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 worlds original and finest family horse.
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.
Since that time, the breed has become the favorite choice of both children and adults. 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.
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 Haflinger 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. In California, Haflinger fans get together several times a
year at play days, barbecues and other fun events to enjoy their horses and each others
company. If you are interested in finding out more about these wonderful horses, contact us
sharon@rollingponyranch.com or by phone at 209-848-2507.
Quality Registered Haflinger Horses
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