Octogenarian and Cambridge Grove resident Helen Smith was thrilled when she got up close to a beautiful Shetland pony for the first time ever.
Therapy ponies HoneyBee and Thimble spent the day meeting residents at Cambridge Grove bringing joy to residents.
But it was an extra special experience for resident Helen, aged 84, who had never been so close to a pony before.
She said:
“I have never been so close to a pony; this is amazing.”
And husband and wife Val and Barry Grindrod got quite a surprise when adorable pony HoneyBee trotted along to say hello.
The former teachers were delighted to meet the rescue pony who spends her time visiting schools, hospitals, care homes as well as being invited to lots of parties.
Val, who, along with Barry, have recently moved to Cambridge Grove, said:
“I certainly didn’t expect to see ponies inside the home, but they were so well-behaved and had very good table manners!”
Barry and Val, who have been married for over 50 years, gave the Dartmoor Shetland pony lots of strokes and attention.
Also visiting on the day was Shetland pony Thimble, who along with HoneyBee spends most of her time enjoying the good life in Saffron Waldon where they live with London & Cambridge Pony Parties.
Cambridge Grove resident Mary Simpson, aged 84, said:
“My daughter has horses, but this little pony is just adorable.”
Cambridge Grove Wellbeing Coach Amy Milburn said:
“The ponies were delightful, and we are thrilled that they were able to give all of us such joy.
“Animals can have an incredibly calming impact on people and also help alleviate all of our stress, as well as making us smile and getting us talking.
“We learned that ponies can hear a human’s heartbeat from four metres away and can also regulate their heartbeat to that of a human close by. This means that when they visit someone who is poorly, they can relax with them and provide a calming atmosphere.
“We were all overwhelmed with happiness thanks to Thimble and HoneyBee.”
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