Haflingers

[sharonmaskell]

I have put my lovely connie out on loan as he was way too spooky for me to handle at my age (58). I am now considering in what direction to go in and wondered whether anyone could give some info on the Haflinger. Just wondered what their temprement was like and whether generally they would be good for a nervous rider.

 

[Sprout]

I have a HaffieXFjord - he is an absolute saint to hack out, in company or alone.
But you do have to be very firm and consistent in your handling ( as with any horse or pony) as he does get very strong and bargy if he thinks he can get away with it, or if he feels insecure.
I am a lady of a certain age (!) with joint problems, and he really does look after me - pony of a lifetime.

 

[Equi]

Honestly they're not one I would put with a nervous rider. Any I know are very domineering and won't think twice about letting you know they're not up for what your asking.

 

[AdorableAlice]

If you can find a made and mannerly one and kept the boundaries tight, you might enjoy one. Personally I hate them but that comes from having to square up a spoilt one a few years ago.

I found it to be highly intelligent but not in a good way, rude and in possession of huge temper tantrums. They need plenty of work, decent fencing and not much grub. I would say no way if you are a nervous rider, a haflinger will pick it up in a nano second.

 

[HaffiesRock]

They are hard work but with the right handling and care they are very loyal. They are experts at escape, have a bottomless pit of a stomach but are just gorgeous!

I am sure there are some out there that are suitable for a nervous rider, but the 2 I have had haven't been.

 

[rhylis]

I have a haflinger mare and she is the safest most trustworthy pony I've ever met. My very novice OH rides her sometimes and on one occasion he lost his stirrups and ended up sort of sliding sideways half off her and clinging on in an effort not to hit the deck. We were in an open field with home and all her friends at the far end. She wasn't overjoyed with his riding position but she stood totally still and waited for him to clamber up her side and back upright in the saddle.
I had a bit of a confidence crisis after an operation last year and for a while I just stuck to riding her instead of any of my others, she looked after me so well that my confidence has now returned. Love her to bits!
On the down side she can be a bolshy bargy madam on the ground if she thinks she can get away with it. That seems to be a bit of a common haflinger trait!

 

[Dave's Mam]

My friend has one & he is very spooky. He spooks at his own farts for example! He is opinionated & very strong, but has his moments of being an utter sweetheart.

 

[sharonmaskell]

Thanks everyone. Will probably have to keep an open mind and judge each horse on its own merits.

 

[paddy555]

I have one and he would not suit a nervous rider. He needs the rider to give him confidence. He also needs a lot of guidance from the rider. If there is no guidance he does precisely what he wants.

 

[HiPo'sHuman]

I had one and just didn't bond him whatsoever. He was very strong, bargy, had no respect for me etc. Just my personal experience but he totally put me off the breed. I've heard good things about fjords which are similar ish?

If you want something small but chunky you can't beat a Highland imo but I am incredibly biased!

 

[SEL]

The Silvretta stud used some in their riding school when I lived in the Clent area a fair few years ago. Some were fine for novices but they had a couple that gave even experienced riders a tough time! Follow The Fat Pony facebook page - that's a hafflinger. Very funny.

 

[jojo5]

A cob!! You need a lovely, chunky laid back geezer!

 

[patchwork puzzle]

I have a Haflinger mare and she is very sharp and spooky. Her previous owner lost her nerve in her through falling off. She's known as a diva and princess and regularly called a 'competition horse in a ponies body'.
There are some who would be fine I'm sure but if you aren't confident enough it can go very wrong very quickly with others.

 

[Tapir]

my mum's a very nervous rider and had a haflinger for many happy years. There's been a few at the local riding school and all have been used for novice/beginner riders. Having dealt with both haflingers and highland ponies, I'd never consider buying a highland but would definitely think about a haflinger.

 

[Lintel]

I had one and just didn't bond him whatsoever. He was very strong, bargy, had no respect for me etc. Just my personal experience but he totally put me off the breed. I've heard good things about fjords which are similar ish?

If you want something small but chunky you can't beat a Highland imo but I am incredibly biased!

Hehe.
My recommendation also.
Right enough they can also be very stubborn. I've yet to meet a "spooky" highland.

 

[Fjord]

Personally I'd choose a Fjord over a Haffie, but I am biased...

 

[Peter7917]

I had one. To ride she was forward going but fairly straight forward. On the ground she was a complete pig

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Haffie's are beautiful to look at, and very loyal apparently; but from feedback I've had from someone who's an expert in the breed, they can be very opinionated and will easily take advantage of someone who's not sure of what they're doing around them.

I did consider one myself, but having looked at several of them, there wasn't one that I felt I would be happy to take on.

For a nervous rider? Nope, I wouldn't think so.

 

[cbmcts]

I bought one as a confidence giver, a BTDT type, ride and drive 16 years old. I really wanted a Highland but my budget just didn't stretch to the kind of HiPo I needed.

Mine was mannerly (but I imagine he would have taken the pee if given a chance) on the ground, rock solid in traffic, would pass nearly anything without a second glance - Shetlands got a glance though, he didn't trust them - and a lovely forward going ride as long as you didn't take him in the school, he didn't 'do' schooling....hacking, jumping, hunting and showing all met with his approval. Bonus was anyone taking his picture, he'd pose.

However what made him such a fantastic confidence giver also made him a bit of a sod at times, he knew everything and if you didn't agree his plans he could throw a buck. TBH after the first couple of times it didn't really bother me because I trusted him not to get himself into trouble so as long as I stuck with him I was safe ie we have a row at a junction about whether to go left (short route home home along the bridleway canter strip) or right (another couple of miles roadwork = boooring) and he started having little bucks everytime I sent him right and trying to nap left. Best part was that whenever a car came along he stood like a lamb until it passed and then battle would recommence.

He was fiendishly clever, no gate, door, fence or knot was undoable.Electric fence posts were pulled up and he would tiptoe over the tape. His idiot field mates would get tangled...He wouldn't move at a junction if there was a car coming unless it flashed their headlights nor at a red traffic light. At a green light he would try and overtake a car if it didn't move off quick enough. In harness even a numpty like me could drive him because he knew the highway code.

OP - if you are a confident handler you would be fine with enforcing manners and a good Haflinger who'd been there and got the tshirt would be a good option. In fairness you could say that of any type/breed but as they are such a marmite breed you can often get them an awful lot cheaper than those breeds. That's how I ended up with one!

 

[benz]

I've had two haffies and what made them so incredible is you could put a beginner on them or a very experienced rider and either way you would still have fun. On the ground they could try it on but never as bad as the little ponies or cobs did

As you say best to judge the horse in front of you - don't rule out all haffies but I would be looking for one that was already ridden and owned by a nervous rider without problems. In fact I would say that about any horse as its very easy for an otherwise safe, easy going horse to turn into a nightmare if rider/handler isn't confident

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Hehe.
My recommendation also.
Right enough they can also be very stubborn. I've yet to meet a "spooky" highland.

but I've met a few-all with nervous riders.

I love Haffies and have promised myself one when I retire! but then I love that sort of brain. I dont think you can rule out a whole breed-judge the horse in front of you. There are sportier ones and more old type ones about-try a few and talk to the people that know them best.

 

[koopmae]

If you choose the right one, they are a great breed - especially if you have the confidence on the ground.
But ultimately they are not really any different to any other breed, its just they generally are 'brighter' and can be very, very quick to learn.

I would trust mine with a novice, and have done. But I've treated him like any other horse I've had or worked with. He's changed the minds of many people about the breed, so it's not just me being biased!!

 

[Shadowdancing]

Only one I met was extremely difficult! Had driven previously and think he went back to that. He used to run off when you tried to get on him giving his rider several bad falls and was very stroppy and rude to handle. He went through all kinds of vet and tack checks and behavioural interventions but despite being given a clean bill of health could never be trusted.

Course you can't judge a whole breed on one horse but it wasn't the best introduction.