Haflinger breed portrait: The blond all-rounders

The history of Haflinger horses

The Haflinger is a characteristic horse breed that originated in the Austrian and Italian Alps. The history of the Haflinger goes back to the late 19th century when the breed began to be selectively bred.

The origins of Haflinger breeding lie in the South Tyrolean mountains in the Hafling region (hence the name). The breeders aimed to develop a robust and versatile horse that was suitable for agricultural work, transportation in alpine areas, and work on small farms. To this end, the horses were crossed with Arabian blood to achieve the desired combination of strength, endurance, and agility.

Breeding Haflingers required a great deal of patience and selection to stabilize the desired characteristics. The horses should not only be strong and able to work but also have a friendly and balanced temperament. Over time, a characteristic color developed for the breed: a light coat, usually of a cream to golden yellow shade, with light-colored longhair and mane.

During the 20th century, the Haflinger gained popularity, not only in the Alpine regions but also internationally. Due to their compact size, friendly character, and versatility, Haflingers were used for riding and driving horses, leisure activities, and even sports.

The breed has found many fans over the decades, and Haflingers are now bred and kept in different parts of the world. They are known for their strength, endurance, and friendly nature. In many regions, Haflingers are also used in therapeutic riding as they can bond well with people.

The history of the Haflinger is an example of the successful breeding of a horse breed that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. The breed has developed from its humble beginnings in the Alps to become an internationally recognized and valued horse breed.

Use and breeding objectives of Haflinger Horses throughout history

Originally, the Haflinger was used as a light workhorse in the high mountains. There they helped with various tasks on the mountain farms, either carrying loads to supply remote farms with food or working as a draught horse on the mountain fields and in the steep forest.

After the Second World War, the use of horses for work decreased due to motorization. Nevertheless, the Haflinger is still used today for special tasks, such as supplying remote alpine huts, bringing wood from steep or soft forest areas, or as a pack animal for various armies worldwide. However, these uses are limited, which is why the search is on for new uses for the Haflinger that do justice to its inner qualities such as calmness, composure, and child-friendliness.

These character traits have led to the Haflinger being bred into a popular leisure horse. This process began in the early 1950s and was documented in publications and books by the Tyrolean breeding director Otto Schweisgut. In the process, the Haflinger was developed into a versatile riding and carriage horse, which was a long but successful path.

Nowadays, the Haflinger is bred as an all-purpose leisure horse, whereby characteristics for riding and driving in the leisure sector are particularly important. A balanced temperament and an excellent character are considered to be decisive. The external appearance of a Haflinger should be elegant and dynamic, with chestnut colors being preferred.

Breeding stallions and mares should have clear sexual characteristics. Head markings are permitted, but not a requirement, while leg markings are not desirable.The size of the Haflinger Horse is between 140 and 155 centimeters. A harmonious conformation with a dry head, a long neck, and a muscular croup is desired.

The foundation of the Haflinger should be convincing with clear joints and the gait should be correct, elastic, and in step. The breeding goals have hardly changed over the generations, but modern Haflinger horses are now bigger, more elegant, and more charming than ever before, thanks to the continuous development of breeding

The thoroughbred Haflinger: Whether jumping or dressage, anything is possible with him

The Edelbluthaflinger (noble blood haflinger) breed in Germany has clear breeding objectives. This horse breed should have a height of around 144 cm to 152 cm and originate in Germany. The ox-blood percentage should be between a minimum of 1.57 percent and a maximum of 25 percent, based on at least six generations of ancestors. You can find out what the ox blood percentage means here.

About their external appearance, the noble blood Haflinger should have a noble head with a broad forehead and a slightly concave forehead-nose profile line. Their eyes should be large, clear, and friendly, the ears appropriate to their size and the nostrils large and wide. The neck should be sufficiently long, broad, and well-muscled, tapering towards the head and offering sufficient freedom of the gaiter.

The conformation of the noble blood Haflinger should be elegant and large-lined in a long rectangular format, with a large, sloping shoulder, well-defined withers extending well into the back, and a medium-length, well-muscled back. The depth and width of the chest should be sufficient with longitudinal oval ribbing, and the croup should be long, broad, well-muscled, and slightly tucked up. The foundation should be dry, correctly placed, and in keeping with the conformation, with sufficiently large, clear joints, medium-length pasterns, and firm, medium-sized hooves.

In terms of their movement, the thoroughbred Haflinger should exhibit diligent, tactful, and ground-covering gaits and be skillful, capable, and deliberate when jumping.

As far as their inner qualities, performance predispositions, and health are concerned, the noble blood Haflinger should be efficient, uncomplicated, sociable, willing to work, strong-nerved, reliable, noble, versatile, robust, willing to perform, and capable. They should be suitable for all riding and driving purposes. In addition, frugality, robust health, good physical and mental resilience with a high capacity for regeneration, good fertility, and freedom from hereditary faults are desired.

The characteristics of the Haflinger Horse: Sensitive, willing to work, powerful, robust

Haflingers are not only known for their unique personality and sensitivity but also for their versatile abilities and tireless eagerness to work.

Haflingers have a long tradition in agriculture as reliable draft animals. Their robust nature and strength make them ideal for work in the field or the forest. They pull plows, wagons, and other agricultural equipment and carry loads over rough terrain.

As sport and leisure horses, Haflingers inspire with their grace and skill. In disciplines such as dressage, they often show surprising performances, and in vaulting, they prove their stability and calmness. They also feel at home in trail riding, as their balanced temperament and stamina make them reliable companions on long rides through a variety of terrain.

However, their use as therapy horses is particularly impressive. Their empathetic nature and patience enable them to support and motivate people with physical or mental disabilities. Through contact with the animals, therapy goals can be achieved playfully and naturally.

Driving, however, is the Haflinger's supreme discipline. With their strength, sense of balance, and willingness to cooperate, they are ideal for pulling carriages or driving teams. Whether in pairs or four-in-hands, Haflingers show all their elegance and efficiency here.

All in all, Haflingers are not only sensitive and friendly animals, but also extremely versatile and efficient partners in various areas of work, sport, and therapy.

What do Haflingers look like?

The Haflinger, a small horse with an elegant appearance and strong build, impresses with its slender neck, long back, and muscular loin, which forms a powerful unit. Its legs are robust and its hooves are hard. Particularly striking are the attention-grabbing ears and its wide, rhythmic gait. The height varies between 140 and 150 centimeters depending on gender, while the weight is between 400 and 600 kilograms.

The coat color ranges from reddish-brown to golden, with the mane and tail usually being flaxen to white. Head and leg markings are permitted, but only to a limited extent. The ideal Haflinger presents itself as a medium-strong, noble pony with correct shapes and a harmonious conformation. Its expressive head is characterized by large nostrils, flexible ears, and lively eyes.

An ideal Haflinger has a not-too-strong, pyramid-shaped neck that merges harmoniously into the rump, as well as clearly defined, dry withers and a muscular, broad, and long croup. His conformation should be rectangular, with longitudinal oval ribbing, a broad chest, and a long, well-sloping shoulder.

The correct foundation of the Haflinger is characterized by clear, large joints, not too flat and hard hooves as well as strong pasterns and very muscular hindquarters. Another striking characteristic is the coat coloration typical of the breed, preferably in a golden fox-like coloration with light, smooth long hair. Prickly hair and leg markings are undesirable.

Haflinger in competition: dressage, show jumping, eventing and much more

Every three years, the best Haflingers and their riders from all over Europe meet in Stadl-Paula, Austria, to compete against each other at the European Haflinger Championships. The Haflingers are presented here in the disciplines of dressage, show jumping, eventing, driving, western, and free jumping. The seven best stallions are also awarded prizes here. This is one of the many highlights of Haflinger's show jumping. But it is not only in Stadl-Paula that we can see the blonde horses in the various disciplines, but also at the horse shows around the corner, where the Haflingers occasionally stand out amongst the other show horses.

Haflinger as a dressage horse 

In dressage riding, golden horses with a light mane are seen relatively often, especially in the lower classes, as they are a popular breed for beginners and are often used by young children astheir first horse. But Haflingers are now also represented in the higher classes. For example Amani with Franziska Keth, who have worked their way up to advanced (S**) level dressage tests in recent years and show that anything is possible with Haflingers in dressage. 

Haflinger in show jumping

Haflingers are also well represented in show jumping and you can see here just how fast the Haffis can whizz through a jumping course:

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Haflinger in eventing 

With pony power through the terrain, the Haflingers show that. Even if you might not initially believe that the blond horses are capable of it, the Haffis fly through the terrain with their riders and show that they can also impress in eventing. In eventing, the blonde athletes not only have to show their skills in cross-country but also dressage and jumping competitions. 

Haflinger in other disciplines

In addition to the main disciplines, Haflingers are also active in driving and western riding. Ivonne Hellenbrand and her 19-year-old Haflinger Anderson show that Haflingers can also be successful in driving. In 2023, they came 5th in the individual classification for single horses at the World Championships in Para Driving driving world championships. Here you can seeIvonneHellenbrand and Anderson in action:

Haflinger breeding: The breeding goals

The breeding objectives when breeding Haflingers depend on where they are bred. In Germany, the breeding goals are as follows:

• short dry head, broad forehead, large clear eye, sufficiently wide ganaches & a slightly concave profile line
• sufficiently long neck and light in the poll
• The body should be rectangular with well-defined withers, longitudinal oval ribbing, and a long, broad, well-muscled, slightly flattened croup
• correct, ground-covering gaits with good drive from the hindquarters in the movement sequence
• size from 144-152cm
• chestnuts in various shades, light-colored longhair, markings on the legs are not desired

In Austria, where the Haflingers comes from, the breeding objectives are a little more detailed:

• Foreign gene percentages:
  The targeted horse may have a maximum purebred Arabian percentage of 1.56%, which is calculated over the last 6 generations. This additional purebred Arabian percentage is rounded to two decimal places and should be stated after the horse's name. If the additional purebred Arabian percentage is less than 0.09%, it is not specified further.
• Head:
  The horse is characterized by a noble head with a large, expressive eye as well as a gently curved nose line and a well-developed freedom of the ganache.
• Neck:
  The neck is attractively shaped, of sufficient length and has a harmonious curve in the neck area.
• Forehand:
  The front part of the body is characterized by strongly muscled, elongated shoulders with prominent withers and sufficient width in the chest region.
• Metacarpus:
  The horse's metacarpus is long and deep, with a taut yet elastic back. There is a good connection to the forequarters and hindquarters and the ribs are oval in length. The hind rib is sufficiently long.
• Hindquarters:
  The hindquarters show a successful shape with good musculature, appropriate length, and a croup that is not excessively broad or strongly split.
• Foundation:
  The horse's foundation is solid and correctly built, with well-developed joints and resistant hooves.
• Movement:
  The horse's movements are harmonious and flowing. It shows an even walk, energetic and elastic trot movements as well as a well-developed canter with a tendency to gallop uphill. In all basic gaits, the horse moves with a sure beat and correct posture.
• Colors:
  The horse can appear in various chestnut colors, from light to dark, whereby a clear and rich coloring is preferred. Teeth and an eel line are undesirable, while head markings are acceptable. Leg markings are not desirable.
• Longhair:
  Ideally, the horse should have a light or white longhair, while a slightly reddish longhair is tolerated. Red, grayish to gray longhair, on the other hand, is undesirable.
• Breed characteristics:
  The desired horse should have an expressive character and be versatile, both for riding and driving purposes for children and adults. In addition, it should be good-natured, frugal, and efficient and also be able to be used as a commercial horse.

Famous Haflinger breeding stallions 

All modern Haflingers are descended from just seven influential stallions. The seven ancestral sire lines that formed in the 1920s are A, B, M, N, S, St, and W. Haflinger breeders sometimes refer to their horses by their sire's line, then the breeder's website or the Haflinger's sales page will say, for example, XY descends from an A-line stallion, out of an N-line mare. But which stallions created these lines? Which stallions were the founders of their line?

Founder of the A-line: 999 Anselmo

Born in 1926, 6th generation Haflinger

Although the A-line is considered one of the most important stallion lines in Haflinger breeding today, Anselmo was not used for breeding for a large part of his life. When a shortage of stallions after the Second World War raised concerns that the line would not survive, he was purchased by the Haflinger Breeders' Association of Tyrol in 1947 at the age of 21 to cover mares from valuable maternal lines. Ultimately, he sired eight stallions, four of which were used for breeding.

Founder of the B-Line: Bolzano

Born in 1915, 5th generation Haflinger

When South Tyrol separated from Austria, Bolzano remained one of the few Haflinger stallions there, and as no quality line breeding was practiced in South Tyrol, the line was almost lost. The Haflinger Züchtervereinigung Tirol saved the line with the purchase of his grandson, Bolzano, in 1965, and has since tried to build up the strength of the B-line.

Founder of the M-Line: Massimo

Born in 1927, in the 7th generation of Haflingers

Massimo had a great influence on the breed with his six sons, including Midas in 1262, but over time he became known for producing outstanding daughters.

Founder of the N-Line: Nibbio 

Born in 1920, 6th generation Haflinger

One of the strongest stallion lines today, Nibbio is known for producing outstanding quality along the N-line. His line split into two branches: Naz in Germany and Austria and Nautilus in Italy.

Founder of the S-Line: Stelvio

Born in 1923, 6th generation Haflinger

Another less populated and relatively weak line, Stelvio's S-line has resulted in individually successful horses, but none of outstanding importance. The Haflinger Breeders' Association Tyrol has also tried to strengthen this line through targeted breeding.

Founder of the St-Line: Student

Born in 1927, 6th generation Haflinger

Student spread the St line throughout the world, particularly through his son Stromer. Initially fertile, the line weakened in the following generations, although targeted breeding has recently shown an improvement in the line.

Founder of the W-Line: Willi

Born in 1921, 5th generation Haflinger

Although dominant today, Willi's W line was almost lost. He sired far more daughters than sons, of which only four were kept for breeding. Of these, one died after minimal breeding, one was placed in an area with poor-quality mares, and one (Willi I) was exported to Syria. Although Willi's line was continued by his grandson Wieland, Wieland's dam was not registered and therefore he was avoided. Willi's fourth son, Wardein, was purchased late in life at the age of 20 to save the line. Much like Anselmo, he became incredibly influential.

Feeding, health and keeping of Haflingers

Feeding requirements for Haflinger horses

Similar to Icelandic horses Haflingers are very good feed converters and can make do with very little and sparse feed. It is very important to consider the following when feeding Haflingers:

• A sufficient quantity of high-quality hay should be available and form the basis of Haflinger feeding. Nets/slow feeders can also be used to ensure a slow but steady intake of hay.
• Mineral feed should also be fed, preferably in consultation with the vet or a feed consultant.
• Concentrated feed should only be given in small quantities, as Haflingers tend to be overweight.

Special health requirements or problems with Haflingers

A healthy Haflinger can generally have a life expectancy of 30 to 35 years. Like all horse breeds, Haflingers are also prone to certain diseases, such as laminitis dental problems, sweet itch and metabolic disorders. These diseases can be caused by a genetic predisposition or by poor nutrition, which leads to an increased risk of obesity.

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)

The equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a metabolic disease which can affect any horse. However, light-fed ponies or small horses such as Haflingers are particularly susceptible. One possible cause of this disease can be severe obesity in horses. Symptoms can include loss of performance, dull coat, excessive and rapid sweating, and laminitis. laminitis belong.

Laminitis

Laminitis is an inflammation of the hoof corium that leads to severe hoof pain can lead to severe hoof pain. The causes of laminitis can be many and varied, including excessive strain on the hooves, feeding too much protein and carbohydrates, obesity, poisoning, or diseases such as Cushing's syndrome or equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).

Housing for Haflinger horses

There is a huge choice of housing types, whether a box, with or without paddock, box housing with daily access to pasture, group housing, active stables, open stables, or Paddock Paradise housing systems. However, each horse should be regarded as an individual, regardless of the breed. When keeping horses, whether Haflinger, Trakehner, or English thoroughbred, it is important to keep them in a species-appropriate horse keeping Whether an active stable or a box with sufficient access to pasture comes into question varies from horse to horse and must be decided individually.

FAQ about Haflinger horses

How expensive are Haflinger horses?

The price of a Haflinger varies according to age, pedigree and suitability, but it can generally be said that the average price usually starts at € 3,000 and can rise further.

Is a Haflinger a good beginner horse?

Yes, Haflingers can be great family horses and often get on well with children. However, Haflingers can also be very stubborn and therefore you should not leave your small children unsupervised with them. Due to their calmness, some Haflingers are also suitable for beginners, but this does not mean that an experienced rider cannot handle a Haflinger. If you are considering a Haflinger as your first own horse to buy?

How much weight can a Haflinger pull?

Depending on its own weight and training condition, the Haflinger can pull 500 kg of weight. It is important to note that the pulling weight does not correspond to the weight that the Haflinger can carry on its back. It is generally assumed that ponies and small horses can pull (not carry) one to two times their body weight.

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