A horse is not just an animal. It is the embodiment of strength, balance and nobility, a symbol of freedom, which for centuries has accompanied man in work, travel and wars. In Skole, horses have always been a part of life – they worked on mountain roads, helped transport wood, accompanied the owners on trips and became an integral part of local culture.
Once upon a time in Skole, a horse was not only an assistant, but also the pride of the owner. In every estate, animals were taken care of with respect and care, because they provided the connection between man and nature, between the land and movement. But over time, technical progress and changes in the economy pushed horse breeding to the background. Stables disappeared, professions changed, and with them the silence of the mornings disappeared, when only the steps of the horse and the smell of fresh hay could be heard.
Today, Skole is bringing back this tradition in a new format. As part of the community’s sustainable development strategy, the Public Service “Skoliv Region Development Office” is initiating the creation of a new generation of horse farming, which will combine tradition, humanity and modern standards of animal husbandry. The idea of the project was born as a continuation of the deep history of the region, where horse breeding was part of the local identity.
The construction of a new stable is planned for the spring, which will become the basis for a farm focused on breeding work, equestrian tourism, training and hippotherapy. Here, hardy horses will be bred for mountain routes and conditions will be created that are as close to natural as possible. The space is designed as an open farm, where visitors will be able to communicate with animals, and children will learn to understand their world.
The project was called Friesland Horse & Eco-Hotel — and it is no coincidence. Friesland will become a modern center of equestrian culture in the Skoliv Region, a place where tourism, education and rehabilitation are combined. The complex is planned to open riding schools, horse riding routes through the mountains, as well as hippotherapy centers for veterans, children and people with musculoskeletal disorders.
In addition, it is planned to create a veterinary department and a rehabilitation program for the animals themselves – because a horse that helps a person also needs care and peace.
The ideological inspirer of the development of horse farming was Stepan Ivanochko – an entrepreneur and co-founder of the Public Organization “Skoliv Region Development Office”. His vision is to create in the Skoliv Region not just a business, but a living model of interaction between man, animal and nature. According to him, “the horse returns us to the origins of harmony, where the main value is not speed, but trust”.
The Friesland project is not just a farm or a tourist attraction. It is a step towards a deeper understanding of the fact that development can be humane, and the economy – natural. In the heart of the Carpathians, a space is being born where horse breeding becomes a philosophy, and the horse a symbol of the restoration of human strength and dignity.
Because true revival begins when a community learns to live in the rhythm of nature again – slowly, with respect and love.
