Flicker and Applejack from Therapy Pony Scotland came for a visit to Kilbryde Hospice yesterday.

Last year we had a visit from their brothers Eduardo and Wilson and we enjoyed their company out in our gardens. Sadly this year the weather wasn’t on our side but that didn’t stop us – we brought the ponies into the hospice, shoes and all!

They arrived in our drop in area and instantly were surrounded by everyone in sight. After an impromptu photoshoot they were taken upstairs in style…. The Kilbryde Hospice lift!

On arrival at the first floor more people had gathered for another look. Thursday is the day of the week Kirriemuir Nursery come along to attend to the hospice gardens, so Day Services was bustling with excitement. The patients, the nursery children and the staff just couldn’t wait to get a look at the miniature Shetland ponies in shoes!

After chatting with handlers John and Elaine, Therapy Pony Scotland have 15 different miniature Shetland ponies that are used to provide therapeutic face to face sessions in care homes, hospitals and hospices.

The purpose of their visit is to help promote interpersonal skills such as, socialising, building confidence and giving the patients an enjoyable activity to participate in and make them feel good. The patients were all thoroughly delighted to see the ponies and it really helped with their overall wellbeing, improved their mood and generally made them happy.

The ponies also visited our newly opened Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Wing to visit the patients.

This is hopefully a service we will be used again!

“Can I take it home with me?”

“I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was very relaxing getting to touch them.”

“There was a whole enjoyment as the children got to see them too.”

“Really enjoyed it, it was lovely to see the light in the children’s faces.”

“Enjoyed the visit of seeing them and didn’t realise how small they were. They were very well behaved.”