by Dave
On a grey, windy day the friends from Day Hospice at the Beth Donovan Hospice loaded up and drove the short distance to Heritage Stables near Merrickville for a first ever field trip. It was exciting!
Inside the arena, we were warmly bundled up by the Hospice Volunteers. When we were all ready, the young riders showcased jumps and skills learned in horsemanship. We watched as the horse and rider became a team going up and over jumps. Was it ever an interesting program!
For me, what had been a dream became real. A gentle bay horse was led up to the mounting stand (a piece of riding equipment used to make horseback riding accessible). The stand was in the outdoor arena. I was up on the horse and ready to walk slowly around the course in a large circle, led gently by the instructor. This is what therapeutic riding is all about.
Wow! What an experience for me. Can dreams come true? I would say they do.
“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man”, is a quote spoken by Will Rogers. Going for a ride on a horse is an experience that I treasure. A grin never left my face the entire ride. I am so grateful to those who made it happen.
Also, that day we all enjoyed visits around the semi-circle of friends by the same gentle bay horse, and a dear black dog known as Finnegan.
Finnegan would lay his massive head softly in each lap and, after a short “communion of souls”, would move quietly on to the next person.
Some even saw a kiss between a white-haired lady and a gentle bay horse.
Thank you over and over to all who participated in a magical time. A special memory for all who were there that day.
Later that morning, there was one more surprise. Each one enjoyed a box lunch and a drink before the drive home. A perfect ending for a wonderful time.
Thank you so much for a precious experience.
