About Us!
Welcome to Haflinger Haven!
Head of Operations, Michelle Hartman.
Michelle has been involved with horses most of her life, starting riding at 5 years old. Her family moved quite a bit, but she always found ways to continue her passion for riding. She started in shows fairly young, and by her teens she was doing hunter/jumper and dressage shows.
Michelle also worked as a trail guide for several years in Whistler Canada and Arizona. She eventually found her way back to the Urbana area. She began buying horses at that time, for herself, and for her kids to ride.
Two of her horses from when she began rescuing horses, Buddy and Lolly, always remain special in her heart. You will see that most of the horses at Haflinger Haven have names beginning with B or L, in their honor. The "B' horses are all haflingers, while the "L" horses are a mix of breeds
At one point, Michelle was veterinary technician so she can attend to illness and injury with guidance from her vet. She has experience with laminitis, Cushing's, colic, equine asthma, wound care etc. She also has a wonderful trainer who helps her if any behavioral issues become serious. It is her goal to support her horses’ health both physically and emotionally.
With Michelle’s proximity to the University of Illinois, she gets assistance and guidance from the vets at Midwest Equine at Illinois. Vet students often come volunteer at the barn as well.
In 2019, Michelle began by rescuing miniature horses, and thus began her quest to rescue anyone she could. Despite her love for all the horse breeds, one stood out: haflingers. She knew she had to find a way to limit how many she could take, and decided that going forward, she would mostly take haflingers. Of course, some minis and other have worked their way in as well😊
And that is how Haflinger Haven was born! In September 2024, it became an official NFP 501(3) organization. Horse owners from all over the United States seek out Michelle for assistance with their horses.
On Michelle's farm, she has approximately 30 horses, a few mini horses, sheep, chickens, and turkeys. You'll also find her dogs and cats racing around, welcoming visitors!