Trakehner stallion Ibikus by Hertilas

Ibikus - 25 years old
at Galashow Neumünster led by Otto Langels



A Personal Memory of Ibikus by Mrs. Pia Prom:
The first time I saw Ibikus, he was 17 years old and it was love at first sight (from my side). I had never seen a horse with so much charm and with such movement. It was as if the whole of his body was working, when he moved, everything was so elastic. He was also a personality. In the beginning I was just a servant. It was ok that I fed him, brushed him and took him out to the paddock, but he didn't "love me" for that. After a while he accepted me and I think that he liked me the last years. I remember once, after having had my daughter, I was a little scared of riding again, thinking of what might happen, so I thought "well, I will take Ibikus for a ride in the Forrest". He was over 20 years old at that time, so it would be a quiet ride, So I thought. But Ibikus didn't. He was very fresh and when I wanted a quiet trot. He wanted to gallop and he was so happy and made some of these gymnastic jumps (I don't know what it is called, but if you don't really keep your knees tight, you will fly off), I was exhausted When we came home. Ibikus never got old in that sense, he was always fresh and full of spirit. When he was under the saddle, he was usually very. Well-mannered and a real pleasure to ride, but when he was going out of the stable to cover a mare, he was like a wild horse. When Ibikus was 25 years old, Otto Langels came to visit him. They had not met for many years, but Ibikus recognised Otto at once. He was so happy to see Otto again - I can tell you, that not one eye was dry that day. In Denmark Ibikus produced many excellent breeding mares and riding horses. His Riding horses are very much in demand because of their willingness and good movement. Ibikus was a very intelligent horse, and this trait is passed on to the children that I have breed - they understand immediately what you want them to do. Ibikus died at the age of 29 years. Not that he seemed old, still full of life and spirit and still good looking. But the last 2 years he had a couple of times had problems with getting up, when he was laying on his left side, his left hind leg was not strong anymore. Usually we could roll him over on the other side and then he was able to stand up. One particular afternoon, when we started to turn him, he protested highly. He had never done that before, so I went up to his head to find out what was wrong and he just looked at me, very intensely. I am not lying - he told me quite clearly - that he didn't want to get up, he wanted to get peace - he wanted to die! (I had before had these moments of understanding between him and me). There was nothing to do, I had to go and phone the vet and ask him to come and make an end to Ibikus's life. The vet examined Ibikus before giving him the injection and found out, that he had become paralysed in his hind legs, so there really was nothing to do, he had perhaps had a stroke - I didn't know, but Ibikus did. He had the injection and peacefully he slipped into death. It still gets to me, when I think about it and it is now 5 years ago! That evening there was a light frost and the moon was so big , you could almost touch it, so near was it. The nature was completely quiet, as if it was listening and realising what was happening. I really loved and admired that horse, not just as a horse, but also as the personality he was.

Ibikus fourtimes German Riding Champion	Ibikus 1971	DLG-Champion Ibikus Verden 1974

Ibikus and Märchenstein DLG Frankfurt 1974	Ibikus - 7 years old	Ibikus and Otto Langels