We are celebrating the hardworking Haflinger as our March Breed of the Month on YourDressage!
Did you know that dressage riders who choose a Haflinger as their dressage mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the American Haflinger Registry is a participating organization?
Here, an adult amateur from Region 9 shares how serendipity brought a special Haflinger gelding back into her life – after moving halfway around the globe!
By Christine Vulpescu
I’m 27 years old and originally from Vienna, Austria, but I moved to the United States five years ago. After living in New York for a while, I recently moved to Dallas. I’ve been riding my whole life and found my passion in dressage. The connection you can have with your horse – when it feels like dancing – is everything I live for; it’s almost like a drug!
While still living in Vienna, I lost my heart horse, Mo. I took a break from riding, because I couldn’t handle it anymore. Two years after losing Mo, I randomly saw an ad on Instagram for a three-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) in Holland that just caught my eye. It felt right. I purchased him and have not once regretted it; this is how I got back in the game. Two years after I bought Candeo, Bossi came into my life.
Bossi is a 13-year-old Haflinger bred in Germany but who lived almost his entire life (after he turned four) in Vienna. I met him at the barn where Mo lived. They were actually stall neighbors. This is as crazy as it gets. My friend used to own him back then, and showed him at several European Haflinger Championships; she earned a couple of Champion titles, too!
Bossi is definitely a show-stopper, and he likes to show off! He is a pocket rocket, I’d say. Yes, he’s cute. Yes, he looks like a Barbie horse. But, he is an extremely challenging ride. He’s a very strong horse with a lot of power. And when I say a lot, I mean as much as a sports car. But I definitely do like Ferraris!
Finding Bossi was definitely a happy accident – or maybe fate? I actually wasn’t looking to buy a second horse at that time. My other gelding, Candeo, was four and had just gotten injured pretty badly, so he was going to be off for a long time. Lo and behold, I saw Bossi at a show one March and talked a little bit to his previous owner, and that’s how he kinda popped into my life again.
When I saw him, I texted my friend who had owned him back in Austria and let her know that I just met him. A little bit later, I found out that he was for sale. I actually sent a friend of mine and her daughter to try him out as a horse for the 14-year-old daughter. Fortunately for me, it didn’t work out between the two of them. I rode him that day, too, and kind of felt right at home. He was different from how I remembered him in Austria, but again, I had seen this horse every single day for at least two to three years, stalled next to my old horse. So, I knew his potential, and I knew that he’d be a good fit.
I scheduled another ride and decided to buy him. At that point, I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep him as a show-sell project or as my second full-time horse.
It definitely took us a while to grow together. It took some time to learn his buttons, and to be honest, I learn more about him every time I ride him. But what I can say is that every time I get on him, it feels like home, and it feels right. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with this little spicy pony.
Bossi showed up to Intermediate-1 (I1) in Austria. I, on the other hand, have only had experience riding horses up to Prix St. Georges (PSG). There’s a lot we had to learn. Bossi can be extremely tense at shows and, unfortunately, pretty difficult to ride during the test. But the more we show, the better it will get.
I love being able to show a Haflinger and encourage other people who might have a different breed to not give up! Yes, a warmblood will be more flowy in its movements and more of a showstopper, but showing is not about that. It’s about showing what potential you and your horse have, regardless of the breed. I mean, who can say they competed on a Haflinger that far into the levels?
Warmbloods are bred to move a certain way. Many movements, like the piaffe or passage, will come pretty naturally to them. Other breeds, like Hafies or Drafts, do not have that natural bounce. So, in my opinion, this is where your riding has to get even more technical. And I love that. I definitely still have some challenges with Bossi, but we’re on the right track. He is a pirouette pro, and loves, loves, loves his trot half-steps and extended trot!
This might be the point where I should tell you our greatest accomplishment was a certain score at a big show or a great test… But actually, it’s not. My greatest accomplishment with Bossi is learning from him every day – starting with half steps, seeing this little guy trying his heart out, and getting better and better every time. I’m such a big fan of his and incredibly proud, no matter how spicy he is sometimes (and yes, he’s a typical kick-bolt Haflinger, lol)!
Riding Bossi made me a better rider, for sure; this brings me back to the natural movement and body conformation our warmbloods have. My youngster, Candeo, for example, is built like the perfect dressage horse. He even carries himself out on the pasture like he’s in the Grand Prix. Bossi is the opposite. He’s a mountain pony. He’s not bred for fancy movement. He’s not bred to bounce off the ground. You have to make him do it. And you have to make sure you animate him enough so he has fun doing it. Haflingers are extremely stubborn, so it takes a big toolbox for a rider to figure them out. Lots of patience, too.
The most special thing about Bossi is that he’s part of home. It’s not only the same country we share, but every time I look at him, I see my heart horse, Mo. I don’t know how it happened, but somehow, the universe, or whatever you want to call it, knew that our paths would have to cross again.
Listen to your heart. If your heart – and your gut – tell you to go for a Haflinger, or any other non-traditional breed, do it. And the biggest advice I love telling other riders is to not listen to EVERYONE who’s trying to force an opinion on you. Horses can learn everything with the right training, love, and rider.
As for Haflingers, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into! Do not forget what they’ve been bred for. They used to be used as military horses in the mountains. This means stoic, stubborn, powerhouses who want to work. Even though people always say, “Ohhhh, your Hafi is so cute, my Hafi is so lazy,” think about what their job used to be! Haflingers can be opinionated about many things, but if you get them on your side, you’ll have earned the biggest reward. They’re big personalities and definitely not for everyone, but they’re fun!
