Policies pertaining Haflinger breeding association Tirol

Haflinger Horse-Breeders’ Association of Tyrol
Schlossallee 27, 6341 Ebbs
Austria

2.1. Records of Descent

2.1.1 Number of Preceding Generations
At least 4 generations of the Haflinger breed, both maternal and paternal, must be recorded in the studbook

2.1.2. Information about the breeding animal and its ancestry
a) Name, breed, I.D. number or other form of identification
b) Date and place of birth, gender
c) Breeder
d) Section of the studbook
e) Parentage
f) Additional ancestry information:
- Name and address of the Haflinger-certified breeding organization.
- Description of external and internal traits respective to criteria stipulated in corresponding subsections of the main section.
- For stallions, blood lines indicated by means of the letter A, B, M, N, S, St or W.

2.2. Breed Characteristics

2.2.1. General Description and Use
Haflinger are expressive, versatile riding horses. They are noble natured with a good character and can be used for any kind of riding and driving by children and adults. They may also be used as draught horses.
Genealogically, 7 bloodlines are distinguished: A, B, M, N, S, St and W.

2.2.2. External Appearance
Color and Markings;
Basic coloration – all shades of chestnut, from pale chestnut to dark liver, are possible. The color should be full and pure, trace or black spots etc. are not desirable. Head markings are acceptable, leg markings are not desirable. Light or white mane and tail are desired, slightly reddish ones are tolerated; red, salt-and-pepper and grey are undesirable.

2.2.3. Body Structure
A harmonious body structure is desirable, suitable for all-round leisure horses. This includes:

2.2.4. Movement
Striding, even gait, energetic, spirited and supple trot, light on the feet with uphill tendency at the gallop and pure rhythm, good ground coverage and accuracy.

2.2.5. Internal Characteristics/Health
It is desirable that the horse is healthy and fertile, that has a strong character, is good-natured, robust, an all-rounder, eager and able to perform, an easy feeder, resistant, readily acclimatized and suitable for all types of use. This especially applies to use in the area of recreational sports.

An outstanding character without deficiencies and an even temperament are fundamental requirements.

2.2.6. Undesirable health deficiencies
These include:
a) Umbilical hernia or herniated abdominal wall
b) Jaw anomalies: parrot or monkey mouth
c) Hereditary knee-joint luxation (dislocations)
d) Congenital cryptorchidism (undescended testicles)
e) Congenital hoof abnormalities, unmatched hoofs, flat hoofs, steep hoofs
f) Summer eczema
g) Mooneye
h) Laryngeal whistle
i) Sarcoids

2.3. Identification

Identification is conducted according to applicable national legal provisions governing the geographical region where the breeder does business.
Electronic identification is conducted by implanting a transponder according to EU guidelines for equids.
An alternative form of identification shall be in the form of branding along with DNA analysis. The branding must be done on the left thigh at knee height.
The size, shape and location of the branding, as well as the letters and numbers used, must be recorded graphically and verbally in ancestry documentation.

2.4. Fundamental Breeding Goals

The breeding goal for the Haflinger breed is defined as the preservation of a purebred Haflinger, whilst guaranteeing unbroken lineage and taking into account the defined breed characteristics.
The goal is use of the horse for all kinds of riding and driving purposes, both for children and adults. The Haflinger is also suitable for use as a draught horse.
The breeding aim shall only be achieved through pure breeding and selection. Serving as selection parameters are ancestry, health parameters, as well as external characteristics and a performance evaluation as per Appendixes I and II.

2.5. Structure of the Stud Book

The main section of a studbook for the Haflinger breed is divided, at a minimum, into the following subsections:

The main section is subdivided into the Breed Register, Main Breed Book - Mares and Main Breed Book - Stallions.
Only those horses meeting the respective criteria are entered into the different subcategories.

2.5.1. Studbook for Stallions (Stallion Book)
The main section is subdivided into the Breed Register and the Main Breed Book - Stallions.

Breed Register
All male horses whose parents are entered in the main section of the studbook for the Haflinger breed, but which cannot be entered in the Main Breed Book – Stallions are entered into this.

Main Breed Book - Stallions
The three-year-old and older stallions that meet the following criteria are entered here:
a) their parents are entered in the main section of the studbook
b) external appearance was evaluated at a minimum age of 2.5 according to the evaluation system listed in Appendix 1, achieving an overall score of at least 75 points or an overall score of 7.5, with no individual score for any criterion permissible below 6.0
c) completion of a residential stallion performance evaluation as described in Appendix II with a minimum age of 3 years old, not receiving any individual score of less than 5.0 in any of the subcategories, attaining an overall score of 6.5 or 70 index points.
d) are free of all undesirable health deficiencies.

2.5.2. Studbook for Mares (Mare Book)
The main section is subdivided into the Breed Register and the Main Breed Book - Mares.

Breed Register
All female animals, whose parents are entered in the main section of the studbook for the Haflinger breed, but which cannot be entered in the Main Breed Book - Mares are entered into this

Main Breed Book - Mares
Three-year-old mares and older that meet the following criteria are entered:
a) their parents are entered in the main section of the studbook
b) external appearance was evaluated at a minimum age of 2.5 according to the evaluation system listed in Appendix 1, achieving an overall score of at least 70 points or an overall score of 7.0, with no individual score for any criterion permissible below 5.0
c) are free of all undesirable health deficiencies.

2.5.3. Recording horses from other breeding populations
Horses of the Haflinger breed from other breeding populations are entered according to their performance criteria in the appropriate section of the studbook. If these performance criteria are not comparable, they shall be entered into the appropriate Breed Register for their lineage until the next possible opportunity to present them for evaluation or evidence is provided of their having met the appropriate performance criteria.
When records of breeding animals (which were previously entered or noted in the studbook of a different breeding organization) are transferred over, these animals must be entered under their previous name.

2.6. Bloodlines

Origin: From indigenous small-breed horses and oriental half-blood 133 El`Bedavi XXII (1868) with stallion 249 Folie (1874) as founders of the Haflinger breed.
The sire’s bloodline must extend back to stallion 249 Folie 1874 and thus to the founders of the line A – Anselmo (1926), B – Bolzano (1915), M – Massimo (1927), N – Nibbio (1920), S – Stelvio (1923), St – Student (1927) and W – Willi (1921).
Horses of the Haflinger breed must demonstrate 4 previous generations of the Haflinger breed and may only exhibit a maximum of 1.56 % additional Arabianization. The percentage of additional Arabianization shall be cited after the name, rounded to two decimal points.

In order to meet the provisions of the studbook of origin for horses of the Haflinger breed, the recognized breeder organizations, which maintain an affiliated studbook in accordance with the aforementioned provisions of this studbook of origin, are required to establish contact with the organization responsible for maintaining the studbook of origin.
Breeder organizations certified for horses of the Haflinger breed, which maintain an affiliated studbook in accordance with the aforementioned provisions of this studbook of origin, are obligated to adhere to the stipulated breeding goals and the provisions directed towards attaining said goals. In particular, they must ensure preservation of the line and coloration of the Haflinger breed, and guarantee ongoing development of the breed exclusively through the use of pure-breeding and selection as breeding methods.
The Haflinger Horse-Breeders’ Association of Tyrol publishes the most current version of its policy document on its website.

Der HPT veröffentlicht den jeweils aktuellen Stand des Grundsatzdokuments auf seiner Website.

Evaluation of the external appearance of breeding horses

The following 11 and 12 traits respectively are fundamental in evaluating the horse’s external appearance:

Evaluation of individual characteristics is by means of a descriptive scoring system, according to the scale listed below. In order to better differentiate, evaluators are not bound to whole numbers only.

Evaluation Scale:
10 = outstanding
9 = very good
8 = good
7 = fairly good
6 = satisfactory
5 = sufficient
4 = deficient
3 = fairly poor
2 = poor
1 = very poor
0 = not conducted

The overall score is calculated from the average scores of the individual traits and rounded to 2 decimal places.

Evaluation of the horses provides valuable information regarding body structure, constitution and use options for the horse in question. The following measurements must be taken at a minimum:

Performance Evaluation - Stallions

The minimum age for stallions is 3 years.
In order to evaluate their performance, stallions must undergo a 30-day residential testing program. This testing program consists of an evaluated pre-test phase (training) and a final test.
At a minimum, the evaluation shall address trait complexes pertaining to internal characteristics, mastery of basic gaits, behavior in open terrain, free jumping, jumping style in open terrain, drawing a one-horse carriage, as well as willingness to draw.

The minimum number of horses for comparison is 3 stallions, and these must be classifiable to comparable small-horse breeds.

Data on individual traits should, at a minimum, be compiled as follows and presented in the
results including the weighting:

Evaluation of individual characteristics is by means of a descriptive scoring system, according to the scale listed below. In order to better differentiate, evaluators are not bound to whole numbers only.

Evaluation Scale:
10 = excellent
9 = very good
8 = good
7 = fairly good
6 = satisfactory
5 = sufficient
4 = deficient
3 = fairly poor
2 = poor
1 = very poor
0 = not conducted

The overall result is calculated from the individual scores and weighted. The breeding organization must expressly cite the form in which results are presented. If the overall result is reported in the form of an index, then the average inspection score and the individual deviations from those average scores by the horse in question must be provided.