I'm trying to help a friend with adapting her book for an american audience and this question has come up. How well known is the Haflinger breed in the US? Would people know the name even if they've never had one/been around one (not counting people who are never around horses at all)?

And if anyone has an answer to the same question about the New Forest Pony, we would very much like to hear that as well.

I really appreciate any and all help that you can give.

Putting the question to americans in general is kinda tough. BC we are so spread out, what applies to people on the east coast is not necessairly true for people in the mid-west or pacific regions. I live in NC (North Carolina) and here the halflinger is probably known to eventers and hunters but not the general population. I can honestly say that while i have had discussions with people about Halflingers, New Forest Ponies have never come up in equine conversation.

Hope this helps, good luck w the book

I agree on the diversity - in my (Morgan) world you are nearly looking at two different breeds between the East Coast and the Western Working of the West.

As far as Halflingers go, I have seen a few around AZ in driving / combined driving where they are doing pretty good. Originating from Austria they are usually a very versatile use horse. They are probably one of the very few breeds that have not been replaced by tractors because the mountains in Austria are not very suitable for machinery. I have seen them used besides "regular" farming in logging and often for packing supplies.

When logging went back to horse logging instead of big machinery in Germany in the 80s the first horses / teams used were Haflingers with Austrian crews - the only ones who still knew how to do that.

New Forest Pony I had to look up - never even heard of it. There are namy small "breeds" like e.g. the Irish Connemara (I got to like them years ago) but I cannot see any relevance for the US.

Good luck with the book!

GC

On the East coast;
Halfies have been very popular as Driving horses, current trend is now to use them as pleasure/backyard family horses, more of a one size fits all.
Moms can trail ride and kids can pony club, babysitter for guest during hunt, very low maintnance animal.
Problem is they have been junk bred here in the states and nobody respects the original breed as it was intended.
New Forest- Gaining popularity in the North East hasn't had time to trickle through the country yet.

I just bought a 13 yo Haflinger gelding in Feb. (I'm on the East Coast as well) I really hadn't seen the breed until I had bought mine. I will tell you what I have found is they are extremely smart, well tempered, strong, and have a willing attitude. They also need a regular job to be kept out of trouble. (i.e. mine has been tearing the tarpaper off the back of the barn - we haven't sided it yet - waiting for the wood from the sawmill.) The one I have can be pushy if not worked regularly. They are realitively easy keepers (maybe 1/2 pound of grain 2X a day - more hay than anything) They are a good breed with a good level temperment. (I bought mine as a second horse for my other half-kids-father to ride.) I hope this helps.

Just heard of them myself a few months ago when a women trailering through stayed at the barn one night. Now one of our boarders is thinking of buying one so I guess I would say knowledge of them is around.In Michigan by the way.New Forest never heard of.

Nice Questions...

I'm currently in the Mid South area and Haflingers have some ground popularity here, especially with driving and among Fox Hunters. I can't say they have the greatest popularity in the Western disciplines but I have seen a barrel and western pleasure Haflinger before. If I paid attention to 4-H I might see more, but I can't say for sure.

Halflingers are very well known in the US. I used to live in Ohio and they are widely used for the Amish lifestyle in OH and PA. They are a wonderful little breed really!