Fjords and Haflingers - where can I find either?

[Lilz29]

Hi all!

I've recently been looking for a new pony and absolutely love Fjords and Haflingers, does anyone know where I might be able to find either? I've had a look around online but have hardly come across any, the only ones I've found are foals, I'm looking for one which has some life experience (as I'm looking for a been there done it confidence giver type, i'm not a total beginner but I'm used to riding school ponies and am learning), presume this makes the search harder but I'm happy to wait for the right one, if anyone has any advice/info that'd be much appreciated! many thanks in advance

 

[Meowy Catkin]

How much have you had to do with each breed?

Will this be the first pony/horse that you will own?

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’m not sure they re an ideal first pony/horse but there are Fjords south of Edinburgh and a friend of mine buys Haflingers from south west England. Just pop your requirements into the horse buying websites and keep looking.

 

[Sprout]

I cant help you with where to look, but just wanted to say I had a HaffieXFjord called Custard who I adored, but oh boy could he be stubborn and strong .... ground work and consistent firmness and boundaries are essential.
Good Luck in your search for something suitable.

 

[wren123]

We had a fjord pony at our RDA and he was quite strong willed, he used to need a strong, experienced leader! I wouldn't have thought suitable for a first pony, he wasn't nasty but he thought his way was the right way.

I've edited to say he was a great RDA pony in a lot of ways, not spooky, not bothered by unbalanced, unpredictable riders and also good to lead in that he was quite forward.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

As you can imagine we have a lot of fjords over here, we also have quite a lot of Haflingers. Neither breed for me, would really be suitable for a beginner. They are generally very strong willed and im Yet to come across one that isn’t strong to ride. Most will need a confident, experienced rider. Obviously there are exceptions to every breed, just not met one yet.

I quite like this article about Haflingers, this might explain better: https://horseracingsense.com/haflinger-horses-good-beginner-riders-facts/

 

[paddy555]

for a haffy in the UK you could do what I did which was to go to the breed show (Rugby 12/14 Aug) and talk to people there. It took only minutes looking in boxes before breeders started to appear and passed me on from one to the other.
They were all very friendly and within an hour I had been introduced to all the main studs and small breeders and horses were being run out everywhere for me whether they were for sale or not. Then someone knew a very small breeder who may have something suitable and found him for me.

I didn't intend to buy a horse, merely went to look as you do. The next day we found ourselves driving back up the motorway to collect the winner of the 2yo class. (I was happy with unbroken)

However haflingers are an acquired taste. They are not basically calm in the way many fells, dales and highlands are. They are more nervy, sparky, and need a confident rider to push them on if they get scared and also to stand up to them (very tactfully) when they are naughty. I wouldn't say that they would always be a "confidence giver". I found more often mine was nervy and turned to the rider for confidence.
I remember him stopping on the top of the common. He refused to go forward, refused to turn left or right. In the end I gave up and turned towards home. You've guessed, he refused to go that way either. They do have a sense of humour.

They are beautiful, friendly and a wonderful experience. He was my first and I would probably have another but it would be against a background of knowing what they are like.

I've only met one fjord that I would have bought instantly except he was too small for me. A real rough, tough little machine who was certainly going to go anywhere pretty quickly. If he was characteristic of the breed then I wonder if they are a "first" horse either.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

As Ownedby4horses said, there's quite a lot of Fjord horses in Sweden. So when they're bought by first time horse owners over here, the new owner usually have previous experience of Fjords, and knows/believes that their temperament will suit them.
We actually have a few places which mainly have Fjords for their clients to ride, most well known is perhaps Sindarve Gård, and Taffsnäs Gård, the later have e.g. had Summer riding camps for children age 8 years, and upwards since 1963.

Anyhow, I wouldn't want to discourage you completely from considering getting a Fjord horse, but if you haven't met any in real life, I would try finding a place where you can get to meet, and know some Fjords in real life, before thinking of buying one.

 

[Lilz29]

Many thanks for all your advice and replies! This is very helpful so thank you To be honest I don't know much about either breed but one of my riding instructors suggested a haffie for me, and I came across a very sweet Fjord a few weeks back which I wanted to buy but got beaten to the post on the sale unfortunately. Hence why I thought of looking at both breeds, but I appreciate horse buying isn't just a question of breeds! I take your point though, I'll do my research on both and see where it takes me

 

[Lilz29]

How much have you had to do with each breed?

Will this be the first pony/horse that you will own?

Hi, in answer to your query, yes it would be my first and no I don't have much experience of the breeds, although I'm pretty sure I rode a few haffies when I was a child which was a while back! lol

 

[Lilz29]

for a haffy in the UK you could do what I did which was to go to the breed show (Rugby 12/14 Aug) and talk to people there. It took only minutes looking in boxes before breeders started to appear and passed me on from one to the other.
They were all very friendly and within an hour I had been introduced to all the main studs and small breeders and horses were being run out everywhere for me whether they were for sale or not. Then someone knew a very small breeder who may have something suitable and found him for me.

I didn't intend to buy a horse, merely went to look as you do. The next day we found ourselves driving back up the motorway to collect the winner of the 2yo class. (I was happy with unbroken)

However haflingers are an acquired taste. They are not basically calm in the way many fells, dales and highlands are. They are more nervy, sparky, and need a confident rider to push them on if they get scared and also to stand up to them (very tactfully) when they are naughty. I wouldn't say that they would always be a "confidence giver". I found more often mine was nervy and turned to the rider for confidence.
I remember him stopping on the top of the common. He refused to go forward, refused to turn left or right. In the end I gave up and turned towards home. You've guessed, he refused to go that way either. They do have a sense of humour.

They are beautiful, friendly and a wonderful experience. He was my first and I would probably have another but it would be against a background of knowing what they are like.

I've only met one fjord that I would have bought instantly except he was too small for me. A real rough, tough little machine who was certainly going to go anywhere pretty quickly. If he was characteristic of the breed then I wonder if they are a "first" horse either.

Thanks Paddy, this show sounds brilliant! I'll definitely head over even if I don't buy a haffie in the end!

 

[Ownedby4horses]

I’m surprised your instructor would suggest a haflinger. ?. Have you thought about a native breed? Have a look at native breeds in the U.K,

 

[Errin Paddywack]

There used to be a Haflinger stud locally and we met some on occasion. Admittedly I haven't known any really well but from what I have seen they can be stubborn and self-opinionated. They wouldn't be my choice of a first horse.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I can't comment on Fjords because I haven't ridden one. I can say that nothing made me appreciate how wonderful my chestnut mare is more than the ungenerous temperament of the Haflinger gelding I once knew.

 

[paddy555]

I can say that nothing made me appreciate how wonderful my chestnut mare is more than the ungenerous temperament of the Haflinger gelding I once knew.

probably hard to disagree with you but I lost mine 18 months ago and the language I used about him over the years would have me banned from this site. But I would have him back in an instant. There is something about them.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

probably hard to disagree with you but I lost mine 18 months ago and the language I used about him over the years would have me banned from this site. But I would have him back in an instant. There is something about them.

I know the feeling, the ones that are absolute sods but don't kill you can definitely get under your skin.

His owner adored him but she couldn't really do anything with him. Eventually he was just retired. I have met others that were less awkward but even so I never really associated them with first time owners/novice owners. Beautiful though - flaxen chestnut with pangare. In a way that is their downfall. They are so pretty but I think they are better off having a job and working hard.

There was at least one low end dealer a few years back that imported a few and sold them to mismatched homes. From what I was told they had mainly been driving horses, the dealer would quickly back them and sell them as riding horses. Not ideal.

 

[teddypops]

I love fjords. They have a range of temperaments as do all horses. I worked on a yard where they were bred and used for lessons and hacking. They were good fun little horses.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Helen Blair at North Worcestershire Equestrian Centre breeds Haflingers. She is a lovely lady who would give you all the information you would need regarding the breed. They thrive on vast amounts of hard work, no feed and a very firm hand. She would advise you the breed is not suitable for first time or novice owners.

The one I had anything to do with was rotten to the core and nasty with it, vastly too intelligent for its own good and terrorised its owner, who bought it as a first horse because she liked the colour. It met its maker at a young age due to temperament issues.

 

[paddy555]

ours was bottle fed by girls due to his mum having mastitis and being unable to feed him. A 2 yo bottle fed "male chauvinistic pig" with utter contempt for females who was vastly over intelligent and who was also one of the larger, taller/leaner types was great fun.

 

[I'm Dun]

PSSM is very very common in halfingers and probably accounts for all the horror stories. I wouldnt say one is a first horse material. Fjords however would be. I've never met one I didnt like and that wouldnt be suitable for a competent novice

 

[millikins]

There was a haffie mare in our Pony Club, she was an absolute delight, willing and a good all rounder however she I think was an exception. Not sure if this is true but I heard many end up here after originally being bred for the meat market where temperament is not an issue, but they sell easily in the U.K. as very pretty and a nice size.

 

[Lilz29]

I’m surprised your instructor would suggest a haflinger. ?. Have you thought about a native breed? Have a look at native breeds in the U.K,

I haven’t as of yet but will take a look at them also. Thanks for the article it’s pretty insightful indeed!

 

[Ownedby4horses]

OP, this sounds like an ideal reason for a trip to Norway once travel can be sorted easier:

https://www.norsk-fjordhestsenter.no/en/

 

[paddy555]

PSSM is very very common in halfingers and probably accounts for all the horror stories.

that is very true.

 

[Lilz29]

OP, this sounds like an ideal reason for a trip to Norway once travel can be sorted easier:

https://www.norsk-fjordhestsenter.no/en/

Yes this is true, I’d love to go to Norway! many thanks for the link! hopefully once restrictions have lifted I’ll be able to go to the centre there

 

[Northern]

I have a Haflinger, at the time I had been looking for at least 6 years for one before I bought her as a just backed 5 year old. She's been such great fun, we are working our way up the dressage ranks at the moment. I can do anything with her and enjoy her immensely. However in no way, shape or form would she be suitable as a first (or even second) horse. The breed itself is incredibly intelligent and will put it over anyone who is even remotely nervous or unsure, mine would do it in an instant. The breed gets a bad reputation because they are often bought for their looks without a second thought about anything else. They are best put to hard work and love having a job. I would say lack of work and stimulation combined with timid riding is the primary reason we don't see many of them out and about here (Australia).

I have no experience with Fjords, but I imagine they wouldn't be dissimilar. It sounds like a nice idea to buy a "pretty" breed like these two for your first horse, but I would really urge you to reconsider looking for a specific breed. Rather go look at horses who suit your stage of riding, think about the breed/colour/gender as a secondary factor.

Picture of my girl

 

[sbloom]

Make sure you have a tame saddle fitter lined up who has the right saddles, and experience/skills, to fit a saddle to them too, not the easiest on the whole.

From my experience fitting them I'd not recommend them as a first horse.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Ardmeddan stud in Scotland they have a face book page. They breed haflingers

 

[Spirit2021]

They are great fun I used to ride one as a young teenager .

 

[windand rain]

The fjord I knew was crazy strong galloped off all the time could jump like a stag but at speed everything was done at very high speed