I was a bit surprised that more people were not in attendance, though there are quite a few of these celebrations in the region this time of year. It’s actually one of those situations where one wants the event to get sufficient attention, but not too much so the village doesn’t get inundated with visitors. :)
Darlene, the processions usually take place throughout Bavaria and Austria in late Oct. or early Nov., so perhaps some year you can make a pilgrimage to see it. :)
Thanks for sharing your excellent photos of this colorful celebration! Everything looks so perfect and tidy there (except for perhaps walking at the back of the parade…) I love those half socks.
Marilyn, when I first arrived in Germany as an elementary school-aged child, I remember having the same impression, somehow thinking that Germany looked like an orderly Lego Land. :) We also had to giggle at the sight of the band-members dodging all the obstacles left by the horses along the parade route. I’m glad you enjoyed traveling to the event in spirit, and wish you a wonderful start to the new week!
Tricia, this an outstanding most beautiful post of yours. I mean those vivid colors, all those details and perspectives, just amazing. Goes right into my Bavarian heart. Thank you for illustrating this event so beautifully.
Cornelia, I’m happy that the images resonated with you. This was my first Leonhardiritt, and was I ever amazed by all the pageantry! It’s so nice that such traditions are kept alive here, and judging by a list online, there are many more Leonhardifahrts to experience in future years. :)
Hi again Tricia, there is a blog I am following recently of a couple who travels throughout Europe, I thought you might in enjoy their post.
Called Road Tripping Europe… hope you find them
Hi Cornelia, I appreciate your recommendation, but couldn’t find the blog when I googled its name. Do you know its address? :)
On a side note, winter’s definitely setting in here, with snow projected over the next few days. We just got back from a bitter cold walk — brrrr!
Hi dear Tricia, I finally found that connection of blog http://ingriddendievel.blogspot.be/ it is a couple that also works with UNESCO this is her other blog besides Road Tripping Europe, hope that helps. It is getting cold here too some times.
Thank you so much, Cornelia. :)
Tricia, your pictures are very nice and your essay is well written. It must have been a very interesting experience. I’ll have to re-visit this post.
NYC is getting ready. I will go there soon to check it out.
I don’t know if you celebrate Thanksgiving, but if you do, have a happy one!
Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, Gerard. We do celebrate Thanksgiving but having been somewhat on the go these past years, our celebrations haven’t been traditionally American.
Have you been to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in NYC?
No, I never go. I live on Long Island about 45 minutes by train from Manhattan. I’m close enough to go into Manhattan when I want to but far enough that I don’t go for just anything.
Tricia, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as pretty as these beautifully decorated (and obviously much-loved) horses. As a horse lover since I was little, I felt like I was in heaven. And thanks for the truly gorgeous photos and the education on the names of all the pieces of clothing. I have never seen the Loferl half socks before – it looks like they wouldn’t keep the men very warm. :) Are they just for men, or do boys also wear them? ~Terri
Terri, I’ve seen boys wear those half-socks too; in fact, I think they (as well as the decorative suspenders) are all hand-made. But I agree – when it gets damp and cool here as it’s known to do in this part of Bavaria, I think one would certainly have ‘popsicle toes’ when wearing those. Especially since they wear their shoes without socks!
As a self-described ‘horse lover’ did you get a chance to go riding when you were a child?
On a side note, we might be heading to the Ukraine in the coming months (a cccoooold time to go, I know!). I know that you and James went to Kyiv, but I’m wondering if you also went to Lviv, which is where we’re considering going. We also thought Moldova sounded interesting, though that trip might be best made in warmer weather, because I hear the wine there is fantastic!
I hadn’t either, Jo. Seeing these meticulously-groomed horses reminded me of my favorite childhood toys – My Little Ponies, which I aspired to braid and coif in a style as lovely as these animals. If we’re in this region next year, I’d love to watch the owners prepping the horses for the parade. Many different towns in Bavaria (and even some parts of Austria) hold these processions every year, so if you’re ever in this part of Europe…
J.D., judging by all the comments here about those socks, I think the local knitters have a good business idea on their hands. :)
How long have you lived in Slovakia? I haven’t spent much time there, but do remember a beautiful Christmas midnight mass in Bratislava some winters ago. Would love to explore the country more thoroughly!
Hi Tricia – I’ve lived in Slovakia since August. I’ve been around a little bit, but there is still so much to see. I’ll explore more when the weather warms up next year. Which church did you attend the Christmas mass at? I’d like to go this year. –Julie
Julie, I wish I knew the name of it. My parents and I were headed to Budapest to meet friends, and serendipitously found it. I remember it being in the center, and very Old World – with a lovely, crystal chandelier, and so cold that I could see the attendees’ exhalations. I’ll see if I have any pictures from that visit and if I do, I’ll let you know if they shed some light on the name. :)
Thanks, Tricia. I’ll try to figure out which one it is. There’s St. Martin’s cathedral and a few smaller churches in the Old City.
Travels With Tricia 
What a fantastic opportunity for a photographer Tricia! Love the bow-tied tails!!!
The event was indeed a shutterbug’s and horse-lover’s paradise. I’m impressed that the horses were able to stand still long enough to allow their owners to weave in all of the ribbons into their manes and tales!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend, Tina, and thank you for dropping in. :)
Wonderful post, Tricia, the colours, the scenery, the horses, the people and the occasion… really fascinating, and somehow very touching that this sort of ceremony has survived wars and revolution and even the EU !!!
Thank you, Valerie. You make an excellent point about this sort of tradition enduring. I was a bit surprised that more people were not in attendance, though there are quite a few of these celebrations in the region this time of year. It’s actually one of those situations where one wants the event to get sufficient attention, but not too much so the village doesn’t get inundated with visitors. :)
What a unique and picturesque event. I wish I had been there to witness this.
Darlene, the processions usually take place throughout Bavaria and Austria in late Oct. or early Nov., so perhaps some year you can make a pilgrimage to see it. :)
Fabulous!
Hvala lijepa – many thanks! It was indeed a fabulous event, and I feel lucky to have had the chance to have attended it.
Thanks for sharing your excellent photos of this colorful celebration! Everything looks so perfect and tidy there (except for perhaps walking at the back of the parade…) I love those half socks.
Marilyn, when I first arrived in Germany as an elementary school-aged child, I remember having the same impression, somehow thinking that Germany looked like an orderly Lego Land. :) We also had to giggle at the sight of the band-members dodging all the obstacles left by the horses along the parade route. I’m glad you enjoyed traveling to the event in spirit, and wish you a wonderful start to the new week!
Very cool.
We thought so too, Mark. It’s fun when there are events like this so close to home.
Tricia, this an outstanding most beautiful post of yours. I mean those vivid colors, all those details and perspectives, just amazing. Goes right into my Bavarian heart. Thank you for illustrating this event so beautifully.
Cornelia, I’m happy that the images resonated with you. This was my first Leonhardiritt, and was I ever amazed by all the pageantry! It’s so nice that such traditions are kept alive here, and judging by a list online, there are many more Leonhardifahrts to experience in future years. :)
Oh yes there are more!
Hi again Tricia, there is a blog I am following recently of a couple who travels throughout Europe, I thought you might in enjoy their post.
Called Road Tripping Europe… hope you find them
Hi Cornelia, I appreciate your recommendation, but couldn’t find the blog when I googled its name. Do you know its address? :)
On a side note, winter’s definitely setting in here, with snow projected over the next few days. We just got back from a bitter cold walk — brrrr!
Hi dear Tricia, I finally found that connection of blog http://ingriddendievel.blogspot.be/ it is a couple that also works with UNESCO this is her other blog besides Road Tripping Europe, hope that helps. It is getting cold here too some times.
Thank you so much, Cornelia. :)
Tricia, your pictures are very nice and your essay is well written. It must have been a very interesting experience. I’ll have to re-visit this post.
Thanks for your thoughtful remarks, Gerard. It’s events like these that make exploring new places so worthwhile – a window into different worlds.
Wish you a wonderful weekend! I bet NYC is starting to get decked out for the holidays?
NYC is getting ready. I will go there soon to check it out.
I don’t know if you celebrate Thanksgiving, but if you do, have a happy one!
Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, Gerard. We do celebrate Thanksgiving but having been somewhat on the go these past years, our celebrations haven’t been traditionally American.
Have you been to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade in NYC?
No, I never go. I live on Long Island about 45 minutes by train from Manhattan. I’m close enough to go into Manhattan when I want to but far enough that I don’t go for just anything.
Tricia, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as pretty as these beautifully decorated (and obviously much-loved) horses. As a horse lover since I was little, I felt like I was in heaven. And thanks for the truly gorgeous photos and the education on the names of all the pieces of clothing. I have never seen the Loferl half socks before – it looks like they wouldn’t keep the men very warm. :) Are they just for men, or do boys also wear them? ~Terri
Terri, I’ve seen boys wear those half-socks too; in fact, I think they (as well as the decorative suspenders) are all hand-made. But I agree – when it gets damp and cool here as it’s known to do in this part of Bavaria, I think one would certainly have ‘popsicle toes’ when wearing those. Especially since they wear their shoes without socks!
As a self-described ‘horse lover’ did you get a chance to go riding when you were a child?
On a side note, we might be heading to the Ukraine in the coming months (a cccoooold time to go, I know!). I know that you and James went to Kyiv, but I’m wondering if you also went to Lviv, which is where we’re considering going. We also thought Moldova sounded interesting, though that trip might be best made in warmer weather, because I hear the wine there is fantastic!
Yesterday I re-visited this post and was able to take my time looking at it. I also showed it to my mother. She was very impressed by it.
That’s really kind of you to pass it on Gerard. Passe le bonjour à ta mère and Happy Thanksgiving!
How beautiful do these horses look! I never saw anything like it :)
I hadn’t either, Jo. Seeing these meticulously-groomed horses reminded me of my favorite childhood toys – My Little Ponies, which I aspired to braid and coif in a style as lovely as these animals. If we’re in this region next year, I’d love to watch the owners prepping the horses for the parade. Many different towns in Bavaria (and even some parts of Austria) hold these processions every year, so if you’re ever in this part of Europe…
What a beautiful ceremony. The horses are gorgeous, but my favorite thing has got to be those half socks. ;)
J.D., judging by all the comments here about those socks, I think the local knitters have a good business idea on their hands. :)
How long have you lived in Slovakia? I haven’t spent much time there, but do remember a beautiful Christmas midnight mass in Bratislava some winters ago. Would love to explore the country more thoroughly!
Hi Tricia – I’ve lived in Slovakia since August. I’ve been around a little bit, but there is still so much to see. I’ll explore more when the weather warms up next year. Which church did you attend the Christmas mass at? I’d like to go this year. –Julie
Julie, I wish I knew the name of it. My parents and I were headed to Budapest to meet friends, and serendipitously found it. I remember it being in the center, and very Old World – with a lovely, crystal chandelier, and so cold that I could see the attendees’ exhalations. I’ll see if I have any pictures from that visit and if I do, I’ll let you know if they shed some light on the name. :)
Thanks, Tricia. I’ll try to figure out which one it is. There’s St. Martin’s cathedral and a few smaller churches in the Old City.