By Rita Thompson-Tinsley
Standing a whopping 34” to 38” at their withers, though miniature in stature the miniature horse proves GIANT in character. Though capable of performing many skills, such as equine competitions and cart driving, they have become absolutely paramount in the world of human therapy.
The miniature horse and pony tend to express a spirituality, a sort of sixth sense, rendering comfort and relief so phenomenally that even their owners are blown away.
During the holidays, I took pony Maddie Rose to a Christmas festival. She arrived adorned as one of Santa’s reindeers, the theme for minis and ponies attending. I walked her around the park to acclimate her to the very busy area.
Maddie is a rescue pony that I attained from the excellent Now That I’m Safe Rescue, so I don’t exactly know about her past. I do know that Maddie tends to be shy and reserved, but friendly if approached gently.
At the park, there were kids arriving and many wanted to pet her. She was tolerant, but as the day went on, she was less tolerant, and I could see it was time to make our exit.
As we passed a friend’s art booth, I heard a call out. My friend Alison’s uncle was visiting and wanted to see Maddie Rose. Alison’s Uncle Keith is an exuberant man who has cerebral palsy plus a cognitive disability and loves to pet horses any chance he gets.
I warned that Maddie was getting a little high strung from the festival crowd but agreed to give it a try. After all, I had a hand clutching her lead rope and I could whisk her away if something went awry. (The last kid to pet Maddie was met with a nasty imaginary nip and plenty of stink-eye.)
What happened next was astounding! As Keith approached, hands outstretched and flailing, I was ready for anything, except this. Maddie Rose stood perfectly still while Keith began to pet her, his hands gyrating on both sides of her face. He stopped for a second, then began again going down her neck. I witnessed her fully relenting to his excited, yet loving, affections.
After Keith stopped and stepped back an amazing thing happened. My normally timid, scared, unapproachable pony leaned toward him. She didn’t want to leave. As we turned to walk away, I felt a surge of tears in my eyes. I leaned down and thanked my ‘rescue pony’ for being a ‘rescue-er’ that day, making Keith’s day happier.
It turns out that Uncle Keith has quite an extensive history with animals. When Alison Crary brought home her untouched BLM mustang Moki, Keith, who is also sight impaired, was doing ‘air kisses’, inviting Moki to come. The wild mustang complied, and obvious to say, the two became fast friends.
Therapy sessions are a way of life for JoAnn and Sparky. They have been frequenting nursing homes, the VA, even playgrounds and parks for several years. Sparky has a healing passion for people, and people have a passion for Sparky.
When the pair did a group organized visit to the Prescott VA, JoAnn realized that Sparky was a natural. He didn’t need direction or guidance. “He always knows who needs him most,” she claims.
When VA residents were wheeled out to the area, Sparky noticed a man laying on a gurney. It was Sparky’s desire to visit the man even though he was clear across the parking lot. Sparky nuzzled the dangling arm of the man which was hanging off the gurney, and all watched as the man came to life with laughter and huge smiles.
It now has become JoAnn’s practice to throw the lead rope over Sparky’s back so that he is free to go to those in need. JoAnn reflects on a time in the park when Sparky, after watching a little girl go down the slide, positioned himself at the end of the slide as if to catch the little girl before she hit the ground. A safety net with a mane and tail.
Mary Smith, Michelle Whan and other volunteers are involved with Horses with Heart’s Magnificent Minis therapy program. There are 9 minis participating from several volunteers, and they rotate so that 5 go to each function. They visit Prescott area schools and nursing homes and have started a school program called Just Say WHOA to Bullying. Heidi Harvey and her miniature donkey Brady are new members of the group. “Since I adopted Brady, I feel like a kid again,” says Harvey. “I dress him in costumes for events where others can adore him, and he can make others feel good.”
A special thanks to Keith Ostic who with pure joy in his heart shows us how to find true spirit.
