Horse riding is considered not only as a sport or leisure activity but a part of the Hungarian culture, but even the entrance of the National Riding School does not give really much that impression. Riders of Hungary should no longer wait for their run, as government decide to give a 3,6 billion HUF support to the equine sector.
2 billion goes for the National Riding School in Budapest. The rest ,1,6 billon goes to the Szilvasvárad Center, from that amount, this year, 181 million in a first step, preparing the infrastructure for the development, that will practically begin in next spring and planned to be finished by September 2014 - informed State Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, Gyula Budai the Hungarian news agency on 12th November 2013.The are other sites of national equire sector at Babolna, Máta and Mezőhegyes. That last one is known throughout the equestrian world for his royal stud farm, founded in 1784, where the famous Hungarian Nóniusz breed was perfected. Over the Nóniusz, Hungarian Sport Horse, a Gidran, és a Furioso breed are also bred here. Riders whisper that, after the replacement of the manager, István Zilahy, by dr. Csaba Szabo, now the 300 year old stud farm at Máta will be soon closed, the 250 horses will be lodged at Mezőhegyes.
A couple of 400 other equine sites can be found in Hungary. The most famous one is probably at Ópusztaszer breeding a stud of the Ahal-Tekke species (ancient species of the same age as Arab pure-blooded) based on pasturing. Here, within a nomad type eco-system horses are pastured with the probably even more known Hungarian grey cattle are in the open air all year round.