And Thank you everyoe that has written about this subject. I too think this is a delightful subject matter... I do think that there will be a change in the market, not just due to the lack of bigger breeders out there, but also, economics. Yes, I believe some of the smaller breeders need to be educated the best they can be, as they are the majority. The bigger breeders may be trend setters so to speak, but its the little breeder that makes up most of the quantity! Quality can go anywhere however, to bigger breeders or smaller breeders... the size of ones operation does not always depict the quality! I still believe in breeding for the best, but honestly it does not happen everytime, that is where our average horse comes from...me trying to breed better to better yet. If breeding was easy, we'd all produce gold horses after gold horses now wouldn't we? So, I too see the decline in numbers as a whole, but I also see the average foal to the grand one. Yes, I beleive economics and the loss of many breeders will cause an upward swing in the overal cost of our hafliger market, but I do not see quality as being lost. I do believe it is our resposibility to educate ourselves when we take on breeding any animals, and I am all for trying to help folks if they ask. I think we can help our selves and our breed if we do this. Not everyone has the same idea of what the ideal hafliger is, no despute in that I hope, but when you do consider the future, we must not forget the past! I think breeding is generally taken up by many folks that are serious about their intentions, and by the economic downfall, we have weeded out a many breeder that was just breeding for numbers. I know that many breeders are breeding their better horses and this could be viewed as a good thing also! It could also affect many lines of our haflingers and we as haflinger advoctaes, should seriously think about that as well! And how it fits in with our economy, etc! So, the serious breeder needs to be informed on pedigrees and traits that follow them, and crosses that work ad bloodlines that cross and vice versa! That goes for everyone breeding in my opinion! If we try our best, it will show! The average haflinger will still come along, however, his price tag may reflect the ecomony and the drop in numbers within the breed, but just as prices have changed in the past, they will continue to do so. We need to concentrate on our outcome as breeders and more folks in my opinion should not shut out a good solid mare just because she is not the highest classified mare or holds a super show record! Many of our best haflingers have been produced by the average or good mares! So, yup, its a bit scary in some ways, and I know everyone has opinions on breeding, not to, ot to, what to or what not to, but remember, don't desicrate the whole by a few! For people that are still breeding, keep up the good work if you can...it will pay off in some form! I, for one, will not give up on breeding haflingers because the market is tough. I will control my quantity and try to preserve and improve my quality, undoubtedly, but remember how supply and demand works and what you are trying to achieve if you are a breeder!
I think breeders will be back or pop up soon as the market changes and gets better. I too have a buisiness here, but it is like any other buisiness, some years are good, some break even, some don't. It equals out if you are smart and keep up with change and what folks want and equal things out and keep a level head about your plans...but never forget the past, this is how we learn, its why we have history! My two cents worth:o)
Sincerely,
Dawn who now has her equine dental equipment! YIPPY!!!
--- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, "golden horse" <denny1@...> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> i've been missing in action for a few days, wish I could say I've been enjoying my horses, but sadly I've been holding the annual battle of balancing the farm books, and so far they are winning :)
>
> I have to pitch in on this one, seeing as I'm actually bucking the trend and starting to breed Haflingers. Being still new to this wonderful breed I have great faith in the attributes that attracted me, and if they did but know it the majority of pleasure riders would be far better off with a Haflinger than with most aother breeds, and I have faith that others will also love them up here.
>
> I am in a different position to some, when I started to look for a Haflinger I couldn't find what I wanted within 1000 miles of here, so Fancy made the long journey from Ohio to Saskatchewan. I've since found some Haflingers up here, but they are not of the quality that I'd want, and are still rare enough to command a high price. I have 2 mares dues to foal this year, and am actively looking for two more to breed this year. That will be it, 4 mares, bred year about, 2 foals a year, if I'm lucky and all goes well.
>
> I never ever started out to breed with any thought other than it maybe a self supporting hobby at best, I truly am not expecting to make a profit out of this. What I do expect to get is to be able to set up a small nucleus of good quality Haflingers up here in Central Canada. I had a great wake up call from our friend Dawn at Rivervalley a little while ago, I trust Dawns judgement and value her opinion, so ran a mare that I was thinking of buying past her. It was a very nice mare, who I would of been glad to have here, but in a very shall we say directly worded email, Dawn asked me to consider very carefully what I was trying to achieve, and what she would bring to my program. For the first time I truly appreciated the responsibility that I have taken on with bringing new Haflingers into the world and promoting them.
>
> So maybe the future does depend more on people like me, the small guys who just want to share this beautiful breed. It's a scary thought, and I think that we need to work to promote knowledge, and be careful to nuture and grow the small guys, those with the knowledge and experience should share to make sure that any breedings are good ones.
>
> --- In haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com, haflingerhorse@ wrote:
> >
> > Hey everyone. In the past three days I have heard of two Haflinger breeders (they owned four or more mares) who are done with the Haflinger breed. One is completely finished, and the other is keeping a couple Haflingers but has purchased friesans. Even our farm, having 9 broodmares, and 6 foals last year, are now down to two foals coming and just two broodmares, we have sold or given away the others. Considering that only around 600 Haflinger foals were registered last year, as compared to at some points 2000 a year, it is to me, getting a bit scary. There aren't to many Haflinger breeders left only a handful that I know of who are still breeding. What is this breed to do? Do you think with the resulting 'shortage' of Haflingers that will be coming in the next 2-3 years, the prices will go back up? Or, are you afraid (as I am) that the breeders are getting out, but the backyard breeders will continue and the quality of the breed will suffer?
> > I pose this as a discussion only, I am not surprised with these breeders getting out, as we have drastically cut back from our highest number of Haflingers at 38, down to 10 Haflingers total. I am just a bit worried as to if the breeders are leaving, where it will leave our beloved Haflinger, and in who's hands?
> >
> > Jacque in Ohio
> > Woodward Performance Haflingers
> > www.hfbhaflingers.com
> >
>
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