Haflingers

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Does anyone have Haflingers? I met my first two a few days ago, and really liked them. I can get what I think is a great deal for $1500: 7 year old grade mare, her 6 month old filly, and she's bred back to the same registered stallion who's the filly's father. The mare's broke to drive and work, but the owner doesn't know if she'll ride, because he's older and doesn't do that anymore. I have a friend who's braver than I am and will try it for me.

-- Teresa (otgonz@bellsouth.net), October 06, 2000

Answers

Teresa, did you mean $15,000? Around here, they are incredibly expensive...mostly trained for dressage, though. Guess that might be a factor!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), October 06, 2000.

I live in Indiana, heart of Haflinger land. They are used around here for driving and riding (same horse). $1500 for your 3 in one doesn't sound like a bad deal. I have wanted Haflingers for years but they tend to be a little more expensive than other horses, but nowhere near $15,000. Where is that, Sheepish?

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), October 06, 2000.

If the horse is sound and healthy and a good temprement, that is a deal. It is not THAT hard to get a horse broken to harness to accept a rider (try throwing on sacks of sand first, start out with a light weight and work up...let it get pitched instead of you). That's about the going price of a grade horse around here, esp one with as much meat on as I imagine this one has. I'm not sure if the foals are registerable or not on the Haflinger registry, I kind of think not, they tend to be a closed book/inbred registry, but I may be wrong. A lot of the purebreds around here DO go for $15,000 -- it's like a closed country-club thing -- if you haven't got the money, you can't play. If you want a work horse for the farm and maybe the occasional trail ride, sounds like a deal to me!

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), October 06, 2000.

Western WA state. But I've only seen the ads in the show publications, trade stuff, etc. What do I know? I only raise sheep, and they just won't change leads like I want 'em to, let alone follow my aids... :)

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), October 06, 2000.

True sheepish but you dont need to use a saddle pad !

-- kathy h (saddlebronc@msn.com), October 06, 2000.


Thanks, guys. I've found that you can't "breed up" with Haflingers, but that's not really an issue. I just want something gentle and smaller than our 16hh quarter horse. He's very gentle, but so tall... I'm not sure I could sell registered stock locally, anyway, but I might be able to sell the occasional grade horse. I've been doing tons of research, and they'll probably be sold by the time I get back to the owner, but I've learned lots.

-- Teresa (otgonz@bellsouth.net), October 09, 2000.

Another thing I was told about Haflingers from an Amish man who raised them is that nowadays people are tending to breed them more lean and leggish, and not in the stubby draft look from yesteryear. Personally I feel that is a great loss. I prefer the stubby draft look, because that is a more powerful look to me and what I prefer.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), October 12, 2000.

Teresa, here's a thought - wandering around on the 'net one day I found www.ruralheritage.com & therein you can go to the "horse paddock" & find "teams for sale". I've seen Haflingers several times for a MUCH more reasonable price than anything else I've heard here. Might be a thing to keep checking out, if for nothing else than a more reasonable price contact. The teams are listed with specs & what they are trained for, like you couldn't easily teach a horse like that to ride with minimum hassel, and many are trained to ride. I've considered that myself - used to love big horses, but not so much now. Rather have smaller, more versitile. Their wonderful temperment doesn't hurt, either? Good luck!!

-- K-K-K-Katie (yarnspinnerkt@hotmail.com), October 13, 2000.

Katie's right -- Rural Heritage's sale barns are good places to look. They also have a forum or BB where you could put out a request, or ask for more information on anything to do with draft animals. Sounds like your deal of a three-in-one package is a good price -- I'd go for it, if it was me. Though what I'd really like to have is Fjords -- hope they go down in price a little someday. They're still pretty high for our budget. I wouldn't let your friend just jump on the mare and try to ride her without any advance preparation, though. Have you got any experience with horses? Because even if she's quite gentle and well-trained for working, there is some preparation that needs to be done to start her as a riding horse. If you don't have any experience starting horses, get some help. It would be a shame for someone to get hurt, or to cause problems with the horse, when it can easily be avoided and made a pleasant experience for everyone.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), October 13, 2000.

We have a team of grade Haflinger mares. They were 3 yr. olds when we bought them. We paid $2100 for both mares and the harness. We use ours for all of our farm work - we raise market garden vegetables. Our horses were only broke to pull a sled when we bought them. I hitched them to our mower (McCormick #9) and off we went to mowing. We mow about 15 acres each summer. They also pull a 12 inch sulky plow, a disc, cultivator, fore cart with cultipacker and a New Idea manure spreader. There was NO training here. I just hitched them and they did the job(though I don't recomend this). Our mares were not broke to saddle when we bought them. I put the saddle on and our 4 yr. old girl rides them today (under close supervision). Again, no training. From my experience, Haflingers are very calm and seem to be quite smart. They don't spook easily and learn quickly. I know this sounds hard to beleive and I wouldn't if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes. I payed $2100, I wouldn't take $21,000. I say, buy 'em!!

-- David Oelker (daoelker@ticona.com), January 18, 2001.


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