Many Haflingers are owned by Amish who will probably not have access to computers so can't participate in a forum such as this.  My Amish friends use their Haflingers for farming and transportation as well as breeding them for resale.  Most are married and several train horses as part or all of their income.  I am a widow whose husband got us started in Haflingers.  Kim is our daughter.  She elected to stay at home with me after her father's death and help run the farm.  I guess that would make us partners.  She handles all the Haflinger activities, including breeding, by herself. Most of the people who buy our Haflingers are married and use their horses as recreation - trail riding,  wagon trains, and parades.  Showing is not their first priority, but some have children who show in 4-H and others have expressed an interest in showing on a limited basis.  All of our customers seem to prefer the draft type Haflinger, even though they want to ride.  Leona Loller, Copper Top Farm in Indiana

I come from a show background in jumpers here in the states and Mexico traveling around riding warmbloods, QHs and TBs. I have owned
many horses over the years which represent many different breeds. Although I was young and daring at one time, I am now 40 and have
slowed down preferring a more sedate pace these days. I have a family and wanted an all around horse that everyone can enjoy. I have
a degree in Biology from Texas A&M but work from home in our family owned business. I wanted a pony (small horse) that could pack around an adult or be not too intimidating for a child. The Haflinger has the looks and versatility to fit the bill. Someday we hope to use ours to jump and do some lower level dressage since both her parents did well in this area. We own five horses 1 TB(out on loan), 1 foundation QH, 1 Appendix QH, 1 Arabian and 1 beautiful Haflinger. We live on a small ranch in Southeast Texas on the coast close to Galveston Island. Grazing is not the best quality and easy keepers are essential. Robin from the mild climate of the Texas Coast

First, I'll describe myself as a Haflinger owner - researched the breed first, had previously owned horses, taken lessons for many years - both English and western, ridden many different breeds over 30 years ). I wanted an easy keeper, minimal fuss, sturdy and strong, yet smaller and gentle enough for a child to ride, and also versatile. I wanted a true FAMILY horse, smart, gentle, one that I and my children could ride and show locally for fun if we chose to.
How I see future Haflingers owners:
The 2 times I have had a Haflinger for sale, listed via Dreamhorse or Agdirect and advertised locally, what I get are 2 "types" of buyers:
1. the 30 and up adult who is getting back into riding after many years, or finally riding after many years of dreaming. Or they experienced a fright and were looking for a quiet horse to enjoy.
2. the parents wanting a good safe pony for the child, many times the parents have no clue what constitutes a trained, safe pony. I advertised one as not for beginners, not for young children and yet still had more calls from parents for a pony for little Ellie who was six years old.
3. no matter what the price is or the training, the buyers usually wanted to negotiate by at least $500.
4. the future owners that called me needed well trained horses, not half trained, or started, or under saddle for just a year or so. and most definitely did not need babies or young horses.
5. No one that called wanted a "project", even though one was listed as still green but under saddle and at a lower price (I had Lotti listed at one point then changed my mind after the calls and emails I received saying how pretty she was and would I put a beginner child on her, despite being listed as not for a beginner)
So from the calls and emails I have gotten, future owners appear to be in their 30's and up with or without kids, first time or returning riders who want a steady family horse that they can have fun with or they can share with their children. Haflingers in just about every book out there are listed as family friendly horses with a gentle curiosity, as easy keepers and are considered versatile enough for many different disciplines. They have strong niche they can fill as long as trained ones are being produced and sold rather than greenies being sold to the above people. That niche is growing as babyboomers are starting to have grandchildren and they want their grandchildren to have the ponies they never had. The barn where I had Buddy on lease as a lesson pony had 3 families who are in search of a good sane 14 hand pony. (2 are still looking) All three families fell in love with Buddy. One had been considering buying Buddy but didn't act in time. I also got calls from people who referred to Haflingers as "hellingers" because of bad experiences, because they came across poorly trained ones, ones just started under saddle and young ones being touted as beginner safe. I bought Lotti form a family who bought her for their 9 yr old. Lotti had only been ridden 3 times before they bought her and had been used to drive single and double. The 9 yr old was terrified to ride her.  Rina in MD

I'm a small hobby farm owner. A few tidbits from the survey - we make almost all of our money at jobs other than the farm and both my husband and I have + 4year degrees beyond HS. Not much into politics and we mainly enjoy our horses for trail riding and just getting out to do something together. We do own horses other than our haflinger and got each of them for various reasons but still with trail riding as being the main plan. Haflingers are a small compact horse that can easily carry my weight, is comfortable for me to ride (my haflinger is 13.3 hh and I am 5'9) and super easy to get on & off out there on the trails. The other positive feature of the haflinger is because they are so short I don't get whacked in the face like others riding taller horses do when riding on a trail that has not been upkept. They are incredibly sure footed out on trails and tend to have a calm head about them and are less flighty than other breeds. They seem to be the perfect small-farm horse. While I love all of my horses, I really wish they were all haflingers because my food bill would be way down as I would go through so little grain. However, ALL of my other horses combined (5 of them - including some very well-bred QHs) equals what I paid for my one haflinger and my haflinger was by far not the most expensive one out there. That is why I got the horses I did and didn't get another haflinger yet. Yes, haflingers can be found cheap out there, but not another quality one like I want. I will probably get another one someday. The horses I have currently are going to end up getting old and needing to be retired. I figure by that time I will be close to 50 and that will be a good age to get a haflinger again. Well, as long as the haflinger I know it today is still around. If they all end up tall and long-necked, washed-out in color, and lighter-boned like the current trend seems to be going, well I think I will pass and maybe look into a shorter icelandic or fjord. I need substance below me when riding and much prefer the shorter horse now that I got use to them. When I take my horse out for rides on the trail - its usually other people like me asking about him. People who want to go on trail rides or camping or other family-oriented type of fun. The people who show at higher levels usually don't ask. They usually have the breed they want - but then again I am in a very gaited-breed oriented community. Now I do get parents who ask about low levels of dressage or beginner western classes for their kids, but they usually want a mount they can hop on too and enjoy so they don't have to get several horses for different jobs. I also have short friends who are thinking about getting one so that they don't have to get a ladder out to mount. Jessie