Haflinger

The Haflinger is a small, close-coupled horse that came out of the mountain country of the Tyrol, straddling Austria and northern Italy. Chestnut is the only colour the breed comes in. Body shade runs anywhere from a pale gold to a deep liver, and the mane and tail are always pale flaxen against it. That fixed colouring means a Haflinger is easy to pick out in a paddock.

Height sits somewhere between roughly 13.2 and 15 hands, so the breed straddles the line between a large pony and a small horse. Size aside, a Haflinger is well muscled and strong enough to carry an adult rider or pull a cart. The build comes from generations of work on steep alpine ground, where a sure foot and staying power counted for more than pace.

The breed has a name for being quiet, friendly and good-natured. In Australia and elsewhere, Haflingers turn up in dressage, trail riding, harness work, vaulting and light farm jobs, and their level-headed manner puts them in demand at riding schools and in therapy programs.

Who the Haflinger suits

The breed suits anyone who wants one horse to cover several jobs. A quiet nature and a handy size make it a sensible pick for first-time owners, younger riders and families, and plenty of experienced owners keep Haflingers for harness work and competitive dressage as well. With a long working life, a well-looked-after Haflinger can still be doing a job well into its twenties.

The Haflinger is named after the village of Hafling in the South Tyrol, once part of Austria-Hungary and today inside northern Italy. Horses of this type had worked the steep alpine valleys for generations, packing loads and carrying people along narrow mountain tracks where a bigger horse was no use.

The modern breed goes back to a single foundation stallion, 249 Folie, foaled in 1874. Folie came from a local Tyrolean mare put to a half-Arabian stallion, and every Haflinger alive today descends from him through seven recognised stallion lines.

Formal breeding records and selection got under way in the early twentieth century. The Arabian blood still shows in the refined head and free movement; the mountain stock put in the bone, the toughness and the steady temperament.

Over the twentieth century the Haflinger moved out of the Alps, first across Austria and Italy, then on to Germany, the United Kingdom, North America and other parts of the world. Breeding stayed tightly controlled throughout so that the chestnut coat, the flaxen mane and tail and the quiet working character were kept intact.

The Haflinger is a balanced, compact horse with a deep chest, a sloping shoulder and a strong back. The head is refined and often carries a slight dish to the profile, a nod to the Arabian ancestor, set on a well-arched neck. The legs are short for the body but have good bone and hard hooves that stand up to rough going.

The horse moves freely and with elasticity. The walk is noticeably active and the trot covers ground. Taken together, the picture is of a small horse built for stamina and pulling power rather than height or speed.

Coat and colours

Colour is the one thing that never varies. The body can go from a pale, palomino-like gold through bright chestnut to a dark liver chestnut that is almost brown, but the mane and tail are always pale, anywhere from white to light flaxen. Breed rules keep white markings to a minimum: a small marking on the face is accepted, while big white patches or leg white above the knee or hock are penalised. Mane and tail are usually long and thick.

The Haflinger is known for an even, willing temperament. Most are friendly with people, put up with handling well and are slow to spook, which is why the breed is a regular at riding schools, in therapy work and in family paddocks. Around strangers a Haflinger tends to be curious and accepting rather than on edge.

With other horses the breed is sociable and settles into a herd without much fuss. Haflingers are clever, and that confidence can tip over into having opinions of their own, so consistent handling matters. One that is bored or under-worked may start pushing the boundaries, but the breed comes right with clear, fair routines. Energy is moderate: there is enough stamina for a long day's work, yet the horse stays manageable for a less experienced rider.

The Haflinger is a tough breed that handles cold and changeable weather well, a legacy of its alpine background. In an Australian summer the challenge runs the other way: shade, water and sensible timing of work matter more than shelter from the cold. Day-to-day care is simple enough, but the breed puts on weight easily, so keeping an eye on condition is part of routine management.

Grooming

• Brush the body a few times a week to shift dirt and loose hair, and more often through the spring and autumn coat change.
• Comb through the long mane and tail regularly so they do not knot up, using a detangler if needed.
• Pick out the hooves every day and check for stones, cracks or any sign of thrush.
• Wash only when there is a reason to; hosing off too often strips the natural oils from the coat.

Exercise

• Give the horse daily turnout in a paddock or yard where it can move about freely.
• Ride or drive several times a week to hold fitness and keep boredom at bay; in summer, work early or in the cool of the evening rather than through the heat of the day.
• Mix up the work between riding, harness and groundwork so the horse stays interested.
• Bring the workload back up gradually after a spell.

Environment

Haflingers do best with a paddock and a shelter to get under rather than being shut in a stable. Cold does not bother them, but in hot weather they must have shade and clean water at all times, and a shady tree or an open-sided shelter in the paddock does the job. Because they hold condition so easily, time on lush pasture may need to be cut back with a grazing muzzle or by limiting turnout.

The Haflinger is what Australian horse people call a good doer: it holds weight on very little. The diet should be built on good-quality roughage, whether that is pasture or hay. Many Haflingers need nothing more than roughage and a vitamin and mineral balancer, and hard feed is usually only warranted for a horse in heavy work or a mare in late pregnancy. Overfeeding causes far more trouble than underfeeding.

Treats and supplements

A bit of carrot or apple now and then is fine as a treat, kept small because the breed puts on weight so easily. A salt lick should be available at all times. Most Haflingers on decent roughage need little more than a balancer to fill any gaps in vitamins and minerals. Clean, fresh water must always be on hand, and on a hot day a horse drinks a great deal more, so troughs want checking more than once.

The Haflinger is generally a sound, hardy horse, and one that is well looked after will commonly live 25 to 30 years. The breed's efficient metabolism cuts both ways. It keeps a horse in good nick on very little feed, but it also means weight piles on easily, and most of the health problems follow from that. Health management is mostly a matter of keeping the horse at a sensible weight.

Preventive care

• Hold the horse at a healthy body condition with measured feeding and regular work.
• Keep vaccinations up to date on a schedule that suits the region.
• Worm on the basis of faecal egg counts rather than the calendar.
• Book the farrier every six to eight weeks and a dental check at least once a year.
• Have the vet do an annual health check, more often as the horse gets older.

The Haflinger picks things up quickly and works well with people, which makes it a good prospect across a range of disciplines. The breed can be strong-minded, so handlers get the best out of one with clear, consistent cues and a calm, patient approach. Repetition and routine help, and the breed's steady nerves mean it usually copes with new places, traffic and unfamiliar tasks without drama.

Basics

1. Start on the ground: leading, standing quietly and giving to pressure.
2. Build trust with regular handling and grooming before any ridden or harness work goes on.
3. Introduce saddlery and harness a piece at a time and let the horse accept each item.
4. Teach one new thing at a time and have it solid before moving on.
5. Keep sessions short and finish on a good note so the horse stays keen.

Haflinger breeding runs to strict standards set by the breed registries so that the chestnut colour, the flaxen mane and tail and the quiet temperament stay consistent. Breeding stock is inspected for conformation and movement before it is approved and registered. Mares reach breeding age at around three, though many breeders hold off until the mare has finished growing.

Gestation runs about eleven months and normally produces one foal. Foals are usually born a darker shade and lighten as they grow. The breed matures slowly, and young horses are generally not started under saddle until about three years of age so the skeleton has time to develop. Foals are weaned at around six months and, where possible, raised in a mob, which suits their sociable, easygoing nature.