Do any of you take your minis to nursing homes, children's hospitals, etc.? Questions.

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

christyinco

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
22
Reaction score
1
Location
Colorado
I really want to get into taking my mini into nursing homes and children's hospitals this year. He has a great temperament - so that's a good first step. He is two years old.

Curious as to what your experience has been doing this type of thing. Mostly interested in hearing about the most challenging thing you've had to go through and the most rewarding. Also, logistics - How do you haul? Did you use manure bag. How did you prepare/train your mini. Did you get certified?

Please also share anything else you think I should be asking that I have not asked yet.

Thanks!
 
I took a 2 year old to a nursing home as his second trip off the farm and he was as great as I knew he would be. I also took our show mare Princess who was good and the best thing about her being there was letting us know when it was time for a potty break! Actually it was our 4-H Club that did this as a community service project and a members grandparent made the connection for us. They had other animals visit (but not a mini) and had an outdoor courtyard that could be used. We used our horse trailer which we were able to park in the shopping center next door. We are not certified with Pet Partners or anyone but we are insured!!! That is very important. We did not use potty bags but do plan to order some for future visits. Princess worked well but she is not the best theray mini. We did not do any SPECIAL training, but all our minis get extensive ground training from the minute they arrive here, including those born here like Rusty. Temperament is the most important. We just knew Rusty would be great as he is pretty unflappable and even when the TRAIN WENT BY just across the road from the nursing home, he never reacted at all. Princess turned her head. From the courtyard we could see one women through a window who apparently could not come out, so one of the staff suggested we take the minis inside! We tried one door but the tile floor was way too slippery (you need something on their feet to prevent slipping) so we went in another door which led to all carpetted halways. Both minis were fine inside til Princess let us know it was time to leave. Luckily I was able to read her signals.

Build a bear shoes have been the standard footwear for therapy minis but the new shoes have foam soles and don't work. Someone has already contacted the company who had no idea of this other use of their shoes and may work on it.
 
Targetsmom - Did you just reach out to nursing homes, etc. and say you wanted to come visit? Just wondering about liability and if the homes had any special requirements.
 
I have taken mine to nursing homes, schools, Headstart, fairs.

Mine does not poop when he is working, so that has never been an issue. I take a plastic grocery bag, just in case. Use as glove/disposable bag.

Do not visit during lunch hours and do not let anyone offer snacks to your horse. Invitation to nipping!

Slippery linoleum floors can be a problem, so walk carefully or put some vet wrap around the hooves. Watch out for glass exit doors! My horse ran into one the first time.

It is my experience that many nursing home residents do not like animals in their space, especially in the lunchroom. Twice we visited and were taken to the lunchroom, and many of the residents did not like an animal in their dining room. Better to meet in the lounge, or outdoors, though we visited some bed ridden residents in their rooms and that worked out well. Some people do not want their photo taken, so be aware and get permission if you plan on photos.

Children are the most fun, I think. And there is opportunity for education, such as all the things that the letter H stands for.

Do not let the children sit on your horse. Even though they are young, you will get an over-sized child and it will hurt his feelings if he cannot sit on the horsie also. Just don't let anyone set on him, then you'll lessen the problem. Take brushes and combs. Invite them to smell the horse, look at his teeth, feel the hardness of hooves. Show them where the tail bone is.

Children generally want to know if it is a boy horse or a girl horse. If mine is dropped, I am matter-of-fact that he is a boy horse. I don't encourage silliness about that.

My avatar horse can be very ornery. But somehow, when he is with the children and particularly the old folks, he is very gentle. I think he enjoys the attention.

I have a horse trailer, so that is how I haul horse. Sometimes we give cart rides, too. At one time I called our insurance company about coverage, and that is something that is up in the air. I guess I just quit worrying about it.
 
I have volunteered my time and animals for many youth, educational and agricultural themed events. I know people who have brought their animals inside hospitals and facilities. For indoor visits, sneakers, easy boots or foot wraps are a must so that the minis do not slip on the tile floors. Most places request diapers or poo bags for sanitation purposes as in many facilities, dept of public health has strict regulations regarding animals. It is usually state law (may vary from state to state) that any animal coming into contact with the public must be current on Rabies vaccinations. I haul with my two horse bumper pull trailer, but I have hauled one mini in the back of my suburban with aid of a large square hay bale to provide a step up/down for the horse. To volunteer your time no certification is needed, but to receive compensation for providing therapeutic services, there are licensing requirements by the state (either dept of health, dept of revenue etc). Certain challenges may arise, ie nervous horses do not always cooperate and some people are nervous around horses and need reassurance. Bed ridden or disabled individuals may require assistance to visit and pet the animals. Safety is the important thing, do not bring known biters or kickers, only quiet and patient ponies should be invited. It is a good idea to introduce your animals to things they may see at the facility you plan to visit. Tile floors, Electronic doors, wheelchairs, elevators, etc. It may be a good idea to visit the facility yourself without your animals to see what it looks like before you bring critters. Liability insurance is a good idea too. Just in case someone accidentally gets bitten or stepped on. I purchased a very reasonable policy for a weekend event once and in addition to what the usef membership offers, it was plenty. Also ensure that they your horses cannot get away from you snd hurt others or themselves or impede traffic. There was recently a story on the news about two llamas that escaped during a volunteer visit and caused quite a commotion. Have fun.
 
You can contact Jodie deigal at Mane In Heaven. Non profit animal assisted therapy. Tell her Rebecca referred you. She's awesome with the biggest heart. She can give you MANY answers.http://www.maneinheaven.org/

She has her phone and email on the contact page
default_smile.png
. They go everywhere.
 
We use horse diapers which works great when we take ours out.
 
where did you get liability insurance at? What does a policy go for?
 
There is a Facebook page for miniature horse therapy. It has been very informative and inspirational for me! Mane in Heaven was mentioned in a comment. That organization is amazing!

I don't visit hospitals or anything, and probably won't because of the size of my horse, the issue of transportation, and that while he is good, I'm not sure that he's got the right temperament for it. I think it would be stressful for him. But I do use him for lower key outdoor interactions with kids and people with special needs.

If you get certified through Pet Partners you can get their insurance.
 
That's Awesome! Thanks everyone. I thought I'd start out by taking him to box stores, etc. to be around people, different footing, noises, etc. He's usually really well behaved when he's out - he just needs some experience. Great attitude so I'm excited.
 
The granddaughters and I have taken the minis to preschool, elementary school, and the local nursing home. We do not have special insurance for these events. I believe the institutions have insurance that covers visitors/entertainment as there have never been any forms for us to fill out or sign.

In the case of the assisted living / nursing home, I simply phoned and asked if a visit was something they would like and the answer was yes. We had a great time and it was such fun to talk and listen to the 'elders' and their memories.

The kids are always fun and full of wonderful questions.

In the case of the kids, I drew a simple mini and made copies for a 'coloring sheet' that also had a few simple facts about minis on the page. The children seemed to like that and it was very easy and affordable on my part.

Minnie also went to summer Bible camp
default_yes.gif
!

Lots of possibilities to share!
 
I like this topic.

I would love to take Baby to one of those pet stores, but I have nightmares that she would wipe out all of Petcos' shelf stock. I checked their website to see if I would be liable if Baby got rambunctious. ...couldn't find an answer. I'm sure she would love it though.
 
I like this topic.

I would love to take Baby to one of those pet stores, but I have nightmares that she would wipe out all of Petcos' shelf stock. I checked their website to see if I would be liable if Baby got rambunctious. ...couldn't find an answer. I'm sure she would love it though.
You might be pleasantly surprised at her good manners in public. When they are in unfamiliar places, I think they tend to rely on their trust in us more.
 
Wish there was the "like" button still...I love this topic. Those that know me, know why.
default_wub.png
I haven't posted here forever. So
default_saludando.gif
everyone!
 
You might be pleasantly surprised at her good manners in public. When they are in unfamiliar places, I think they tend to rely on their trust in us more.
Good point. I think Baby would do fairly well in unfamiliar circumstances ...like a pet store.

But... I still have to train the husband. I would never try this without him.

He's progressing. We've recently started where he's actually taking Baby out on the halter. He still won't actually put the halter on her. (And she is so, so easy to halter. You can walk up to her anywhere in the pastures and just shove her nose in the halter; sometimes when it's cold my hands/fingers don't function too well and she just stands there and waits while I fumble.) Anyway, each to their own pace; I would like to try it some day; no rush.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top