As part of therapy teams, the little ponies visit hospitals, schools and care homes to offer soothing hugs to those in need.
According to British news service SWNS, owner Sarah Woodland (42) received the two mini Shetland ponies from a friend in the summer of 2022. According to the media, 16-year-old Poppy and 17-year-old Tinks are only 76 centimeters tall and love to be petted.
Woodland decided to start doing private, one-on-one enrichment sessions with the animals, and then visit local care homes with the animals to encourage residents to interact with them to boost their mental health.
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The sessions went so well that Woodland decided to make both of them therapy ponies.
She now takes animals to special schools, hospitals and care homes to provide comfort and companionship to those in need.
Ponies spend time with elderly people. “Seeing and touching the ponies is a way of communication for those who have difficulty speaking. It's like a show of affection and it gets people up and moving.” (SWNS)
Woodland runs Dinky Ponies in Oxfordshire.
“It's touch and communication. Seeing and interacting with the ponies is a form of communication for those who have difficulty speaking,” she told SWNS.
“It's like a form of love that gets people up and moving.”
Before starting the business, she worked in human resources in London and was raising two children, aged 15 and 10, with her husband Nick, 50, a military veteran.
When she first presented her idea to the care home, the response was “overwhelming.”
As her children grew up, Woodland had more free time and felt the need to reinvigorate her love of horses, SWNS noted.
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She turned to freelancing enrichment sessions until she stumbled across the idea of pony therapy visits.
With demand for one-on-one riding lessons declining during the winter months, she decided to try a different approach.
“It's wonderful to see the incredible impact animals have on people” at Pony Therapy, said Sarah Woodland (right), owner of Dinky Ponies. (SWNS)
“Some people will tell you that animals are our best friends,” Woodland said. [these animals] To have a sense of who needs comfort. That's part of why I decided to set things up.”
When she first approached the care homes about her idea in the summer of 2022, she said the response was “overwhelming.”
“From day one it's been complete madness,” she told SWNS.
People can meet and pet the horses.
“It's been a huge success and it's wonderful to see the incredible impact the animals have on people. I think part of this is because the effects of lockdown were still being felt and visitors to care homes were restricted, so that made the experience of being with the animals even more rewarding.”
Although the Dinky Ponies still hold parties from time to time, Woodland said her focus has shifted primarily to therapy sessions.
During their visit, people can meet and pet the horses.
Woodland says her passion for her work comes from “the deep, often unspoken connection between the ponies and the people we visit.” Pictured left is Woodland during a visit. (SWNS)
Woodland said it's the “deep, often unspoken connection between the ponies and the people they visit” that motivates her to continue her work.
“There's something special about animals, and it comes in so many different dimensions, including their empathy and their ability to communicate,” she told SWNS. “I truly believe that animals have a sixth sense and the ability to tell if someone needs special attention.”
“There's something special about animals.”
During a recent visit, she said one care home resident was initially very skeptical of the pony and even placed a table in front of his bed for protection.
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Though reluctant, he agreed to meet Poppy and gradually became more and more reluctant.
“It was just amazing to watch from start to finish. That's the impact animals have on people,” she said.
As well as ponies Poppy and Tinks, Woodland's other children are Abby, 13; Georgie, 12; Gracie, five; Charm, 12, and Evie, 15. (SWNS)
Woodland has expanded and is now home to seven ponies, each with their own aptitude.
As well as ponies Poppy and Tinks, she also has three other children: Abbie, 13; Georgie, 12; Gracie, five; Charm, 12; and Evie, 15.
But she acknowledged that Poppy is a “superstar.”
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“She has a natural way of relaxing people and making them fall asleep on her lap!” Woodland said.
“Ponies have such a positive effect on people that I want to keep doing them for as long as I can.”
She selects which ponies to take to specific events depending on the needs of each venue.
When visiting a new facility, Woodland typically brings one of his ponies with him to the venue to evaluate the equipment.
Woodland selects ponies to take to specific events depending on the needs of each venue. (SWNS)
Ponies are usually worked one day a week so they are not overworked or over-petted.
They're now so used to visiting that they can even take the elevator up and down to visit the children's ward at the hospital, SWNS reports.
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“Ponies have such a positive impact on people that I want to continue doing this work for as long as I can,” Woodland said, according to the media.
