Haflinger, the Golden Horse of Austria, the flashy chestnut coloring with
flowing white manes and tails make this extraordinary horse a real show
stopper. Their loving, willing, and forgiving temperament has become a
breed standard, established over centuries of living alongside and working
with the mountain people of the Tyrolean Alps of Austria, serving all
purposes for all family members. Simply stated, Haflingers are the world's
original and finest family horse.
The history of the Haflinger horse can be traced to the late Middle Ages
when writings told of an Oriental race of horse found in the southern
Tyrolean Mountains of today's Austria and Northern Italy. Many of the
villages and farms in the Tyrol were accessible only by narrow paths
requiring agile, surefooted horses for transportation and packing. Farm
fields were small and steep, making heavy draft horses impractical.
The first official documentation of the present day Haflinger, named for
the Tyrolean village of Hafling, was in 1874 when the foundation stallion
249 Folie was born of a refined native Tyrolean mare bred with the
stallion, El'Bedavi XXII, who was half Arabian. It was quickly recognized
that this horse represented the best marriage of the strength, agility and
gentle nature of the native horse with the intelligence and beauty of the
Arabian. All modern purebred Haflingers must trace their ancestry directly
to Folie through seven different stallion lines.
Haflingers are being discovered by the horse loving public all over the
world who want an equine companion that is safe, versatile, dependable
and beautiful. They are working and performing in farming, packing,
pleasure and competitive driving, western riding, reining, and trail riding,
endurance riding, dressage and jumping, vaulting, and therapeutic riding.
Haflingers hold their own in competition with other breeds, showing
surprising athleticism and strength for their size. The Haflinger horse
captures hearts and enriches lives as it has for centuries.
The Haflinger is a small horse that is useful for both riding and driving.
The breed standard calls for an attractive, sturdy and competitive horse
between 13.2 and 15 hands. Haflingers have a strong constitution, solid
conformation with substantial bone and an uncomplicated personality.
As a family horse, the Haflinger is gentle enough to be handled and ridden
by a child, but sturdy and athletic to be used as a pleasure or competition
horse for an adult. They are easy to train and love to be around people.
The very first Haflingers were imported in late 1958, by Tempel Farms of
Illinois, which eventually produced over 400 Haflingers before the herd
was dispersed in the late 1970's. With only about 25,000 registered
Haflingers in the United States and only about 800 in California, only 1 out
of every 10,000 horses in this country is a Haflinger.
In California, Haflinger owners love getting together and sharing their
horses and each other's company at all manner of open horse events. "The
Haflinger Invasion" has hit many local events in recent years, and their
popularity is growing. If you are interested in finding out more about these
wonderful horses, contact us sharon@rollingponyranch.com or by phone
at 209-605-7125.
Quality Registered Haflinger Horses
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