About Haflingers

About The Enchanting Haflinger Breed

Austrian Gold

In the Etschlander Mountains, in southern Austrian Tyrol near the village of Hafling, an enchanting breed of horses originated - the Haflinger. Haflingers have such distinguished quality and such a wonderful temperament that they can be compared to gold. Along with their golden color, a name that fits them and that they well deserve has originated - Austrian Gold. All Austrian gold traces back to one element - the foundation stallion 249 Folie. His sire was the half-Arab stallion 133 El' Bedavi XXII crossed with a native Tyrolean mare. All purebred Haflingers ancestry traces directly to 249 Folie through seven different stallion lines: A, B, M, N, S, ST, and W.

A Haflinger's appearance is captivating. Its coat is a rich chestnut, ranging from light golden to a deep chocolate. It has an elegant and harmonious body with a refined, expressive head. The Haflinger has a slightly dished profile of the face. Its head is lean, noble, and well proportioned. Haflingers have large and open nostrils. The eyes are large and positioned forward. A Haflinger's ears are small and positioned well on its poll (the crest of a horses head). The Haflinger's head reflects its energetic, intelligent and gentle character.

A Haflinger has a medium length neck with plenty of freedom through the jowls. Haflingers have a very full mane, which can be either double or single. The two colors permitted for the mane are white or flaxen.

The Haflinger's forehand (includes the head, neck, shoulders, withers, and forelegs) is quite sturdy and thick. Well-pronounced withers reach far into their back. The shoulders are large and sloped. It has a deep, broad chest. The Haflinger's mid-section is well connected to the forehand and the hindquarters. The back is of medium length and is well muscled. The mid-section should have good elasticity, balance and tension. A Haflinger has well muscled hindquarters (includes from the rear of the flank to the beginning of the tail, and down to the top of the second thigh). The croup is slightly sloped and hardly split and the tail is set high. The tail is very full and is either flaxen or white.

A Haflinger's legs are lean, muscular, and have well-defined joints. Their stance is equally set on all four feet. The front legs will appear strait from a side view. A front view should reveal broad, flat knees. The hind legs have a 150-degree angle through the hocks, and a 45 to 50 degree angle through the pasterns and hooves. A Haflinger's hocks are wide and powerful. The pasterns should be long and well developed. The hooves are hard, round, and distinct. They have overall good health and are easy keepers, resistant to many diseases, hardy, and they acclimate very well. Haflingers are an extremely versatile breed - they excel in driving, draft work, packing, dressage, jumping, therapeutic riding, and they also make a wonderful pleasure horse. With a captivating disposition, their willingness, efficiency, strong character and all around sturdiness, Haflingers effortlessly strike people with "Austrian Gold Fever".

Breed standards set by the World Haflinger Federation and the Tyrolean Horse Breeders Association:
Appearance and color: Chestnut color in all shades from light to dark with light colored manes and tails.
Height: Between 54 to 60 inches using a stick measurement at age 3
Type: The horse's appearance should be elegant and harmonious, with a refined and expressive head with large eyes, a well shaped mid-section, and a well-shaped croup which must not be too steep or too short. The horse should be well muscled and show correct, clean limbs with well formed clearly defined joints. Breeding stallions should have unmistakable masculine features and brood mares should exhibit undeniable feminine lines and features.
Head: Should be noble and lean and should fit well with the rest of the horse. The eyes should be large and positioned forward. The nostrils should be large and wide. Should have a light poll and correctly positioned ears.
Neck: Should be of medium length and should become narrower towards the head. There should be sufficient freedom through the jowls.
Front-section: Well pronounced withers that reach far into the back, a large sloped shoulder and a deep broad chest.
Back: Medium length, well muscled, and when in motion should combine elasticity, balance and tension.
Mid-section: Well connected to both forehand and hindquarters, with sufficient girth and curved deep ribs.
Hindquarters: A long well muscled croup, slightly sloped and not too much split.
Tail: Not too deeply set.
Legs: Show clear, lean distinct joints, and equal stance on all four feet. Legs should be in a straight line when viewed front or back. From the side the front legs should be straight and hind legs should display an angle of 150 degrees through the hock and an angle of 45-50 degrees through the pastern and hoof to the ground. The knee should be broad and flat and the hocks wide and powerful. Pasterns should be long and well developed and the hooves should be round, distinct and hard.
Movement and basic gaits: Diligent, rhythmic and ground covering gaits. The walk should be relaxed, energetic, and proud and cadenced. The trot and canter should be elastic, energetic, athletic, and cadenced with natural self-carriage and off the forehand as well as balanced with a distinct moment of suspension. The hindquarters should work actively with lots of propulsion.This propulsion should transfer through the elastic back to the free moving shoulder and front legs. A little knee action is desired. Especially the canter should have a very distinct forward-upward motion.
Personality traits and health characteristics: Sound, strong character, a good disposition, sturdy all purpose type, willingness to work, efficient, easy keepers, resistant to disease and easy to acclimate.