Lamija Džigal-Bektešević was nine years old when she left Fojnica for the Netherlands because of the war, where she lived for almost 30 years. There she was educated and obtained the titles of holistic therapist and manager in tourism.
Three years ago, in 2021, he will return to Fojnica and buy land near his town in Malkoč/Lučice where she will later build the Fojnica stud farm. She decided on Malkoč because as a child she often came there with her parents, and it is a place they call the lungs of Fojnica.
When she talks about returning to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the reasons for this young woman are simple, love for her region and nature, although she says that today that nature is being damaged by the panels of the future solar power plant.
“Nature is threatened by panels/quads and chemicals used for agriculture,” says Džigal-Bektešević in an interview for Fena news agency, pointing out that it is very important to have content that does not harm but contributes to the natural beauty of Fojnica.
Returning to nature is her dream, which she wants to realize by offering various projects to her region. One of them is the preservation of the Bosnian mountain horse and the creation of the Fojnica stud farm.
“When I came back from the Netherlands, I had a great desire to have horses. So I dedicated myself to the Bosnian mountain horse, our autochthonous breed, which I started breeding with great love,” says Lamija Džigal-Bektešević, talking about the establishment of the stable.
She points out that the Bosnian mountain horse, which she started breeding and training, is used a lot for carts and carriages. That’s how she came up with the idea of self-financing, because keeping horses is an expensive hobby.
“That’s why we have created a beautiful tourist offer. Fojnica Stables offers a tour in a cart pulled by horses from Vladić vrh to Slapovo Kozica. We travel by cart, with Bosnian mountain horses, which takes you back in time,” she underlined, adding that the project is also financed in this way. preservation of the Bosnian mountain horse. At the Kozica waterfalls, she says, guests will be served a meal, a picnic in nature, and the services of a guide.
With this tourist tour, Fojnica, which has a lot to offer in addition to all its sights and natural beauty, got something new.
In the future, he hopes, there may be an opportunity to make a cab tour around Fojnica.
As a holistic therapist and tourism manager, Lamija Džigal-Bektešević wants to use her knowledge for other projects as well. The idea is to offer therapy with horses, specialized for children, next year.
He also draws attention to the importance of a healthy diet and states that with the help of horses that will be used for plowing, he will also produce organic food.
Speaking about the role of horses in therapy, Džigal-Bektešević points out that the fact that she was close to the horse stable during her exile and that she regularly “socialized” with horses helped her a lot to overcome being in a foreign country, being a refugee.
“Just staying with the horses, socializing with them, braiding their braids is enough to calm the child down,” believes Džigal-Bektešević, with the hope that in cooperation with the Equestrian Club of BiH, therapeutic riding will bring it up to the European standard.
“I have started communication with the Association of Equestrian Organizations of BiH. My goal is to provide these children with the opportunity to compete in para-equestrian, in addition to therapeutic riding for children and adults with developmental disabilities together with the Vilenjak Equestrian Club from Visoko,” she emphasized in an interview with Fena Lamija Džigal-Bektešević, a woman who wants to preserve the Bosnian mountain horse, but also to give the best of herself and her knowledge to others, especially children.
Belma Hadžikadunić-Blitović, one of the rare women in Bosnia and Herzegovina who trains horses and drives horse-drawn carriages and carriages, helps Lamia Džigal-Bektešević in realizing her dream.
Speaking about working at the Fojnica stud, Hadžikadunić-Blitović points out that she is pleased to have the opportunity to work with a woman who is an entrepreneur and full of ideas. When it comes to working with horses, he points out that it takes a lot of strength, will and love.
Photo: Fena news agency
