Haflinger im Spiegel der Wissenschaft

This book is an informative compendium about everything connected with breeding Haflinger horses. Starting with a detailed introduction to the historic origins of this breed of horse, the 25 thoroughly researched chapters present the most up-to-date knowledge about the breeding history, modern breeding work and current scientific studies. In the historic section, which conveys interesting contemporary insights by means of a wide range of photographs and illustrations, the political and social frameworks for breeding Haflingers are portrayed, and historic stud farms which have largely been forgotten, presented. The middle section of this book then sets out basic knowledge about breeding. The historic and current breeding aims, breed standards and the administrative structure of international Haflinger breeding are presented with the same level of detail as the genealogical structure of the sire and dam lines. Deeper insights are provided by the scientific contributions on the genetics of colour, the structure of the population, Y-chromosonal haplotype analyses and genetic diversity. No publication on Haflingers would be complete if it did not also look at the variety of uses for which this breed can be employed. Three chapters demonstrate impressively that the Haflinger, with its particular performance characteristics, will continue to find a place in the international horse scene in the future. A chapter dedicated to pasturing of the horses explores the highly topical issue, especially in alpine regions, of the tense relationship between ecology and the economy, before an epilogue brings this collective volume to a close.