It has four legs, can trot in time to music and, even by the standards of white stallions, is a remarkably handsome creature. The Queen’s Slovenian hosts could have been forgiven for wondering yesterday whether there had ever been a more appropriate gift for the monarch than one of their renowned Lipizzaner horses.

This one rejoiced in the name of 085 Favory Canissa XXII, and was presented to the Queen at the Lipica stud, close to the Italian border, on the second day of her state visit.

Only two things marred this otherwise faultless act of generosity: the horse seemed to have its own opinions about the whole business; and the Queen will not actually get to keep him. Rather like those Oxfam goats that liberal-minded people buy for their friends at Christmas, the horse will remain in Slovenia. Apparently it is regarded as inhumane these days to transport such a fine beast so far from its home just for the sake of bilateral relations.

Kanizo, as the 16-year-old is more informally known, is one of just 9,000 Lipizzaners around the world. Famed for their performances at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, they are best known for two things: their natural grace, and that, despite being born black, they develop coats of the most dazzling white. Their speciality is a form of dressage called “airs above the ground”, which include the “capriole”, where the horse stands on its front legs, leaps into the air and lands on all four hooves.

No wonder they are so full of themselves. When Kanizo, a former Slovenian champion, was brought out of his stable he did not look like a horse that was impressed by anything, not even a visiting Queen. He neighed, with a loud, deep-throated whinny; his minder, fearful of provoking a diplomatic incident, rushed over with a handful of mints to quieten him. He whinnied again; more mints. Only after the third handful of mints was he docile enough to be presented to the Queen.

“It is one of our best performers, one of the most beautiful horses we have,” said Matjaz Pust, the stud manager, who showed the Queen round.

Mr Pust was an old Slovenian smoothie who, when being interviewed by Sky television, told the blonde reporter: “You have beautiful eyes.” One hesitates to imagine his small talk with the Queen. A few minutes later, Kanizo decided he had not had enough mints recently, or was not being given enough attention, or something, and reared up in dramatic Lipizzaner style, just as the Queen was walking past. It could have been a nasty moment, except that it takes more than an excitable horse to put the Queen off her stride. “He’s very highly strung,” Mr Pust said.

He will remain in Slovenia at the Queen’s request – and given his attitude, perhaps that is no bad thing.

Over the years the Royal Family have been given a number of animals that have been housed at zoos, sanctuaries, the stables at Windsor Castle and the nursery at Buckingham Palace. The two pygmy hippopotamuses given to the Duke of Edinburgh by President Tubman of Liberia in 1961 were sent straight to Whipsnade Zoo.

After Lipica the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh returned via a funicular at Ljubljana Castle to the Three Bridges, the picturesque heart of the capital’s old town. They were cheered respectfully if not with undue enthusiasm by the crowd of about 3,000. At least they did not whinny.

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