Haflingers 101: Intro & Breed Standards
There are so many misconceptions about what Haflingers are, what they should look like, what they can do, etc – and as we all (should) know, there is a lot of incorrect info floating around on the internet. In hopes of helping to clear a few things up, I’ll add my two cents…and if you’ve followed this blog for any period of time, you know that I’m pretty enthusiastic about the breed.
Okay, maybe obsessed.
A lot.
But I’m not just going to regurgitate information I’ve found by countless hours of online research (although I did do a lot of reading about Haflingers online as a teen and young adult…and am possibly still doing that now…). In case you’re new here, let me share some of my experience.
Quick Facts:
- June 2009 – Dec 2013 : trainer/barn manager for Deer Haven Farm, where we had as many as 20+ Haflingers at one time.
- Haflinger owner since Dec 2011
- Freelance training/riding of Haflingers for private farms and owners
- Learned a TON from attending Haflinger events over the years, meeting and chatting with other breeders, and bringing Haflingers to events such as Equine Affaire in order to share my love of the breed and help educate the public
- Member of the American Haflinger Registry and its Promotions Committee (2017)
Besides my personal experience, I’ve found information here:
- The official website of the Tyrolean Haflinger Breeding Association in Austria
- The American Haflinger Registry (AHR)
- The World Haflinger Breeding and Sports Federation (WHBSF)
- The “Haflinger Bible” – Haflinger: The Golden Horse with the Golden Heart, by Johannes Schweisgut – This guy is the ultimate authority – he and his family have been instrumental in the breed for many years. His father was the first breeding director for the Tyrolean Association after WWII, as well as the first president of the World Haflinger Federation (Now the WHBSF, above). Johannes himself took over as breeding director after his father, was hugely involved with the WHBSF as general secretary and again as president, as well acting as stud manager at the Fohlenhof Ebbs. His book is an updated version of his father’s previous book, Haflinger Horses, and even includes a stallion genealogy chart that I find absolutely awesome. Basically, if you want to really get nerdy about the breed, you will want to read these books.
- For information on the Haflinger in the US, check out Haflinger Horses and the People Who Belong to Them: 1958 through 1999, by Beatrice L Wallace.
- And, thanks to Mary Procopio (breeder) for helping me double-check my facts.
So, let’s get started with a quick lesson about what a Haflinger should look like.
BREED STANDARD
The USA, and thus the American Haflinger Association, are a part of the WHBSF, which governs the breed and its registries internationally (including training/approving judges who are used for inspections), and holds the original studbook. That means when you visit the AHR website and read the info, you’re reading a standard based on the governing organization; WHBSF.
As with any breed, there are horses that deviate from the standard. We all know that doesn’t make those horses into lesser individuals! In fact, I know some pretty fantastic Haflingers that are too short, too tall, have too much gray in the mane and tail, have leg markings, etc. If you are a breeder, however, it’s important to choose animals that fit the standard as closely as possible, for the preservation of the breed.
Since I love making lists, I’ll summarize a few things for you from the AHR website (link above):
- That golden coat? NOT called palomino! Nope. Haflingers are genetically chestnut, and always referred to as such. The shade of chestnut can range from a lovely, creamy blond, all the way to a dark chocolatey color. Always white or flaxen manes and tails.
- Things you don’t want to see in a Haflinger’s coat color? Excessive roaning, dark spots, lots of silver/black hairs in mane/tail.
- Haflingers sometimes look as though they have white socks on all fours, when it’s really just a lighter blond. Actual socks/stockings above the fetlock are undesirable, although having only one is not penalized at inspections (as long as it doesn’t go above the hock/knee). What’s the difference? Skin pigment! If the skin is pink, your horse has a true leg marking of some kind. (FUN FACT: Crumble has one tiny white sock on his left hind.)
- Height range is 54 in (13.2hh) to 60 in (15hh). Horse shorter than 13.2hh? Discouraged from breeding. Too tall? Acceptable for outstanding individuals.
- Overall, the body should be “harmonious”, athletic looking, and “suitable for an all-around pleasure horse”. And, “in particular an excellent character without vices and an even temperament“. {emphasis my own}
WHY HAVE STANDARDS?
The AHR conducts inspections – just like many other breed organizations do – although inspection is not required for a Haflinger to be registered. The breed standards are referred to while a horse is being inspected.
Horses can earn a White, Purple, Silver, or Gold rating, based on scores for things like conformation and movement:
- White = 69-70 pts
- Purple = 71-74 pts
- Silver = 75-80 pts (excellent)
- Gold = 81 pts and above (super rare!)
Not recommended for breeding:
- Stallions with 74 pts or less
- Mares with 68 pts or less
Besides the above ratings, horses can earn titles based on how well their offspring do at inspections:
- Stallions can be called “Proven” if a group of their offspring is presented for inspection
- Mares and stallions can earn the Star, Elite, or Supreme titles based on the status of their inspected offspring
Avanti and I, our first show at First Level in 2009
Avanti of Cedar Lane, a stallion I had the privilege to train and show, was sired by Aristocrat TOF – the first stallion to achieve Elite status in the US. Arno van het Nieshof also achieved Elite status and was the first (and currently the only) one to reach Supreme. For mares, R Noble Rose APF is the lone Supreme status achiever.
SO…WHAT DOES A QUALITY HAFLINGER LOOK LIKE?
If you want to see some hunky Haflinger stallions, in addition to Aristocrat and Arno, check out Alfa of Genesis, another fantastic example of the breed. And we can’t forget Avanti, who is Silver classified. And here’s Stellar TVR (Silver as well), an imported stallion at New Horizons Haflingers, who also happens to be a former fieldmate of Crumble’s.
Stellar TVR, photo credit (c) LL-Foto.de
Stellar is also the first Haflinger to achieve licensing from the Weser-Ems and RPSI sport horse registries, proving once again that how versatile and athletic Haflingers truly are!
Now that we have a basic idea of what breeders are aiming for, I hope you’re curious to find out how the Haflinger came to be in the first place, because that’s what I plan to talk about in my next post. Stay tuned!
Breed NerdHaflingerHaflingers 101
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