I am looking into getting a Haflinger or similar draft type pony next year for my daughter. I live in TN and they aren’t readily available here. I have seen a lot of advertisements in Facebook draft sale groups for horses up north in kill pens. Are any of these legit? I remember years ago there was some controversy over some of the rescue groups working with these horses. Has anyone gotten a horse through these means and how did it turn out? Thanks for any information!
I can not help with any of the rescue groups but you are right that some of the so called rescues are really just another arm of the kill buyer who knows how to get top dollar for the critters he just bought at the auction.
If you are interested in a Haffie you can contact the registry and I am betting they will gladly send you the names of any of the breeders that are close to you. There are also several Haflinger groups on Facebook.
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Pony is a 4 letter word.
Draft ponies are worse, or can be.
I would not get one unless I knew the breeder and trainer and could work with the animal before purchase as well as call the trainer or breeder after purchase to help with the areas that hooligan has trained me to let him/her get away with things down the road. Cause that will happen with any horse, but these guys moreso, IME.
Would I get one from an auction or ‘kill pen’ if I needed it to be… child safe, child friendly, sound, sane, healthy, trainable, trained…? No. Way.
IME horses from kill pen sales/auctions are sometimes drugged to hide lameness, insanity, lack of training… sick, dangerous, not as advertised, …
Rather than searching for a pony for your daughter by breed or type… go looking for a suitable pony of any breed of any type. And I would also encourage you to involve her instructor in the search.
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A good pony is worth their weight in gold; a bad one isn’t worth the lead in the slug you want to kill them with. You cannot get there fast enough to save your kid if that pony goes rogue. Buy a good pony- they’re worth whatever it takes.
Regarding Haffies? I’ve watched a friend of mine go through two awful ones at the therapeutic program she manages. One I simply referred to as the criminal- because he was Ted Bundy in a big blonde furry package. He was gorgeous, and talented, and would decide, randomly, to unload his rider- hard. They tried everything on him, and then sent him off with someone who wanted to give him a try. The other gelding was just a bully- run over you, and do almost anything to avoid work. Also gone. She and I did find a really cute mare that a broker had, and they are using her. She isn’t perfect, but she is the right build, and very tolerant. She had been Amish, and I think she appreciates the home upgrade more than the geldings did. :winkgrin:
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Try researching Haflinger associations. There is a national one and many states have their own association. Their members are looking to positively promote the breed and can help you find either breeders or owners looking to sell. I do know people who are active in the Pennsylvania Haflinger Association, and they have wonderful horses and do their best to promote the breed.
One thing to keep in mind with Haffies is they need to be in consistent work. The more they work, the better they are. I have seen some really nice ones, and seen some that are stubborn, ornery and just plain difficult. A cross might be a better bet, especially for a child.
I do currently live in TN, but moved here from PA three years ago. PA had a large amount of Haffie/ Haffie types due to the Amish. I would think you might also find them in KY, as there is a decent Amish population there too.
In PA I lived not far from the New Holland Sale, so I saw lots of kill pen/ rescue horses. They can be very hit or miss, and many kill pen rescue groups are not reliable or trustworthy. Not saying you can’t get lucky, but I would be extremely careful especially if looking for a child’s horse. Plus, many of these rescue groups are associated with kill buyers, so you are putting money directly into the kill buyer’s pocket.
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Well, I have a Halfie that I got from the PSPCA (a local raid on a hoarder and they asked me to foster). I’ve had her and a Shetland for eight years now. Both were young (five) when I got them and the pony was semi-feral. The Halfie is a sweetheart. She does lessons for kids, goes on trails, you name it.
I recently got two from Cranbury auction (one was 25 and the other is 12) and they are both great - no issues with either.
I have two that we got from Omega Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation. One is a boarder and is awesome and the other is a filly that they pulled off a slaughter truck. No issues with either of them as well.
I had another boarder that adopted from Lost and Found Rescue before they went under years ago. The mare came in and dropped a beautiful foal six weeks later. I have both the dam and her foal that is now 8yo and is gorgeous. The dam is the sweetest mare you can imagine and does lessons for beginners and trail rides. She never puts a foot out of place.
So, I guess it just depends. Are there horror stories out there? Absolutely, but isn’t there with anything? I also had a boarder that paid big money to a local person for a horse that turned out to be drugged and insane, so go figure.
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Would certainly not get an unknown horse for my child just for the cache of rescuing it sight unseen from “the kill pen” far, far away. Look closer to home there’s auctions in Tn and the horses there are just as big a risk but at least closer to home. And there’s Halffie Breeders that would love to help you.
Auction horses sometimes are just down on their luck, sometimes are just in an area where that’s the way most horses are sold but sometimes are there for the same reasons dogs end up in shelters…hard to handle, mean, sick, nuts. If you have inside contacts at the auction who can tell you the better lots or have somebody very, very knowledgeable and experienced with you to advise you? Make a bad, expensive mistake. And with something way bigger then a dog,
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I would avoid purchasing something from a kill pen, auction, potentially illegitimate rescue, etc, for a child. That’s not to say that there aren’t good horses, or could be good horses, out there currently in those situations, but it seems to be a bit of a game of roulette.
IMO if you are looking for a first time horse or pony for your daughter, it may be best to look around locally for a time tested, honest, kid friendly mount. Something, regardless of breed, that will be forgiving of mistakes and facilitate her learning. You’ll be able to do a PPE and pull blood, so you may not end up in a situation like MoonWitch’s boarder above. Of course, nothing is foolproof.
If you’re set on a breed, contact an association like other users mentioned.
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@candyappy we have a ton that go through New Holland due to the high volume of Amish in the area. Some are really nice and get scooped up prior to going through the sale. I have a few dependable people that are at the sale every Monday that I trust to find something when I’m looking. It’s definitely a crap shoot though and the OP would really need to be there as well. Right now, we’re getting a ton of horses from down south and out west 
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with no information about the age of the child, size of the child and experience of child and adult owners it is hard to recommend. i will add that the best “pony” I ever had was a ranch bred QH, He was comfortable and honest, prefect ground manners and a loving soul.
OP you should be working with someone who knows you and your childs ability. Make a match with a known pony, not a rescue crap-shoot.
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I know the popular (as in the one everyone springs horses from on a regular basis) somewhat local one is pretty rampant with strangles and who knows what else. By the time you pay to bail a horse, which is usually an inflated price, QT, and transport, you can put that money towards the purchase price and get something a bit more “vetted”.
I also hate the idea that these places are making a lot more money doing this thanks to Facebook, which allows the kill buyers to buy even more horses to fill their trucks. And often these saved horses get dumped on legit rescues, or end up back in the kill pens to be resold, when the buyer can’t afford them or deal with whatever issues they might have had.
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I hate “buy this horse or we will eat it” marketing and I would strive not to support such sellers, especially not at the expense of sellers who are honestly and carefully selling horses.
The draft ponies are cool and I love them but they aren’t what I’d choose for a small child. They have immense power in the neck and a food instinct that never goes off. That said, if OP’s daughter is an adult then bring 'em on. They’re very fun.
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Are they all Haflingers? I had no idea the amish used them?
Not all but there are a lot of Haflingers, Belgians and other STBs that go through the auctions. It’s sad - some are just used up and tossed away.
I know for a fact that the Bastrop kill pen is the best possible place to buy a horse that is guaranteed to have strangles …if not now, then soon .
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Several cases of EHV in NJ and PA, including one EHM, and another EHV that came from Camelot/Cranbury with nasal discharge.
That’s not something, after watching Melly die from EHM, I would play with.
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There’s a gal bringing loads of rescued horses out of Bastrop and sneaking them into FL. STRANGLES is popping up all over and the common denominator is Bastrop and failures to quarantine the rescued animals.
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Horse Plus Humane Society is in Tennessee. They just saved 31 horses from auction and do it pretty regularly. They have a trainer and put them up for adoption. I would contact them and tell them what you are looking for. Here is the link for their current horses. Also, Horse Haven of Tennessee is another excellent rescue to look at.http://horsehaventn.org/how-to-help/adopt/equine-for-adoption.html Lastly I’m believe these type of horses go through Knoxville Auction regularly.
https://www.horseplushumanesociety.org/adoptable/
I would take the time to find one in a rescue which has already been quarantined and evaluated, especially if you are looking for a child’s horse. I have seen kill pen horses that end up working out for people but also ones that have been total disasters. I have also seen auction horses not quarantined properly spread strangles through an entire farm.
Here’s one that I found in a rescue up north, not sure what areas they adopt to or if she’d be a fit for you. You don’t mention the age or riding ability of the child. http://www.neernorth.org/bonnie
