UPPER EAST SIDE (WABC) — Therapy miniature horses delivered an enormous dose of joy and comfort to people on the Upper East Side on Tuesday.
17-year-old Pearl and 15-year-old Aiden walked through an activity room at a Sunrise Senior Living Center on East 56th Street.
“Gives all of us old people a little hope, you know, a little pleasure. They are darling, Oh, I love them, I want to take them home,” a resident said.
The animals from Horseability, a Long Island-based therapeutic riding center, travel all over the area visiting children’s hospitals, nursing homes and rehab facilities.
Denise Ryder calls the horses zen creatures who pick up on people’s vibes, particularly this group.
“They are so gentle and calm and it makes the horses just gravitate towards that,” she said.
It’s a chance to reminisce about riding lessons as children and live with purpose.
“With seniors coping with depression, anxiety, this is the best way to bring out their spirits,” Alyssa Friedman with Sunrise East 56th said.
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