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Photos and story from Martin Draser, Swabian Mountains, Germany

"The Bavarian Outlaw"

One day, about seven years ago, I decided to own a horse of my own. At that time I was working for different breeders of jumping and dressage horses. I
really had enough of these crazyminded creatures. And I asked myself: What do I expect from my horse? It should be able to jump a little, to learn a little dressage, to work with cattle, it should be reliable, go cross country and so on and on.
The only breed that was left -Haflinger.

So I bought two of them. The first was a frail, two and a half year old Arabohaflinger. Gelding. And Why I did it? He had something I can’t describe. His name is Nico. The second one was a five year old gelding, uneducated, fat, and he thought everything walking on two legs is not worth to be taken for serious. I
bought him because it was a provocation how he behaved. His name is Max. In the meantime I sold Max. With a laughing and a crying eye. Because he was
- in Germany we say - able to read and write. But he always needed the discussion whether it is the time to do some job now or not. I won these discussions every time, but after two years I was tired of it. And now I had more time (still not enough) for Nico. He is the exact counterpart to Max. Not so intelligent, but more than most of the horses I know, and he loved and still loves to work.

Now I ride Nico for nearly seven years. He is still a working horse on cattles and buffaloes - and he is my life insurance. By the time - when there is enough Webspace for pictures I will send some. We also compete - just for fun - in all cattle disciplines, Trail, Reining, Roping and in the summary Versatility Ranchhorse. And we won a competition that was very important to me: The "All Around Cowboy 2005". Why it was so important? Because this competition included all disciplines I can imagine in Western riding. Even cross country with jumps and downhill gallop passages.

Best greetings from the Swabian Mountains

Martin - the Bavarianoutlaw