What Happens When We Borrow Each Other’s Wings for a While

Is it possible to share our lives with horses, helping each other grow, protect one another, and learn from each other every single day? And could there be times when one of us needs to borrow the other’s wings because life presents greater challenges for one than the other?

These were the questions explored during animal communicator and equine coach Ditte Young’s clinic at the Hillerød Horse Show in Denmark, where two extraordinary horse-and-rider partnerships demonstrated the power of trust, understanding, and mutual support.

The clinic featured Cecilia Rosell, a rider living with multiple disabilities, and her Icelandic horse Abel, as well as Heike Callsen and her 22-year-old blind mare, Daisy.

Ditte communicated telepathically with both horses in front of the audience, exploring how they experienced their daily challenges and how their human partners could support them. The emotional responses moved several audience members to tears.

Cecilia Rosell and Abel

At the time of the event, Cecilia was 24 years old and living with cerebral palsy, fibromyalgia, ADHD, Raynaud’s syndrome, and scoliosis.

Her horse Abel was a 13-year-old five-gaited Icelandic horse. They had been together for six and a half years.

Cecilia had previously competed on Denmark’s B national para-dressage team riding larger horses, but the physical demands became too exhausting. Riding Abel, who is smaller and lives in a group-housing environment that requires less stable work, allowed her to keep enjoying her passion.

However, Abel was extremely protective of Cecilia. He feared losing her balance and potentially causing her to fall. If he sensed she was off balance, he refused to canter.

Heike Callsen and Daisy

Heike and Daisy had previously competed at national Grand Prix level. Heike had owned Daisy since she was three years old. At 22, Daisy was living with PPID and had become completely blind due to cataracts and glaucoma.

After years away from competitions, Heike wanted to give Daisy a positive experience performing in public again.

They had been practicing riding with a cordeo, a neck rope used instead of traditional reins, to challenge themselves and explore new ways of communicating.

Ditte’s role was to help Heike understand how she could support Daisy and make her feel safe during the performance.

Blind Daisy Is Guided by Her Owner’s Inner Vision

Years earlier, Daisy had begun refusing to move forward at competitions. Heike eventually realized that Daisy’s deteriorating eyesight was making her feel insecure.

Since then, they had stopped competing away from home.

Daisy had also suffered her first injury the previous year and had only recently completed rehabilitation, leaving little opportunity to prepare for the show.

Before the clinic, Heike had several questions for Ditte.

Could Daisy remain focused on her rider despite the unfamiliar surroundings? Did she trust Heike enough to perform a dressage routine? Could she relax and move as confidently as she did at home?

Most importantly, how could Heike help Daisy feel safe without her eyesight?

During the live telepathic communication, Ditte shared Daisy’s perspective.

According to Ditte, Daisy explained that she did not want people to feel sorry for her. She had enjoyed a long and fulfilling life, and although she could no longer see with her physical eyes, she experienced the mental images that Heike shared with her.

Ditte conveyed that these images helped Daisy navigate her surroundings and feel secure rather than being surrounded by darkness.

Before beginning their performance, Daisy was given time to explore the arena and become familiar with the footing.

Then Heike signaled for the music to begin.

What followed was extraordinary.

The 22-year-old blind mare performed a Grand Prix freestyle that included piaffe, passage, pirouettes, and flying changes at every stride, guided by Heike’s signals and the mental images Ditte described.

The audience watched in amazement as the partnership demonstrated the extraordinary connection between horse and rider.

Abel Did the Very Thing He Was Afraid Of

Carrying a rider with physical disabilities can create both physical tension and emotional challenges for a horse.

During the clinic, Ditte asked Abel how he managed the tension he experienced through Cecilia.

As Ditte communicated with him, Abel began yawning and releasing tension.

Ditte explained that Abel willingly absorbed some of Cecilia’s physical tension because, from his perspective, he could shake it off more easily than she could.

Cecilia wanted to understand why Abel sometimes refused to trot or canter with her.

Through the telepathic communication, Ditte conveyed that Abel was afraid Cecilia might fall.

His refusal was not an act of disobedience. According to Ditte, it was his way of protecting her.

When Ditte asked what Abel needed to feel comfortable moving forward, she understood that Cecilia needed to relax and pay particular attention to her breathing.

Whenever Cecilia held her breath, Abel took it as a signal to stop and sensed her nervousness, which made him uncertain.

Ditte therefore encouraged Cecilia to focus carefully on breathing calmly and consistently while riding.

When Cecilia and Abel entered the arena, she signaled for the music to begin, removed his bridle, and started their freestyle performance.

The moment was deeply moving.

Abel trotted and cantered around the arena, doing exactly what he had previously been afraid to do.

Because Cecilia remained relaxed, Abel felt confident enough to carry her through the performance.

For many spectators, witnessing this extraordinary display of trust and connection brought tears to their eyes.

There Are Many Paths in Equestrian Sports

Ditte Young concluded the clinic by explaining how deeply these partnerships impressed her.

Their stories showed that there is more than one path in equestrian sports.

For Ditte, the most meaningful part of life with horses is not necessarily competition or achievement, but the profound personal journey humans and horses share.

Sometimes, that journey means allowing another being to carry us through our challenges.

And sometimes, it means lending each other our wings.