Owners of these tough horses share that they can do pretty much anything you ask of them—and excel at it.

Stewie

If you ask a Haflinger owner why they own one, one of the main reasons is because they are safe and dependable.

“As a ‘middle-aged’ woman with an equestrian hobby, having a horse that’s gentle, intelligent, and can do it all is important,” shares Kendal Vaitkus. She went to a Haflinger show in 2011 and became hooked on these horses, as well as the kind, inviting atmosphere of the other owners.

“In 2018, I had an opportunity to purchase a Haflinger, and I haven’t looked back since,” she says. “I can’t afford to have one horse that trail rides, one horse that drives and another to ride dressage. The Haflinger is a great solution for me!  This breed generally likes to keep busy, so they don’t mind learning all sorts of fun and interesting things. To me, the Haflinger is a perfect, versatile pony wrapped up in a beautiful golden package. I’ll admit, they’re like potato chips … you can’t have just one.”

True to her words, Vaitkus owns two Haflingers. Will Beat the Storm of 2s (“Stewie”) was her first Haflinger. Now 15, Stewie takes her out on the trails and into the dressage, western, halter and driving rings. He has won numerous high points and is currently schooling Second Level in dressage. Her other Haflinger is a gelding named Northstar LLRH.

Rollie

Sometimes a love and appreciation for the breed is passed down through the generations.

“Grandpa Bill was searching the internet for the perfect family horse he could share with his young grandchildren,” shares John Ellingson. “He quickly learned that the Haflinger was known for being very sensible and was a great choice for young families.”

Ellingson’s grandfather drove eight hours to buy his first Haflinger, a daughter of the famous Aristocrat. That was 20 years ago. Since then, the Ellingsons have bred and trained Haflingers.

“Not every Haflinger is suited for children, but on average they are calmer, less reactive and more cold-blooded than most breeds,” says Ellingson. “We try to identify very calm individuals at a young age. We give them plenty of age-appropriate training. You can create a very special horse that is relaxed and gentle.”

One of their current horses is N-Rollie TVS, a 15.1-hand gelding, who started life working on an Amish farm. Rollie is now shown and co-owned by 16-year-old Talayna Steiner, a neighbor of the Ellingsons and part of their 4-H Club.

Aside from being an excellent farming horse, Rollie excels at many disciplines in the show ring, including winning state 4-H jumping, hunter and equitation over fences, and English pleasure. Outside of 4-H, he has many wins in pleasure driving, hitch, obstacle driving and halter. He is now taking the western rings by storm.

Von

Tara Williams, who sits on the board of directors for the American Haflinger Registry, first rode one just to keep the mare trained up for her young sister. A self-professed big bay Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred girl, she wasn’t expecting to fall hard for the Haflinger.

“As I rode my sister’s horse, I then had offers to catch ride others, and I realized that they are remarkably athletic and smart,” she says. “Von was one of those catch rides, who I then purchased. He was my gateway Haflinger!”

Wil-Von Mikas RVH (“Von”) is a 14-year-old, 15-hand gelding Tara still owns and shows. He is a multiple national champion, 2018 Reserve Versatility Champion and 2023 Versatility Champion.

“I love a horse that can make good choices and has the athleticism to back it all up,” says Williams. “They are a very hardy breed that generally stays sound and performing well long into their golden years. One of the other things I love is how versatile they are. I can grab the same horse to go trail ride one afternoon, drive at a competition the next, and go jump a hunter pace the next.”

When not in the breed ring, Von drags her arena, goes on trail rides, competes in Second Level western and classical dressage, and even does ranch classes. Previously, they were members of the High Flying Haflingers Jumping Drill Team, performing at events like Equine Affaire’s Fantasia show and the Mane Event in Canada.

Roush

The Haflinger stands his ground when put up against horses that may be much larger in stature.

Roush, owned by Anika Sadler, has taken his owner to many wins. Some of his many accomplishments include qualifying for the Great American Insurance Group/U.S. Dressage Federation (USDF) Regional Championships, winning the Idaho Dressage & Eventing Association (IDEA) Adult Amateur USDF Freestyle Champion, Adequan/USDF All-Breeds Adult Amateur Freestyle Champion, and Reserve Champion at the Rainier Northwest Championship.

He is an IDEA Adult Amateur U.S. Eventing Association (USEA) Beginner Novice Champion, and has top-10 placings with the Western Dressage Association of America’s International Challenge multiple years in a row.

When he isn’t in the show ring, you can find him skijioring in the winter and gaming in the summer. He has even been used as a model by Kastel Denmark, Outback Trading and more.

“He is an excellent ambassador of the breed, their wonderful character and versatility,” says Sadler.

Haflingers Can Do It All

Williams says Haflingers were bred to be this versatile, having to traverse the terrain of the southern Tyrolean Mountains and be the work horse, children’s horse, riding horse and haul-the-crops-to-town horse.

“It resulted in a low-maintenance horse with a varied job description, and that lends them very well to a lot of modern jobs, from hitch horse to hunter,” she adds.

This article about the Haflinger breed appeared in the September 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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The sound of hooves can be heard clip-clopping on the narrow cobbled streets of a tiny mountain village. A small horse comes into view, its pale gold coat glowing warmly in the sun. A cart follows behind, filled with happy, laughing children.

This picturesque moment could have taken place 150 years ago in the Tyrolean Alps, or it could be happening there right now. Haflingers have been walking the ancient streets of these Alpine villages for decades, and still graze in the lush mountain pastures that lie beneath the snowy peaks.

The breed is named after the Tyrolean village of Hafling in northern Italy, where ancestors of today’s Haflingers lived during medieval times. These hardy mountain ponies lived in the Alps and helped local farmers survive.

Tough enough to withstand the harsh winters and agile enough to negotiate the winding, narrow mountain paths, farmers also depended on these horses to plow their fields, pull fallen logs and carry them from town to town.

Humble Origins

In 1874, a colt named Folie was sired by an Arabian stallion and born to a Tyrolean mare in the Alps. Folie went on to become the foundation sire of the Haflinger breed, and all modern-day Haflingers can be traced back to him.

At the turn of the 20th century, motorized vehicles began to replace horses on farms in many parts of Europe, but not in the Alps. The difficult mountain terrain made tractors impractical, and farmers continued to use their Haflingers to work the land.

When World War I broke out, life changed in Europe. Nearly all resources went toward the war effort, and horses were no exception. Haflingers were sold to the military as pack horses and bred to be more stout.

When the war ended, the region of South Tyrol, which included the town of Hafling, became part of Italy, while North Tyrol stayed with Austria. This created a divide in the Haflinger breed, limiting breeding to horses that were local. The breed suffered during this time, and the Haflinger was nearly lost.

It wasn’t until the early 1930s when a concerted effort was made between breeders in both North and South Tyrol to return the breed to its former quality.

World War II

Not long after this attempt to bring the breed back to its original quality, build-up began for another European war. The demand for horses to be used by the military put a strain on the breed, and Haflingers were crossed with other breeds to increase the number of horses available for purchase. The German Armed Forces bought many Haflingers and Haflinger crosses to be used as pack horses in the war.

When World War II ended in the defeat of Germany, the Haflinger breed was in poor shape. Government-run breeding centers were closed down, and some of the best Haflinger stock was lost. In 1946 and 1947, those left who still loved the breed made another attempt to save it and called conferences to create a closed stud book and establish a Tyrolean Haflinger Breeding Association breeding center.

Today, this association still exists, and continues to run Austrian-based breeding farms in Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Salzburg.

Coming to America

Haflingers came to the United States in 1958 and have made America home. The breed has steadily grown in numbers here, and today the American Haflinger Registry has 15,000 Haflingers registered in the U.S. The breed’s popularity here should come as no surprise since these little horses are not only beautiful, but versatile, too.

Haflingers are currently being ridden around the country in dressage, hunt seat, eventing, reining and gymkhana. They are also a popular horse for driving, and are shown in harness in a variety of classes. Each year, the American Haflinger Registry also holds a national breed show where Haflingers from around the country come to compete in a number of halter and performance classes.

One of the most popular activities to do with Haflingers is trail riding. Because of their hardy, surefooted nature, Haflingers make great trail horses. Not only are they excellent mounts for a casual hack, they are also making a name for themselves in endurance and competitive trail riding.

While it was once unusual to see a Haflinger in the U.S., the breed is becoming more common. With its charming yet fraught history, and its mountain-bred hardiness, it’s easy to see that the Haflinger is here to stay.

This article featuring the Haflinger appeared in the March 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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He’s Got Personality

Haflingers were surefooted pack horses in the Southern Tyrolean Mountains (present day Austria and northern Italy) during medieval times. The willing and kind breed has now become a favorite family horse.

“Their wonderful personalities allow you to grow strong bonds with them,” says Caraline Cornman, 17, of Pennsylvania, who has four Haflingers. “[My mare] Cashmere of Genesis is truly one of a kind. She has the funniest personality I have ever seen in a horse.”

Caraline’s family also owns the highest-scoring horse in the American Haflinger Registry’s inspection and classification program, Faith by Fire DAF (owned by Genesis Farm). She has been a dependable teammate for Caraline, who enjoys pleasure and combined driving.

“She’s the most talented Haflinger I’ve ever worked with,” says Caraline. “She combines an extremely smart and hardworking personality with incredible beauty and athleticism. She has been my favorite Haflinger to train.”

One for All

During World War II, Haflingers took their packing skills to the battlefields. Afterward, the focus shifted to breeding lighter horses that were versatile for both riding and driving to meet the growing demand of recreational equestrian sports.

Anna Haszelbart’s horses certainly prove the breed’s versatility.

“My mom loves driving carriages and has taught me how to drive too,” says Anna, 15, whose family has six Haflingers on their ranch in Colorado. “In 4-H, I ride English, western and gymkhana. Next year, I am planning on doing ranch horse in 4-H. My family enjoys trail riding on our ranch, too.”

Today, the Haflinger is a reliable teammate in many equestrian disciplines, including dressage, jumping, vaulting, driving, western, trail riding, endurance and therapeutic riding.

I Won a Haflinger

You read that right! Saige Matheny, 13, of Ohio won a Haflinger gelding through a contest done by the American Haflinger Registry Youth program.

“Brian and Dana Mitteer of Showme Haflingers in New York donated Noble Donation to the youth program,” says Saige. “He’s 7 months old. We will be learning a lot together. I will be responsible for his training and plan to show him next year in halter, showmanship and in-hand trail classes.”

Saige’s family has four other Haflingers that she rides and helps to train. “I love the Haflinger breed because they’re very friendly and mellow,” says Saige. “They are people-oriented and love to help you with everything. They are the first to run to the fence when you come to the barn!”

Find out more about the breed by visiting the American Haflinger Registry at www.haflingerhorse.com.

This article originally appeared in the March/April 2017 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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