--- title: "Flicka the mare at Gut Aiderbichl France dies in heat; climate stress triggers mortality at sanctuary facilities" sdDatePublished: "2026-08-17T10:06:00Z" source: "https://www.gut-aiderbichl.com/en/news/obituary-flicka-the-horse/" topics: - name: "livestock farming" identifier: "medtop:20000215" - name: "animal" identifier: "medtop:20000500" locations: - "Germany" - "Austria" - "France" --- Flicka the mare at Gut Aiderbichl France dies in heat; climate stress triggers mortality at sanctuary facilities Obituary for Flicka the mare | Gut Aiderbichl France Lena the fallow deer fawn Barn fires: Why do so many animals die? Flicka, a wonderful mare, came from ‘Number 54’ on Fohlenmarkt Foal auctions take place every autumn. Just as it is traditional for horse breeders to sell their foals at foal markets, it became increasingly customary for Michael Aufhauser, founder of Gut Aiderbichl, to travel to foal markets and buy foals outright before they were led onto the slaughter lorries. Is the parading of these horses destined for slaughter still a matter of tradition and the preservation of old horse breeds? Every autumn in Austria and southern Germany, thousands of Haflinger and Noriker foals are auctioned off at various horse markets. Their future is short and cruel. After a gruelling journey in a livestock lorry, most of the foals, torn away from their mothers, end up in fattening stables, and the lives of these baby animals often end in high-volume slaughterhouses. What is the mare experiencing? A mare is pregnant for eleven months and is covered again after the foal is born. After the summer in the alpine pastures, the mare and foal are taken together to the foal market, because otherwise the little horse would never get into the trailer at all. Only a few of the foals have been weaned before the auction, which would spare them the worst of the stress and the pain of separation when they are sold. How many foals do mares see disappear following the same cruel cycle of birth, summer rearing, the horse market and the foal’s transport to the abattoir? Flicka and Trajan were lucky “Number 54” – Flicka – and her boyfriend “Number 128” – Trajan – weren’t quite sure what was happening to them. On the day of the auction at the foal market in Rottenbuch, Germany, Flicka was 118 days old and Trajan was just 87 days old. Normally, foals are weaned from their mares at the age of 6 months. It is quite clear that this timeline was not adhered to and that the two foals suffered trauma as a result. We humans ought to know what we are doing when we cause suffering and pain to young animals – Michael Aufhauser, founder of Gut Aiderbichl A foal is not just a number People who find it difficult to put themselves in someone else’s shoes also find it hard to comprehend the suffering of animals. And many use the mechanisms of anonymity to prevent any compassion from arising for the distressed animals, who do not understand what is happening to them. The number painted on the foal’s belly renders it nameless; it becomes an object that, if it fails to meet breeding standards, is taken to the abattoir. Just like the suckling pig for the barbecue and the liver sausage for spreading on bread: anonymity seems to permit all manner of things. Sadly, Flicka passed away too soon Flicka and her friend Trajan led a wonderful life at Gut Aiderbichl in France. Whilst Trajan died of heart failure last year, Flicka was taken to task by the heat of this summer in France and her cardiovascular system gave out. Flicka was found dead in her stable in the early hours of the morning. Deeply affected and shocked, the animal carers reflected once again on how sad and traumatised Flicka had been at first, and what a happy and well-balanced horse she had become despite all her emotional pain. The animals stood still as they were unloaded, exhausted, and one of them, which was bleeding, gazed straight ahead with an expression on its black face and in its gentle black eyes like that of a child who had been crying. It was exactly the expression of a child who had been severely punished, not knowing why, nor how to escape the torment and the brutal violence. Dear Flicka, we are grateful that we were able to be by your side. We are also grateful that you accepted our friendship and shared your zest for life with us. We are now deeply saddened that you have passed away so peacefully and that we can no longer hear your soft, gentle whinny. But your story has carved itself into our hearts and we will never forget you. Farewell, dear Flicka! Protect Horses - become a sponsor! By sponsoring Horses , you save animals in need, give them protection, security and a safe future - together we give them a second chance. We're looking forward to your visit! Find out everything you want to know about the animals at Gut Aiderbichl at a glance. We inform you about current topics and summarise the most important information for you to read in our magazine.