Frida has lost trust in people
A disappointed horse soul
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
Horses reflect an incredible beauty. They have pride and grace and, although I was afraid of horses for years, they have been special friends of mine for a long time now.
I am particularly touched by the connection between humans and animals. I’ve never sat on horseback and don’t intend to. But I spend a lot of time at the stables of the horses at Gut Aiderbichl and am learning more and more to understand their language with us humans.
Before I describe Frida’s biography, I would like to briefly discuss the bond between humans and horses. I think we owe it to Frida to take a brief look at the horse’s soul.
The bond between humans and horses
It’s not just an animal, it’s a soul that I encounter – this saying says it all.
Over 800 horses live on the farms of Gut Aiderbichl. They all have a special history: they made a career in sport, they were leisure horses, children and adults learnt to ride on their backs. Many horses were harnessed to carriages to guide tourists through the hustle and bustle of the town, many horses performed in the circus. We don’t know too much about many of them because we bought them from horse dealers to give them a second chance at life. Many of the stories we are told about a horse are true, but many things are kept quiet.
I experience the fascination of horses time and again when I take guests to see the horses. Some horses come and want to be stroked, some stay away and listen to what’s coming.
They are mysterious and how can you penetrate the soul of a horse? It takes time, and they often don’t allow it.
The ears talk to us, open, wide nostrils want to smell us. There are situations in which I just stand there and enjoy the warm breath from the nostrils. It makes me calm. Horses sense how people are feeling at the moment.They have many different ways of communicating with other horses or humans through their neighing. At some point, you learn that the bond with a horse is a soul bond.
Frida is a traumatised horse
Frida’s new owners knew straight away that it wouldn’t be easy with her. Nevertheless, they were optimistic and wanted to give Frida a chance.
Beautiful Frida moved into the farm and everything seemed fine. However, it was soon realised that Frida had problems with people. It was impossible to prepare her. Nevertheless, they didn’t give up and tried to get Frida’s trauma under control through intensive, patient training. The progress was small, but noticeable.
It was assumed that Frida had once been involved in an accident with the carriage, which would have explained her strange behaviour. Unfortunately, Frida could not stay with the people and it was considered to “take her away”. Thanks to the intervention of an Aiderbichler, we were able to take Frida in.
We also considered whether we could meet Frida’s needs and help her with her problems. After a period of familiarisation, Frida showed us that she was actually feeling quite well.
Frida's trust in people grows slowly
Frida’s eyes were very alert when she stood at the paddock for the first time. People wanted to communicate with her, but it seemed as if she had closed her ears and switched off.
During the guided tours, she slowly but surely comes closer and closer until she allows herself to be stroked. At first, I noticed that she was rather cautious when you called her by name. I often just stood there and talked about Frida. Over time, she slowly came closer to me. I was talking about the Aiderbichler horses when I heard Frida’s breathing. She opened her nostrils as if she wanted to absorb and store my human scent. Stroking became possible, she stood there quietly and listened. There was suddenly a small spark of trust.
Frida has now found a group of horses that she is getting used to. Her great friend is Gazelle, a Percheron mare. Gazelle obviously gives Frida support and encouragement on her way to a carefree, sheltered equine life at Gut Aiderbichl.
And one thing is clear: she will never be ridden at Gut Aiderbichl. Frida can just be a horse. With all her fears and insecurities. One day, Frida will be able to put her trauma behind her.
If someone were to ask me what combines beauty and gentleness for me, I would answer without hesitation: a horse.
Herzlichst, Ihre Gisela
