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Haflinger

Equus ferus caballus

Chestnut Haflinger horse with a flaxen mane and tail
Photo: Matthias Walther — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The golden chestnut mountain horse of the Tyrol — small, strong and endlessly good-natured.

TypePonyBest asRiding & familyOriginEurope / UK

How to spot it

A compact, muscular small horse of about 13.2 to 15 hands (138 to 152 cm), always chestnut with a flaxen (pale blond) mane and tail. Strong-boned and sure-footed.

Temperament

Kind, willing and sensible — a reliable, easy-going breed suited to children, beginners and leisure riders, as well as light draft.

What it's bred for

Developed in the mountains of the Tyrol (Austria and northern Italy) as a farm, pack and all-round horse. Today it rides, drives and works, and is a popular family horse.

Care & upkeep

An exceptionally hardy, thrifty keeper that holds weight on little — so it is prone to getting fat, and the ration and grazing must be controlled.

Health & lifespan

A long-lived, robust breed, commonly 25 to 30 years. The main risk is obesity and the laminitis it can trigger.

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