Does everyone hate Haflingers?

I knew one that came into a dealers yard, it was bargy little b*gger but I thought it would be Ok, just a wee pony-was strong as hell!! most fun thing in the world though. The yard bought it as an RDA pony and we were quite surprised as he was quite sharp-he was absolutley brilliant at its job was used for years and was alot of peoples favourite-still used to play up when he was't "working" though. I like them, very pretty.
 
The RDA yard I helped at had a Haflinger too. He was clever, opinionated, greedy and strong...and fantastic at his job and loved by everybody. Very handsome boy too.
 
We have had one 11 years and he does not owe us a penny! He gave my daughter enormous confidence and has turned his hoof to everything asked of him. He is getting on a bit now and needs danilon once a day for arthritis in the knee but he has been my saving grace this last year. I lost my horse in January and three weeks later my daughters second horse died suddenly. Fudge, our haffie was actually turned away at the time due to no jockey. I was not financially in the position to buy something else for myself so I gently introduced Fudge back to work. He has been a star!!!

He does more than I realised - someone has worked him really well in the past. He does lateral work, turns round the forehand and rein back - he is brilliant at gates and with me is a forward going fun hack but very safe. My daughter has never really challenged him and for her he has been a buckle end safe as houses plod - all she wanted really.

I would have another any day.

There is a haffie mare on the yard who is owned by someone I am very fond of but she is too soft to have this kind of pony. The mare is opinionated and naughty but only with her owner. She actually works in the riding school as a working livery and the kids have a lot of fun on her - she teaches them some horses need a firm consistent hand otherwise they take the proverbial! Another bright haffie that can read and respond to a variety of riders!
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
I adore mine but agree with the comments about cheap imported ones from the continent that havent been given the firm consistent treatment that all opinionated coblets need as youngsters. Also the rules there allow some non haffie blood so you can get some issues from that influencing temperament.

I was lucky and instead of buying a broken one with an unknown history I got to buy a GB registered well bred unbroken 3yo and after backing her with my RI YO she is my horse of a lifetime (now 8yo). She is Austrian bloodlines and out there they cull anything not up to scratch, so standards are high. She isnt at all mare-y, is clever and affectionate and talkative and is very willing to try anything. Lives on fresh air, no shoes, synthetic tack, thats what ponies should be like!

I do think that they are, like Welsh Ds, strong and can take advantage of little ones, so not ideal as a first pony. Ideal for mum and daughter share tho. Several up here in the Grampians do endurance with them as they can trot forever; their trot isnt too tiringly extravagant in movement so they keep going.

My farrier did groan when he saw his new client had a Haffie but he says she has converted him to the breed as she is so well behaved with him.

So if you're going to get a Haffie, get a GB registered one (branded GBH on the shoulder :-) and an edelweiss flower on the flank shows it has been inspected at 3yo) and preferably as young as possible so that you can give it the discipline and love it needs).

Here's Liesel...
Liesel5corrachreeendurance2May10.jpg
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hi hope you don't mind me asking but did you get her from Doug?
 
Just bought a 2 yr old gelding & can't WAIT to pick him up in 3 weeks time, lost my old boy (sec D stallion) in August & am hoping that 15yrs experience with him will stand me in good stead (also own an ex racer mare so am well used to opinionated beasties!!;))
Saw one at Your horse Live last yr in the breeds parade & fell in love, then saw this chap advertised a few weeks ago & he's gorgeous (& a great price which helps!!), drove a 6hr round trip to go cuddle, paid deposit & as I say CAN'T WAIT to bring him home & start our (hopefully long, fun & happy) life together :)
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Yes! She's Millhall Liesel (by pretty boy Barrique out of Doug's lovely Laja (by Amadeus). All snouty nostrils and tossing mane)!

Edited to add thats Liesel with the nostrils and mane not Doug :-)
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I instantly recognised her!! First saw a pic of her when Doug sent it to me when she was about 2. She was the most beautiful mare I had seen on that pic.
I did consider her but had too many horses.

I have Millhall Alf. Laja x Alpine.
 
I had a filly by Alpine 12 years ago, she was lovely but sadly I had to sell her and her Mum.
There weren't so many around in those days, we had some lovely times at the breed show in Malvern.
Would love to know where Diamond is now (we called her Jennie) the person I sold her to sold her on and I had brief contact with her new owner but not for many years.
 
paddy555 said:
I instantly recognised her!! First saw a pic of her when Doug sent it to me when she was about 2. She was the most beautiful mare I had seen on that pic.
I did consider her but had too many horses.

I have Millhall Alf. Laja x Alpine.
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That's so cool! But where is the piccie of the lovely Alf? :-)) we need to see him! After all he's her half Bro!

Liesel has a very 'arab' face for a Haffie, comes from her Dad who was a real pretty boy (sorry Barrique!)

It is great out hacking her up here in Aberdeenshire as people are very pleasant if you meet them in their cars cos they think she is so pretty :-) I ride out with my friend on her Fell pony mare so we have a pair of blonde and black haired coblet girlies!

They have a few Haflingers in the Queen's stalking pony herd at Balmoral, which is I think why there are also classes at Royal Windsor show for Haffies. So they can't be all bad!
 
How can you not like a Haffie???? Gorgeous little things and very clever. They are very strong and are used as the trekking ponies in Laggan, Scotland (other trekking centres available). So quiet and kind. I didn't ride as I felt too big for them but they carried blokes up the hill no question!!!!

A friend has one and she is lovely.
 
Faracat said:
If the cob really was palomino, it wasn't a haffy because haffys are all chestnut.
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That's what I'm saying. The cob (well more of a LW cob) in question had a flaxen mane & tail and was palomino, and because it was of a heavier build (like a haffie) then it was automatically branded a haflinger. Of course it wasn't actually a haflinger, it didn't look like one at all.
 
Hafflingers are huge over here in Germany, and they're everywhere. I think they're super, they're small enough for children, and stocky enough for adults, and versatile enough to do what you want.
 
I like them but I just dont think they are versatile enough to be able to do lots of things :)

I do stand to be corrected tho but I am under the imperssion they are limited but again no offence intended to owners of these lovely ponies and feel free to correct me and show pics :D
 
I have a Haflinger and though i dont go along with stereo types of any breed i would certainly agree that they need to be fairly but firmly dealt with. Our haffie was bought from a lady rider who was an absolute nervous novice with no confidence what so ever. Consequently he turned into a big fat bargy pig...but in my opinion the best pony in the world would have been ruined by such ineffective leadership, especially when you bear in mind he was only 4.
We have had him a year and he has gone from needing 3 people to tack him up, dropping his weight on the farrier, dangerous barging in the stable, serious barging issues when fed, impossible to lead or load, unable to be tied up, running through fences and gates and to top it off scared to death of everything slightly unfamilar.
You may ask why the hell did you take him on? and there has been times when i have asked the same but i always thought he just needed a proper owner who demanded respect and i was right. He is now able to be tacked up by my small 11 year old on her own without being tied in the paddock, lifts his feet on request, keeps his distance and waits to be asked to come in when being fed and now leads like a poodle under sedation.
I would never say our pony was perfect and he still has confidence issues but his improvement is amazing and i know he would never bite, kick or be nasty in anyway.
By the way i also have a tb so know all about peoples mis conceptions of certain breeds and types and i find it really annoying!
 
I don't think I'd own one (Purely because I want a standardbred!)
I've ridden the most gorgeous haffie on the beach, she's fantastic!! She can be strong sometimes, but was a dream on the beach. She's a perfect mother too :)

Here's Sandy!
HolkamBeach11059.jpg
 
NiknKia said:
I like them but I just dont think they are versatile enough to be able to do lots of things :)

I do stand to be corrected tho but I am under the imperssion they are limited but again no offence intended to owners of these lovely ponies and feel free to correct me and show pics :D
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I had my butt wooped at my first competition by a group of Hafflingers, and I really do think they're versatile.
Showing,
Driving,
Dressage is a BIG thing on Haffies out here,
Jumping,
Hunter classes,
Schooling horses,
long distance,
family horses.
We don't do much Xcountry, but the times I have seen it 20% entries are hafflingers. It also depends on the breeding/confirmation as well, but the same can be said for anything to be fair. I think they're great allrounders!
 
I have 2 a mare and a stallion and I love them to bits, they are smart, fun and really easy to train. I do endurance with them and they are fantastic. They are also cheap to keep and very hardy.
Here is Nero my stallion at 3 years old


This is my mare Eva

 
It's not the breed I dislike, it's usually the typical Haffie owner;) There are far too many out their owner by nervous novice middleaged woman who have totally ruined then :( I've met quite a few and they've mostly been bargey opinionated spoilt brats. Safe as houses but brats. Same can sadly be said for highland's and cobs.

I do also very much agree with NiknKia. They're fairly limited what you can do with then at much more than local level. There's no showing classes for them (unlike Highland's which usually have a section all to themselves even at local level), they're not amazing jumpers, they're only ok at dressage, too little to be good eventers and generally too small for most adults to feel comfortable. Pretty to look at, fabby as hacking ponies and more than capable of grass root low level comp, but difficult to place in a job in higher level mainstream adult competition
 
I have a Haflinger x Anglo arab, have had him 13 years (he is 17) and love him to bits!
Although I have only ever done hacking with him(no transport to do anything else), I did a 19km Endurance ride in July and he loved it (as much as I did I think!)
We also did some jumps last Monday -which he had never really done appart from trees fallen on the ground!- he understood what he had to do very quickly (were the jumps used for a fun ride in the countryside last Sunday).
After 3 or 4 jumps he knew I didn't want him to go round them but jump them and wouahoo he was then going for it and not avoiding them!

I also put the 29 months old little girl I look after on him since she was 9months and yesterday for the first time we walked around the farm for about 10/15mins instead of staying in the yard.
He was so good walking slowly for her to be able to stay in the saddle!

I do agree with others who say Haflingers know what they want.
He can be stubborn but never nasty or vicious in any way!
He has never kicked or bitten anyone and only used to buck when excited when he was a lot younger!
I really trust him with anyone and he is a star with children, my sharers little one and the little one I look after can brush him, fuss him, picked his feet and he is as good as gold!

Sorry, I have to put a picture of him :-D

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Kallibear said:
It's not the breed I dislike, it's usually the typical Haffie owner;) There are far too many out their owner by nervous novice middleaged woman who have totally ruined then :( I've met quite a few and they've mostly been bargey opinionated spoilt brats. Safe as houses but brats. Same can sadly be said for highland's and cobs.

I do also very much agree with NiknKia. They're fairly limited what you can do with then at much more than local level. There's no showing classes for them (unlike Highland's which usually have a section all to themselves even at local level), they're not amazing jumpers, they're only ok at dressage, too little to be good eventers and generally too small for most adults to feel comfortable. Pretty to look at, fabby as hacking ponies and more than capable of grass root low level comp, but difficult to place in a job in higher level mainstream adult competition
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Agree to an extent as they are 14-14.2 normally so if you want high level competion then no, they arent for you. But mentions in earlier posts of the haffie classes at Royal Windsor and the advanced medium dressage haffie (and there are quite a few at high levels in Endurance)? So no not for advanced SJ or XC and showing is limited cos they are a 'foreign breed' but 95%+ riders in this country arent wanting high level competition horses they want a fun allrounder!

Do disagree re the adults feeling comfy tho, Im 5 7 and not that light and with their barrel shape they take up the leg beautifully and it all looks perfectly in proportion, better than being overhorsed. The only thing is that you do need good balance and a secure seat as they have a lower head carriage than many horses so theres not much in front of you to stop you if you go out the front door!

far rather my go faster stripes haffie than my 17 hand hunter anyday :-)) You forget when you ride horses how much more fun ponies are!!!
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Alf is lovely! He has the lovely soft eyed look that Laja seems to give her foals - I always think she looks like Ermyntrude the cow twirling a flower in the mouth on the Magic Roundabout (which you are prob waaay too young to remember!)
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He He He, wish I was too young to remember :D:D

yes he does look sweet. He wasn't like that when he came. They had trouble basically keeping him alive as a foal and he was very lucky to be on a haflinger stud with the people able to deal with him. Unfortunately he learnt at a very early age how to become a male chauvenistic pig with all the young girls running around bottle feeding him. It took him a while to get the message. :D
 
I dallied with the idea of buying one as a pleasant hack once i passed 60, and researched them thoroughly. I ended up really liking one line from a stallion call Allahies I think, they were taller and more elegant than the usual ones and looked stunning.
I decided the best point of contact would be their National show at Malvern so duly took myself there and settled down for a few hours to watch. After seeing what seemed like a hundred horses I decided I only liked three, and guess what, on checking the catalogue found they were related to the above stallion. I wandered round the stables and eavesdropped on some of the exhibitors, and what I heard put me right off; most people seemed to be moaning about how despite all their training their horses never seemed to change, how bargey they were and yes, they tolerated it but they wished they weren't! The final straw was talking to a chap at the ringside who seemed to have an entire riding school filled with them, he had lots entered that day and pointed out a mare for sale. He then went on to explain she was a bit iffy temperament wise, had been known to attack riders when they fell off and was nasty in the stable.
I left the show and although yes I think they are beautiful horses, I'm not sure I would ever want one as a breed.
There is of course good and bad in every breed, but why on earth struggle with something that has little desire to co-operate, they should have bred that trait out long ago.. Now cross one with something else and I suspect you would get a smashing type, stocky but beautiful, better moving and sane, perhaps I will one day.
 
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