You might think that miniature horses are just tiny and cute, but at Shands Rehab Hospital in Gainsville, Florida, miniature horses are assisting patients in therapy programs. Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses has partnered with the hospital to provide the newest form of therapy to patients. “No-one plans to go to rehab,” said Andrea Gilbert, a Shands staff occupational therapist. “Life threw a curveball, and now everything is hard. But the horses give [our patients] a reason to smile.”
Typical therapy sessions with the horses entail the patient and horse working together to achieve goals such as walking up and down stairs, working on focus and balance skills, and gaining coordination and strength. Interacting with the horses provides functional activity but in a purposeful way.
Jorge Garcia-Bengochea, executive director and co-founder of Gentle Carousel, was hit by a car at a young age and understands the difficult path to recovery. Garcia-Bengochea reflects, “Doing the work that we do now, I think of that. I would’ve loved to have a little animal visit me.” Read the full article of the therapeutic miniature horses here.
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This was a wonderful story reaffirming my belief in the power of animals to heal. More of this needs to happen in the medical world and maybe fewer drugs will be needed.
When I saw the pictures of all the people who have benefited from this program with ponies it brought tears to my eyes to see all the joy in their eyes. We have programs in Minnesota with horses, but ponies seem to be much less intimidating to those who are a little afraid of animals, because of their smaller size. I have posted this program on my facebook page to share with my friends. God bless all the people who support this program as volunteers or monitary gifts.