The Golden Singer and His Golden Horses

The Golden Singer and His Golden Horses In the matter of native country and love for the home country Norbert Rier does not do things by halves: as a successful singer, but also as a breeder of the famous South Tyrolean Haflinger horses he is one of the greatest in the country.

» Text: Silvia Rier Photo: Helmuth Rier

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o, you don’t necessarily have to be a horse lover to succumb to the charm of this quadruped: have you ever been lucky enough to come across one or even a herd of these blonde, long-legged contemporaries up on an Alpine pasture on a beautiful summer day? Then you most probably know what is meant: the Haflinger horse is not only exceptionally pretty to look at; no, it also has an exceedingly well, virtually “golden” character.

In short, it is a horse to fall in love with.

Norbert Rier, charismatic leader of the “Kastelruther Spatzen” – the most successful German-singing folk music group of all times – has no doubt in this regard, and it can be assumed that he knows what he is talking about: his stables are among the bigger ones, he is among the most successful breeders of the country. Although he tours a lot with his “Kastelruther Spatzen”, this does not prevent him from attending to this third great love of his life whenever there is time. Even during his tours he takes every opportunity to exchange

» opinions with breeders abroad. In the moment he is home for a few days and good-humored on this bright winter day. “Yes,” he agrees “Haflinger horses have indeed a lot in common with beautiful girls. But”, he adds with an impish smile, “they are more faithful.”

Only a few meters from his front door about five young mares cavort in front of their stables.

“Look,” he says and points towards the beautiful, slender animals in their characteristic color, “not for nothing they are also called ‘Golden Sorrels’. How can you not fall in love with them?” Indeed, they are a feast for the eyes, these quadrupeds, and not at all what you associated with the name “Haflinger horse” until a few decades ago: small, stocky, round, clumsy. Workhorses for Alpine farming, strong, enduring, undemanding, surefooted. Those were the Haflinger horses before the breeding goal shifted at the beginning of the 20th century: from “sumpter-mule, four-legged farm laborer, soldier” (during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, but also in WWI and WWII) towards the “South Tyrolean National Steed”. Today, after approximately 150 years of painstaking selective breeding the Haflinger horse is one of the inter-

nationally most popular sport and leisure horses.

This is not a small accomplishment considering the young age of the breed, how small its country of origin is and how poor its population once has been.

Modest, down-to-earth, independent: the country reflects its inhabitants and their animals.

Much water has run down the South Tyrolean mountains, since in 1874 in the village of Slu­derno (Venosta Valley) the ancestor of all Haflinger horses was born: 249 Folie. This son of an oriental half-blood (“El Bedavi XXII”) and an improved country mare stood at the beginning of the classic Haflinger bloodlines, counting seven. “It is its good character,” says Norbert Rier, “which characterizes this horse more than all others.” Its beautiful character, but also its versatility the Haflinger horse has finally to thank for its overwhelming success: there is nothing, says Norbert, which a Haflinger horse couldn’t do after respective training. In hippotherapy and in therapeutic riding it excels particularly.

Norbert never doubted: as a farmer he would do the same as his father and his forefathers. From an early age he was used to the Haflinger horse basically being part of the family. In those days only »

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Thoroughbred South Tyroleans: Norbert Rier and his Haflinger horses

few thought of breeding, and even Norbert stumbled upon it by accident: about 25 years ago he wanted to buy a mare foal from his good friend Erhard Jaider in Castel­rotto. But Norbert just could not decide on one of the three horses up for sale, and so, without further ado, he bought all three of them: “One for each of my children,” he said with a mischievous smile (today he has four children and about thirty horses). A photo of these three mare foals can still be seen in the kitchen of Fuschghof farm.

Since then quite a few horses from Norbert’s stud could win important competitions: beauty as well as sports performance were awarded. Lost in thought, a somehow nostalgic smile steals across Norbert’s face when he talks about performance in connection with his favorite stallion “Amsterdam”. This many times medaled winning stallion and reserve world champion does not stand in his own stables in this year’s breeding season but in Bavaria and will only return during summer to Fuschghof.

Norbert is also proud of “Olivia”, a daughter of Amsterdam and “Miss Italia”, since the genes and the beauty of this mare 100 percent originate in his own stables – the high point of every breeder’s performance and effort. “Naturally,” he says, “as a human you get very attached to these wonderful horses, and it is sometimes difficult to be separated from them, even temporarily for breeding purposes. In such cases,” he continues, “I always take good care where my animals go. It is very important to me that they are not only treated well and properly but also are taken into the heart.”

“Important”, he says and laughs, “important is also that summer finally arrives.” But they still have to be patient, Norbert and his Haflinger horses; it is only February, and it will still take a few weeks until the mares with their foals and the young horses are brought to Alpine pastures, where they enjoy full freedom during summer, as it should be. “The Alpine meadows need the horses, and the animals need the Alpine pastures,” says Norbert, and this will not change over night, at least if he had a say. « 24 ALPE | Summer