Please talk to me about HAFLINGERS

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Frangipan

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Hi I'm new on here and seeking some advice on Haflingers.

I have done some research and have read about how they can have quite bad manners etc so would like to know more.

The reason I am asking is that I have been offered a Haflinger on loan (part loan only, 3 days per week). I have been to see it and it seemed fine to ride and handle while I was there, although the owner has said it can be a bit cheeky from time to time.......

The owner does lots of Parelli and natural horsemanship stuff and reckons that on the whole it is quite well-mannered, just with cheeky moments.

The horse is for myself (an adult) however I am fairly novice, although I have had lessons in a riding school for a few years this would be my first loan.

I would be having a lesson once a week on the Haflinger.

Any views on Halfingers much appreciated.

Thanks
 
The Paralli BS would make me run a hundred miles but ignoring that.

There is massive variation in breeds as there is in people. A lot of haffie's I've met are very clever and know thier own mind so novices can get walked over a bit but not problem if you know what you're doing and keep the brain engaged rather than getting into a fight with them.

Then again I've known some that were sweet as pie and would walk over hot coals for you :)

I'd just see if you can get to know him a bit before you say yes or no. Do some stable chores as well as ride.
 
There's a stud that reguarly compete in graded endurance rides & do very well with them. I remember one leaving venue last year at Golden Horseshoe, went through gate to exit field & promptly bucked rider off. Personal impression is that they are like big ponies. Have an opinion & happy to share it with rider, but no malice in them. Not 'steady eddy' types, think they need positive handling & riding. Think 'cheeky moments' may be euphamism for 'bit of a git at times'.
 
I have a haffy and a haffy x arab and I would have a yard full of them if I could! I think the problem is they need consistant firm but fair handling, but because they are cold blooded they are seen as ideal for novices, so perhaps don't get the right sort of handling. In any case I would judge the horse on it's own merits and not just as a breed as they are all individuals at the end of the day.
 
As with all horses it depends what owners they've had and how consistent / firm said owners have been.

If she does some parelli chances are she is quite firm so long as its done well and consistently.

Most haffies iv met have been fine so long as u go with the attitude of this is my space, that is yours etc.

Go with an open mind and see :)
 
I have owned a Haffy and can honestly say he put a smile on my face every day of his life, he was big for one for this breed and definitely cheeky, could be very strong and knew his own mind, for all that he was great and had the courage of a lion, except when we came face to face with a huge stag in the woods one day lol! I dont really think this is a breed for a total novice tho as they will take advantage if allowed but if you can handle it then go for it and have lots of fun, they are great characters.
 
I've known a few haflingers and both have been hard to handle on the ground, both quite pully and bolshy. One was extremely lazy to ride and the other was very hot headed and cheeky. I personally love them and would jump at the chance if I was offered one as they can make such good allrounders.
 
I have a haffy & love them. I wouldn't say they were suitable for a novice as I do think they need a firm hand as can be bolshy & strong. I can let anyone handle him my 2yr old leads & brushes him & he is so gentle with her. The only time he can get bolshy is when you open the stable door so you have to be firm otherwise he will push through you & to ride again he is great with my 2yr old as he is being led, but off lead you have to be experienced as he is so strong. Although saying that I know other haffy's that are ideal for novice so I think it comes down to every individual horse as Scrooge said don't judge a horse by it's breed

If you like the one you have seen why not see if you can go back a couple more times or take up the share & just see how it goes. Good luck :)
 
LOVE THEM!

Would also have a yard full of them given the chance.

I have a 15hh haffy mare and yes you must never give her an inch or you will be in trouble (the type who once they know their own strength will use it against you). They can be pretty bolshy and naughty but mine is very sweet, polite and had good manners in general - because she has boundaries. Similar to a lot of these mini tank like breeds really like highlands etc. You being a novice might not be a problem, just make sure you know about backing a horse out of your space so you don't get barged and are confident, that is more important really.

Coincidentally my Haffy has also had some parelli training - if I'd known this I might have tread more carefully, not that its a big problem but you really need to know how a horse has been handled in its younger life so you can anticipate their reactions (she can't be bullied into doing anything and will fight you if she wants to!). I guess the owner will be happy to show you how all that works... I don't like it, but mainly because I think it confuses the horse a bit when you chop and change methods. Haffies are often very clever, they have the capacity to learn things after just a few tries, but unfortunately that means they easily learn unwanted behaviour easily. Also if you try to change methods they get frustrated (like when I lunge my mare she doesn't really get it but is getting there).

Mine is 5 and can be spooky, but as they are so trainable we'll get there. They are not necessarily ploddy, although mine is a bit.

Some of them have a lot of Arab in their breeding which I think can be seen in mine.

They are extremely versatile and will have a go at pretty much anything.
 
I knew one. Bit of a story behind him, in the end he went to a dealers but ill tell you anyway.

He was bought as a present for a 12 year old girl who was fairly novicey. He was quite forward going and occasionally bucked in the school in canter and she wasn't confident enough for him. He was cheeky in hand too but they had a firm hand on him so was not too bad on the ground for them. Anyway the girl lost confidence riding him , So they ended up 'selling' him to an older girl at the yard. In the meantime I rode him and he was fab, very forward but never played up. He would also lead correctly with me as he got told off otherwise . So they sold him to this older girl who was adamant she could handle him but turned him into a nightmare. Within the first week he had reared, bucked, bolted and she fell off and broke her leg so her novice mum had to look after him. This resulted in him being soo rude- bargy, would walk up your heels , tow you about , you name it. So the short of that was they boxed him up and sent him to a dealer . I now hear that he is a trekking pony at a popular centre.

I think they are very special- they have loads of character and know when they can push the limits, so I wouldn't say they're suitable for novices. The older girl 'thought' she was more experienced that what she was, and even to this day she's been through 3 horses and now has a highly strung tb!
 
I have a haffy and he is the sweetest, most loving pony I've ever owned. BUT he is cheeky, too clever for his own good and definitely not a novice ride. He needs to be kept busy a) as weight control and b) because he gets bored quickly and then gets rude, pushy and more difficult to handle. He is forward and sharp when ridden but not particularly spooky. Having said all that he adores people and cuddles, always nosy and watching the activity on the yard and everybody loves him :-)
 
Met a couple. General impression of the breed is a great fun over-grown pony for a confident assertive adults but generally too opinionated for a novice or someone who's a bit of a wet blanket.
 
I personally have known 2 Haffys the first was Max he was a big strong haffy that knew his size, pushed his luck all the time he would not be ridden when i first saw him, he used to bolt and throw the rider, in 6 months he got me off twice, the first time I fractured 2 vertebrae in my neck and the second time he broke my collar bone. I advised his owner to advertise him as a companion and very honestly list all his habits, teach him some manners and get rid which she did.

She then went and bought another Haffy i nearly cried when she told me, but Yorgi was the sweetest pony you could ever wish to meet and he was perfect for her and a true gentleman, his owner had many happy years with him, if it had not been for Yorgi i would have been totally against Haffys.

I suppose they are like all horses every single one is different, good luck with yours just be realistic and give both of you time to get used to each other.
 
I ride a haffy who could be a 1st Pony. Manners to die for, never put a foot wrong. Will walk past anything spooky, hacked out where she'd never been before, small country roads at hay cutting time after 3 months off (not knowing). No gadgets. Jumps beautifully even with very novice (me in a school) on board.

Yet witnessed her tanking off down a main road with previous owner and throwing herself infront of cars when spooking. Wouldn't have believed if not seen myself.
 
Kallibear said:
or someone who's a bit of a wet blanket.
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loved this. I have one. Haflingers and wet blankets definitely do not go together.

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I have a Haffy and again, would have a hundred if I could!!

My Haffy is as sweet as anything. Never barges or is rude, but if he doesnt want to do something, you have to be very firm with him. He doesnt like having his feet picked out so he will need to be told if he's fidgetting, but once told hes fine. They need consistent, firm handling but Benji doesnt have a nasty bone in his body.

Because of the ice, Benji hasn't come in for 3 days as the yard is a death trap so when I got him in today I was prepared for a manners session! But he was a star! Stood to let me pick his feet (even lifted them in turn for me) let we clean and oil his legs with no fuss. But tomorrow he will probably be an idiot again!

He is an absolute star to ride and never strong or silly, but my friend rode him and he was spooky and silly and trotted off with her at speed!! Benji is very much a one human horse and is great for me, but anyone else would struggle to even catch him!

They are amazing horses, strong, versatile, loving and loyal and if you give them firm handling and respect you cant go wrong. Here is my boy just because I love him so much. He LOVES to give cuddles :D

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My friend has one and used to ride her while lookin for horse. She was Bolshy on ground. Ridden wise she could be quite strong however brave as a lion and very well schooled! Could turn her hand to anything!
 
I love mine, he's very sensitive, never bargy and rude and would do anything to please you. He can be very sharp and a nervous rider terrifies him, but give him clear boundaries and a calm rider and he'll try his heart out. He'll jump anything, hunt all day, is a lamb to handle and my 2 year old leads him about. He is clever too. Despite being too small for me, and supposed to be a project, I am never going to part with him. He's out on a part share ATM but my daughter will have him for pony club in a few years.

Mine is a bit unusual though. My old boss used to import them so we saw a fair few at the yard, and they were ALL without exception, bolshy, oppinionated, bargy and too clever for their own good. With the exception of mine, I've not met one that doesn't have a buck in it. Strong as oxes though and they love love love to work, the harder the better. Half the time, the naughty ones were only naughty cos they were bored. Not suitable for novices at all, but I can see the attraction if you like a big strong pony with a sense of humour that can work all day and live on fresh air.


Pic of mine cos he is a bit special!

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Mine has never bucked either. But we had one come through that we nicknamed "the bucking armchair". He would rodeo in canter, but was so wide and lazy, that it was like sitting a giant chair that was bouncing up and down. We thought it was hillarious. :D

Another I recal had an evil buck in him and would quite intentionally walk into the middle of the school, in the middle of a lesson, and tip the children over his shoulder. He would look the instructor straight in the eye as he did it, I swear, he was so naughty! He also used to removed coats from the mounting block with his mouth as he walked by and wave them around like a flag.
 
I love mine to bits but then I have had her at 3 before backing and really only I have ever ridden her - and so I have been able to enforce a reasonable and consistent discipline!

They are cobs - and like a lot of cobs they are clever, greedy, cheeky and live on fresh air.

Treat them firmly and fairly and you couldnt want for a better horse.

Be wary of those who have been through a lot of homes and are bargy, a lot are imported en masse from the continent, not well enough handled or only driving trained and then novices buy them :-O or even get them as kids ponies :-OOOOOO

I love the fact that Liesel chatters away all the time, whinnying or smacking her lips or doing handstands round the field. She has only bucked me off once - and that was due to catching sight of a sheepskin girth round her tummy (I was trying to be nice making her comfy but we havent repeated that experiment!). I can tell what she is thinking just by looking in her eye - which has never been the case with my gelding even tho Ive had him 14 years!

Heres Liesel!
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lachlanandmarcus said:
I can tell what she is thinking just by looking in her eye - which has never been the case with my gelding even tho Ive had him 14 years!
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Aww so true! Mine has such an expressive face, I love her big brown eyes and she has a wide repertoire of moods which I find interesting and seems to be a good lesson in horse body language!

Well I can't leave you without a pic of my fabulous blonde one ;-)

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I used to work at a haflinger stud so have worked with all type of haffies they are fab, they have beautiful temperaments but can be cheeky at times they all have there own personalities, but they really are a good all round horse :)
 
I had one I backed and started then sold on.

He was a star. Apart from a phobia of whips he was PERFECT from the moment we started him to when we sold him. He was a 4yo and I'd of trusted him with my granny. He was very very laid back, sensible but responsive. Never EVER refused anything.

Built like a brick ***** house but never ever used his strength. I wish I knew what happened to him. I don't suppose anyone knows a 15hh haffie gelding with a very equal blaze (literially a straight line) called Ontario State, must be about..10 now?
 
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