Ljubljana  - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II was presented her own Lipizzaner horse when she visited a stud farm in western Slovenia on Wednesday.

The gift was however symbolic, as the stud, named 085 Favory Canissa XXII, remained in its Lipica stable, near Slovenia's border with Italy.

The Lipizzaner breed of horses has been famous for centuries owing to its dressage abilities.

Some 400 children from 20 riding schools in the area greeted the queen and her husband, Prince Philip.

The children also performed a classical riding programme, the STA news agency said.

On the second day of her Slovenia visit, Elizabeth was due to take part in an economic conference with British Foreign Secretary David Milliband and finally visit more of Ljubljana, where the royal couple would spend another night.

Elizabeth was on her first state visit to Slovenia, though she was there in 1976, when it was still part of the former Yugoslavia.

Slovenia won independence from Belgrade in a short war in 1991. After a remarkable post-communist transition, it became the first ex-Yugoslav republic to join the European Union and NATO in 2004.

Elizabeth's visit was confirmation that Slovenia had "made it," British Ambassador to Ljubljana Tim Simmons said Tuesday.

On Thursday, the royal couple was scheduled to depart for her first visit to Slovakia. (dpa)