I need to stay home...looked at two Haflinger mares today

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JadeWisc

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I have wanted one for forever! They are expensive where I live as they are not all that common.

What am I going to do......I already have the four year old home in my head!
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I fell in love with her!
At the price I can get her for I would never go wrong.

Going to spend more time with her later in the week


SOMEBODY STOP ME!
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I knew I wanted to get a bigger horse to replace Charlie, but the plan was to do it in the spring.... I wanted to wait until Tex could be sold.

"plans"
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Its ok, I had one that was spawn of the devil - I think as a rule they are pretty obstinate and stubborn, and I would never have another one. But you do get nice ones, same with any breed I guess! Good luck if you do go ahead
 
Well these are all Amish trained and raised and they usually have well diciplined horses
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She is even trained to drive
They were gentle and friendly and I suppose I will have to see more to know for sure. If I decide they are not for me I will never lose on my investment in her
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we shall see I suppose
 
Take care with a Haffie as mine put me in hospital with an almost broken neck coz he just didn't feel like school work that day. A bucking and broncing fit worthy of Sky Extreme Sports Pro Bull Riding, I'm told. Haffie's can be pigs and need discipline and boundaries though they sure do look stunning!
 
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Take care with a Haffie as mine put me in hospital with an almost broken neck coz he just didn't feel like school work that day. A bucking and broncing fit worthy of Sky Extreme Sports Pro Bull Riding, I'm told. Haffie's can be pigs and need discipline and boundaries though they sure do look stunning!

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See thats what Im talking about!
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Well those Amish take race track cast off Standardbreds fit for nothing and make them such diciplined cart horses that they can leave them untied out in front of a store with cart attached and return to the very same horse and cart not having moved a muscle . Not sure how they do it.....not sure I want to.

I have yet to see any horse as behaved as an Amish trained horse

I will heed your warning however as I have little experience with this breed as far as ownership goes.

I know that many breeds with bad reps though can have wonderful horses.
Will update you when I spend some real time with her
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have you seen her passport and is she registered haflinger as i have heard from several people that a load has been shipped over that cannot be registered and are cheap as anything, i have seen loads around since then, i have never seen one around me before but i now know of 3 in the area, all very powerful animals and will throw off the rider, im sure there are some very nice ones around though.
 
Are you in the US?

She is registered
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.I have not viewed the papers yet, but that was one of the first questions I asked.


I assume it is a "no" on the passport as she was bred in Wisconsin where I live and having a passport is not a needed or common thing for a horse here to have
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btw...If my 1,200 lb Quarter Horse REALLY wanted to he could throw me to the moon!
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I have always heard to be more wary of the slinky Arabians !
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The more agile ones could throw me faster I suspect ...lol
 
I have to agree with all of the other posters; I would never buy a Haflinger, Amish trained or not. Unless you are going to continue treating it like the Amish do, then be very wary.

There are a number of them for sale around where I live and it seems that they just cannot get rid of them as I see their prices coming down and down each week.

Granted, Haflingers are very pretty ponies, but they are incredibly head-strong and need a firm hand otherwise they will, in their very calm manner, run all over you....quite literally!

I have only had personal dealings with a handful of them - all have been bolshy, head-strong and appear to be oblivious to anything you ask of them; they are seriously lacking in good manners.

Good luck though if you do go for them - you'll need it.
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This is the only experience I have had with them, and mine is half QH too remember which probably accounts for his sweet nature, on a good day he can be very, very good, on a bad day, quite frankly, I could happily shoot him.

He is affectionate, versatile, and often willing, and he's built like a tank and fortunately really enjoys working in harness........pulled a 40' maple tree out of the bush today, and I swear he was smiling! As Tia said, if he wants to go somewhere he needs a chain under his nose and a damn good yank (no pun intended
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) to get his head up and him listening, he can be a nappy little sod at times but only with me, and he and I have some serious standoffs out on the trails.

I was at a Equine Expo earlier this year and asked the man who had Haflingers there if they were suitable for children, basically his answer was "God No, Ma'am, I wouldn't put a child of mine on them, good for hauling carts though" he later said that they are a little like Husky dogs, they were bred to work and thrive when they are doing a job.

Just my two pennies worth.
 
My mum has one. She's had him for about seven years. She is a very nervous rider and he has been brilliant for her, yes he can be stubborn and is very lazy but he is so safe and steady.

Our local riding for special needs group also has three haflingers that are also used in the riding school for abled bodied riders, all are sensible and steady for the RSN riders but also do XC, SJ and dressage comps with the able bodied riders.
 
Ok.....I am having serious second thoughts.

The true test would be taking her home, but not so sure I want to go through all of that now that the opinion seems quite steady here. I am not one to like to generalise, but I suppose taking the advice of others with actual hands on experience WITH them is wise.


I think that I was getting a little ahead of myself really anyhow. She is still quite young and if I AM going to test one out I suppose an older one with alot more experience under saddle would be best.


Now that I have had a chance to sleep on things I am thinking more clearly.

Not sure it will happen but I am not ruling out the breed altogether....just have to be patient and not worry about the great price as much as the great horse. She seemed wonderful, but getting on her and riding down the road could be another story. I was brave last night when I was posting but the last thing I want is to be thrown in front of a truck going 45 mph




There are plenty more out there
 
Oh they are usually pretty bombproof ponies so them careering under a truck is probably not going to happen. The trouble with horses like these is that they are draft horses, similar to my Canadian in so far as they are nice horses so long as you are incredibly firm with them. They just don't have "stop" perfected and are a bit like lumbering tanks and very much have a mind of their own unless contained within an arena. Put them in a cart or have them pull a wagon and you likely won't have any trouble from them - as Enfys says, they are the husky of the horse world.

Interesting what Tapir says about them having them at the RDA - exactly the same over here. Our local RDA also has a few of them probably because of their strength to carry almost any human no matter how wobbly or unbalanced that human may be; but they are always on lead reins and spend their life plodding round an arena.
 
Well I really want to be on the trail or just riding down the roads. Riding in an arena bores me . Unless it's winter
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She also would be for my daughter so even more reason to reconsider .

I know that hroses should be judged as individuals, but I am still waking up feeling more and more leary of her young age.


I think I will just start looking for a Quarter/pony or something about 13 or 14 hands that is older than 6 and VERY broke in. That is really what I wanted to replace Charlie with anyhow. Something Cajla could just jump on and follow me down the roads with behind Chester with alot less worry being involved.

I also am in no rush and really SHOULD wait until spring anyhow.
 
Sensible; stick with QH's, you know that they are good horses.

Wait till October and you will be finding absolute steals on the marketplace as people try to dump before winter arrives.
 
much appreciated
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Truth is I would have talked myself out of it anyhow just based on her lack of time under saddle.

That being said.............
Let's just say that it is a good idea I do not cruise around the countryside with a horse trailer and several thousand dollars in my pocket
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Also a good idea that I do not own 100 acers with an 50 stall barn .

All hell would break loose
 
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