It originates from Tyrol. The breed was developed from the small, native horses of the region, which were used by Tyrolean farmers as pack horses in the mountains. Conscious breeding began in the last quarter of the 1800s with the purchase and establishment of a stallion named 249 Folie, born in South Tyrol in 1874. Two other sons of this stallion, 14 Folie, born in 1887, and 252/233 Hafling, born in 1897, also played a role in the development of the breed. Before 249 Folie, the Arabian horse 133 El Bedavi XII, born in 1868, also played a role (El Bedavik was also bred in Bábolna). After the establishment of 249 Folie, pure breeding became the primary and exclusive method of breeding the breed. This marked the end of the first phase of the breed's development.
The period between 1897 and 1904 is considered the second phase of the breed's development. During this time, the first breeding associations were formed as a result of Count Huyn's efforts. He consolidated breeding by developing and enforcing breeding regulations. In 1904, the first Haflinger Horse Breeding Association was founded in Mölten.
The third phase, between 1912 and 1923, was decisive for the development and subsequent spread of the breed. With the Treaty of St. Germain in 1919, North and South Tyrol were divided. North Tyrol remained Austrian territory, while South Tyrol became part of Italy. At the time of the division, the majority of the Haflinger population was located in Austrian territory. Strict breeding discipline and selection based on clear breeding objectives resulted in rapid breeding progress. The first breeding association was organized in 1920 and was founded in Zams in 1921. The first breeding show and exhibition was organized in 1920.
The fourth phase of the breed's development and formation can be dated to the period between 1924 and 1947. It is to Dr. Thurner's great credit that the first Haflinger stud book was published in 1926, which was supplemented in 1938 with the genealogical line of the stallions. The founding stallions of the breed were Bolzano (born 1915), Nibbio (1920), Willi (1921), Stelvio (1923), Anselmo (1926), Massimo (1927) and Student (1927).
In the fifth stage of the breed's development, between 1947 and 1961, high-quality mare families were established, consistent purebred breeding was implemented, and, based on these results, the breed entered the international arena. The most recent history of the breed dates back to 1976. This was when the World Haflinger Horse Breeders' Association was founded. As part of the current situation, on February 1, 2013, an expanded global organization for the Haflinger breed was established under the name Haflinger Welt-Zucht- und Sportvereinigung (HWZSV). The European Association of Haflinger Horse Breeders (EVH) was also established.
The breed is extremely popular in every country around the world. In addition to excellent management, its popularity is due to the breed's universal nature and distinctive color. It also has many fans in Hungary.
