HAFLINGERS
In 1985 a chinese rider, who was in a trip around the world riding a horse, arrived to Portugal in an Haflinger mare, which he had bought in Austria and in which he crossed Europe for three months.
As he was spending the nights, as often as possible, in horse breeders’ homes, he arrived to Herdade da Agolada de Baixo, a farm that belonged to Eng. Fernando Sommer d’Andrade and, because he's mare was pregnant, he had to sell it to buy a new a horse. Eng. Sommer d’Andrade not only acquired the mare, but he also stayed with the colt, also mare, that was born a few days later. A friend that had a male Haflinger offered it to Eng. Sommer d’Andrade, and this is how it started the breeding of these horses in Agolada de Baixo, where they are bred and taught to be ridden and used on carriage driving just for leisure.