Holiday cover for a Haflinger works when the instructions describe this particular horse, not horses in general: a compact, chestnut easy keeper with a flaxen mane, a friendly nature that hides real strength, and a metabolism that turns good grass into extra weight quickly. A sitter who has only handled finer, harder-keeping breeds will overfeed him and under-manage his grazing unless your notes say plainly what is different. Write the sheet as if the reader has never met him, in the order the day actually runs.
Start With the Haflinger's Easy-Keeper Feeding Rules
A Haflinger's feeding section must lead with amounts, because kindness looks like overfeeding for this breed. Give hay by weight rather than by armful, name the exact number of nets or flakes for morning and evening, and state whether hard feed is fed at all or is genuinely just a token handful so supplements and routine powders can be given. Say clearly whether the grazing muzzle goes on for turnout, how many hours it stays on, and which paddock he belongs in if the yard has both rich and sparse grazing. Note where the scales or the pre-weighed nets hang so the sitter is not estimating.
Cover Handling, Turnout, and the Thick Winter Coat
A Haflinger is strong for his size, so handling notes matter even for a well-mannered horse. Explain that he may lean toward the gate at feed time, that he should be tied or stood behind a barrier before buckets appear, and that treats by hand are either rationed or banned because he can start mugging pockets. Cover turnout times, which field companions he goes out with, and whether he is caught easily or needs feed in a bucket to bring in. His thick native coat means rugging decisions differ from a clipped horse: say which rug, if any, he wears in rain or hard frost, and warn against adding extra layers simply because the weather feels cold to people.
Name the Watch-Outs a Cover Sitter Must Not Miss
A Haflinger's watch-out list should centre on weight and feet. Ask the sitter to run a hand over his ribs and crest at each visit and report if the crest feels harder or the ribs disappear, and to pick out and check all four feet daily, watching for heat in a hoof or a reluctance to walk over hard ground. State what counts as a phone call straight away: not eating, lying down and rolling repeatedly, sweating without work, or obvious lameness. Leave the vet's number, the farrier's number, and your own order of contact, plus written permission arrangements for emergency treatment so nobody loses time deciding who may authorise a visit.
Finish With a Simple Day-by-Day Running Order
A Haflinger's final page should read as a timetable the sitter can tick off: arrive, check water and fence line, hay net in, muzzle on, turnout, muck out, bring in, feed, rug decision, final check. Add the yard's practical details a horse sitter cannot guess, such as where the hose freezes first, which gate sticks, where the feed room key lives, and what time the yard is locked. Walk the sitter through one full day before you leave, watch them fit the muzzle and tie a net themselves, and answer the small questions then rather than from your holiday. Handing those same notes over through a KinsLe Care Pass means the sitter finds muzzle times, weighed nets and emergency numbers in one place, and the access simply ends when you are home.