Like you, I wanted a quiet, trustworthy mount, and figured I need to find a "kid safe horse" to feel safe. I had never heard of either Fjords or Haflingers at that time. I went to an extreme cowboy race and there was a lady there that was riding a Fjord. I loved his short stocky build, and man did that horse sail through that course. He balked at nothing and I admired his confidence and his stocky appearance, and he was calm and gentle. He got me thinking about finding a smaller stature horse that I could feel safe on.
A friend of mine told me about Haflingers and she owned three, and invited me to come and ride them. At that point I was very disappointed and thinking of quitting horses all together. I went to her place and rode two of her little Hafy mares and fell in love with them. Now, had I ridden a Fjord I might have had the same reaction, but my opportunity led me to the Hafys. I decided that a Hafy was definitely a good choice for me, and I ended up purchasing one. Now, I do have an issue with my Hafy being very slow on the trail, it's an effort to get him to keep up, BUT.... I know that the problem is just that he is taking care of me.... he will not move out beyond my abilities as a rider. When we ride alone it's no issue at all, and it's certainly not representative of all Hafys. I've come to consider it an asset, he's taking care of me! This is really a plus for me, as I can put the grandkids on him without any worry at all that he will take advantage or hurt them.
He is absolutely gentle, quiet and trustworthy. When I first got him we went to a local version of the extreme cowboy race just to watch. After the end of the race I took him through the course just to see what he might do.
He went through every obstacle without a thought or a hesitation, and the lady who ran the event came over and said to me, "and your NOT entering him WHY??". I had to admit it was only due to my own limitations!
I can only suggest that you take your time in finding that perfect horse for you, and I would not limit my search to any one breed. Find a horse that feels right to you, that gives you confidence, and makes you feel safe, and you will love him forever. I will say that I find the Haflinger to be a very calm steady horse. I tell everyone who asks about mine that they are the perfect horse for children and old ladies like me!
Suzy
----- Original Message -----
From: Cari Kilborn
To: haflingerfriends@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 8:45 AM
Subject: [haflingerfriends] Why Halflingers?
I posted this once.. but I don't think I got a response. (I think the
breeding discussion was brought up.) I am looking for a "pony" to
ride. I would like either a Halflinger or Fjord. I am five foot
nothing and have MS. I'm not wheelchair bound at all, I can still walk
on my own. I just need something that is gentle and quiet on the
trails. I really am not looking for a so called "dead head", just one
that is trustworthy. What are the temperaments like with Halflingers?
Are they pushy? Are they slow, not fast enough to keep up with the QH?
Can someone tell my why they chose the Halfy compared to other "ponies"?
Thanks guys
~Cari
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