Horse Marie-Gold
She has more than fulfilled her duties as a mother
Marie – Gold, a former successful broodmare, gave birth to healthy foals and in 2012 a foal with a handicap: the foal was blind. The breeder and Marie – Gold herself were initially overwhelmed by the situation, but a solution was found.
Animals with disabilities are not an insurmountable situation for Gut Aiderbichl and so we took in the very young foal. However, the mare was also important for the blind foal and so the breeder released Marie – Gold to be brought to Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf together with Koby.
Marie - Gold raised her blind foal with patience and care
When a foal is born, the mare whinnies softly to get the little one used to her voice and then begins to groom her offspring. This close contact with the mother mare in the first few months of the foal’s life strengthens the bond between mare and foal. A few days after the birth, the mare and her foal should be given daily exercise in a pasture and the foal should soon get to know conspecifics, who will then also help with its social development.
Marie – Gold and Koby were given a large box in the stable alley and spent as much time as possible in the paddock. Both the box and the paddock fence were fitted with thick green padding to prevent Koby from injuring himself. Marie – Gold was very careful to ensure that nothing happened to her foal.
Koby herself had got into the habit of exploring the world close to her mum’s body. Her ears listened to the many noises around the farm and so the human voices and all the other noises were soon no longer a problem.
Marie – Gold was sometimes tired and irritable – just like a human mum is when she is bringing up her children. In the evenings, the two of them stood next to each other in the stable and rested.
The influence of the keepers on Koby's upbringing
The mare and the herd, in which the foal is integrated, are therefore responsible for most of the foal’s upbringing and socialisation. Koby learnt to trust the grooms and socialise with them. She had to lose her fear and insecurity towards the vet and the farrier.
Marie – Gold and Koby needed peace and security
We decided to move Marie – Gold and Koby to the A stable. Older horses, blind horses and horses with disabilities live there. The animals in the A stable have one thing in any case: peace and quiet and lots of attention.
From then on, Koby and Marie-Gold lived in a small group of horses and both felt at home. Unfortunately, Koby died of severe colic at the age of 13.
Marie - Gold moved to Gut Aiderbichl Eslarn
If you have watched the mare all these years, how patiently she brought up her foal and was always by her side, you can imagine how sad Marie – Gold was when her Koby no longer stood cuddled up to her body.
We decided to take Marie – Gold to a completely new environment and integrate her into a wonderful herd of horses: the herd of horses at Gut Aiderbichl in Eslarn, Germany. There she has reconnected with her old friends Idefix, Jumper, La Vivi and Laurel, whom she already knows from Henndorf.
At the age of 17, Marie – Gold is now going her own way and she will certainly always carry her little Koby with her. She is free from the worries about her Koby.
If having a soul means feeling love, loyalty and gratitude, then animals are much better off than many people.
– James Harriot
Enjoy your life in freedom, dear Marie – Gold!
From: Gisela Pschenitschnig, Gut Aiderbichl
Horse Marie – Gold
Warmblut
The beautiful warmblood mare Mary Gold was a successful broodmare. However, the birth of Koby in 2012 presented her and the breeder with a seemingly insurmountable situation. Koby was born with a handicap and is blind. The breeder turned to Gut Aiderbichl for help. For us, disabilities are part of life - they simply present us with new challenges that need to be overcome. The mare Koby has come to terms with her disability and made the most of her opportunity: she has become a happy and beautiful mare!
