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Harnessing the therapeutic power of ponies
Miniature ponies are not just cute – they sprinkle a little magic wherever they go.
Sharing a tender moment with our gentle ponies gives people a feeling of connection, joy and hopefulness – delivering a burst of physical, mental and social benefits.
Physical Benefits
Motivation to move
Movement is key to supporting muscle strength, balance, coordination and flexibility, particularly as people age or recover from injuries.
During our pony visits, people are inspired to move – getting up as our ponies arrive, lifting their arms to stroke their coat and mane, or leaning forward for a nuzzle.
Mental Benefits
The presence of a pony has an instantly calming and uplifting effect – reducing feelings of isolation, loneliness and stress and aiding in emotional healing.
Words aren't necessary: the ponies have an intuitive ability to sense people’s emotions and know when they are needed most.
Soothing Souls
Social Benefits
Social connections are essential to our mental and physical health and for reducing social isolation and loneliness.
The surprise of having a pony on the premises is a great drawcard for bringing people together and sparking conversation.
After all, it isn't every day a pony comes to visit!
Sparking Conversation
Cognitive Benefits
The presence of ponies has an extraordinary ability to trigger memories and improve focus in dementia patients.
Even sensory experiences, such as feeling the pony's breath on their skin or hearing the sound of hooves on the floor, can bring moments of joy and clarity.
Awakening Senses & Memories
Hospital Stays
Ponies offer a positive distraction from the unfamiliar surroundings of a hospital or when undergoing treatments.
Their surprise visits create moments of respite and happiness, helping to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and release feel-good hormones like oxytocin and dopamine.
A welcome distraction
Why ponies?
The relationship between humans and horses has been sustained for over 6,000 years. This connection has given rise to the use of horses in animal-assisted therapy to improve the mental, physical and social wellbeing of people around the world.
Horses are intelligent, intuitive and social creatures that use sounds and body language to interact with the rest of their herd. By nature, horses are prey animals, making them keen observers of emotional states - even more so than dogs.
Horses have an uncanny ability to recognise, mirror and respond to our feelings. This creates an atmosphere of emotional safety, and a sense of calmness and comfort that's hard to replicate - giving them an invaluable role in the therapy process.
For people who feel isolated or are struggling with conditions like depression or anxiety, the warmth and quiet companionship of these gentle beings can be profoundly healing.
Pony visits are a little bit out of the ordinary and a lovely surprise - giving people a reason to move, smile and something to talk about with others. And being miniature ponies, they can go almost anywhere, even in lifts!
Horse Power
Meet the Team
Vicki, Evergreen West Gosford, NSW
“Our Residents and staff love to have a visit from Buddy & Lisa. Buddy is very gentle and patient with the Residents, going into many of their rooms, which is a big thrill for them as it brings back lots of happy memories."
Kristi, Kanwal Gardens Care Community, Kanwal NSW
“Ponies of the Forest visit our care community each month and it is amazing to see the beautiful connections made between not only the ponies and the residents, but Lisa as well. Our residents are always excited for their visit. This engagement opens many opportunities for reminiscing and Lisa is very generous with her time, one on one with every resident. The ponies are ideal for bedside visits, group interaction and we observe warm responses from people living with dementia."
