Young people urgently required!

Skilled young talent is increasingly in short supply among both conscripts and professional soldiers. There are hardly any recruits who already have experience with horses. Only a few of them enlist after their basic military service. Even if they do, many of our enlisted soldiers only stay for a limited time because they do not want to permanently relocate the centre of their lives. In addition, with us they have an almost 365-day workload and have a great deal of responsibility for the handlers and animals. That is only attractive for a few people in the long term, confirming the current challenges in the personnel area. Finding suitable offspring is also becoming increasingly difficult for the pack animals themselves. Since Haflingers have become popular as sport and leisure horses, breeding has developed in a new direction. The modern Haflinger is slimmer and sportier than the original breed. Finding horses that have the skills to carry heavy loads isn’t getting any easier. Every year around five young animals aged six months are bought, which then begin their careers in the AAF.

Loving rearing, consistent training

The first stop in their new home for the Haflinger stallions (colts) is the Schüttach breeding stable. There they spend their time with their peers in the playpen and in the spacious pastures in HOCHFILZEN until they are three years old. There are approximately 15 colts at any one time, who are slowly introduced to their future tasks through regular, intensive contact with people. The young animals spend the summer at the PAC’s own alpine hut, Marchentalm. In their fourth year they become ‘Remonte’; this is the name given to horses which are in training for later (military) use. They then move into their boxes in the main stable, which was built between 2007 and 2010. The training area and the training hall are attached. The training of our young horses is at the heart of our work. We train them not only to carry loads, but also as riding and draught animals. This task lies primarily with our professional soldiers, who have the necessary experience and skills. In around two years, the animals learn everything they will later need in action.

A lifetime of service

The training of the Haflinger is completed at around the age of six. The horses switch to the operational platoon, where they are in use almost every day, loaded with up to 120 kg and training together with their pack animal handlers. In between, they move wood to build fences or help keep paths clear on horseback, especially in winter. There is relaxation at the weekends, where the herd has access to a total of 35 hectares of pasture. We demand a great deal from our horses and in return offer them optimal living conditions. This is how we keep them healthy and operational. The animals usually remain in the operational platoon until they are around 20 years old, when they are sold into private hands. The older the horses get, the more difficult it is to find buyers for them. Our Haflingers are in great demand, both as leisure horses and in companies providing riding therapies. After all, they are in top shape and well trained.

Practice for emergencies

The animals are in top shape primarily because they are in use day after day. Different exercises for emergencies and operations are always on the agenda. We regularly go into difficult terrain with heavy loads. Correct loading is crucial. With loads of up to 120 kg and large volumes, everything must fit correctly so that pressure points and pain are avoided, and the sometimes sensitive load is also securely attached to the animal. The training then mainly involves movement in impassable terrain. It goes over narrow stony paths, through forests and, of course, often through deep snow in winter. Concentration is required, as is sure-footedness and trust between the humans and animals. In addition to exercises, we also practise setting up pack animal camps. If we are only on the road for a few hours, simple tie-down places are sufficient. The horses can take a breather there, protected by a ‘Woilach’, the blanket that we always have with us as a saddle pad. During longer exercises, canopies are constructed from tarpaulins to provide the horses with protection from the weather at night. Hay and water are delivered by vehicle during the exercises. When deployed, the animals get by on what they find in the forest and fields – only concentrated feed, i.e. grain cereals, is carried with them. But the army forests wouldn’t be happy if we let the animals eat from the forests every day. 

Not stupid: donkeys and their qualities

Frugality in terms of feeding is a decisive advantage in use. This is not the only reason why the Haflingers got reinforcements in 2016; a total of eight donkeys have since strengthened the animal team at the PAC. Their small size – compared to the Haflinger – is particularly noticeable when it comes to their food requirements. They are widespread worldwide and are native to mountainous regions, making them even more versatile for use at home and abroad. They are essential for training the Special Operations Forces for international operations. The fact that, unlike horses, they are not flight animals, makes them ideal for carrying sensitive goods in combat operations. In spite of their smaller body size, they are able to carry similar loads as their blonde-maned counterparts. They come to HOCHFILZEN between the ages of one and four, and their training then lasts a maximum of some months. Donkeys have many positive characteristics that make them suitable for military use. But we had to learn a lot during their training: donkeys are smart and it often takes patience to convince them to take on new tasks. Sometimes we stand at a bridge for four hours until we manage to cross it. In the long term, the PAC would like to further change the unit. The goal: a group of horses, a group of donkeys and a group of mules (a cross between a horse and a donkey). Not only donkeys, mules and horses; the professional soldiers at the PAC are trained to work with camels for missions and operations abroad.

Best working and training conditions

The infrastructure for these development steps is there. The PAC is not a cost factor. Our running costs are low compared to the maintenance costs of modern technical devices, and there is no need for investment in the infrastructure in the next 10 to 15 years. From the condition of the facility, it is easy to see that these are the best conditions for keeping and training the animals, as well as for training the recruits. In addition to the modern main stable, which meets all animal welfare criteria, there is an indoor and outdoor training hall, a training area and 35 hectares of pasture available. The SCHÜTTACH stable offers a species-appropriate surrounding for the young animals, and the MARCHENT alpine hut offers the best conditions for the summer months. But it is not just the animals who live here at the highest standard: with modern two- and four-bedded rooms, the Waldlager, built in 2017 as accommodation for the recruits, is also an example of the most modern military infrastructure. We have every reason to be satisfied – both people and animals find optimal conditions in the HOCHFILZEN military training area.