Wikipedia:Today's featured article/November 24, 2014

The Haflinger is a horse breed developed in Austria and northern Italy during the late 19th century. Relatively small and chestnut in color, they were developed for use in mountainous terrain and are known for their hardiness. The breed traces its ancestry to the Middle Ages, and their current conformation and appearance come from infusions of bloodlines from Arabian and various European breeds into the original native Tyrolean ponies. All Haflingers can trace their lineage to a foundation sire born in 1874. The two World Wars and the Great Depression had a detrimental effect on the breed. In the postwar era the Haflinger was indiscriminately crossed with other breeds, but from 1946 breeders focused on producing purebred Haflingers. Interest in the breed increased in other countries, and numbers grew. In 2003 a Haflinger became the first horse to be cloned, resulting in a filly named Prometea. Haflingers have many uses, including light draft, harness work, and various under-saddle disciplines. They are also used by the Austrian and German armies in rough terrain. The World Haflinger Federation, a confederation of 22 national registries, controls breed standards. (Full article...)

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