Are you ready to have your heart melted into a puddle, Bushwick?
This past Wednesday, Bushwick’s Centers Health Care senior facility hosted a pair of delightful guests.
Aiden and Pearl, two tiny, lovable therapy ponies, stopped by the center to nuzzle some new friends and spread some cheer throughout the facility.
Pet therapy with cats and dogs is a common practice at many senior centers, but the Bushwick Center, which is located at 50 Sheffield Avenue near the farthest east corner of the neighborhood, took the practice to the next level by bringing in the ponies.
Pearl and Aiden hail from Westbury, Long Island, where they are among the 21 horses at the Horseability Center for Equine Facilitated Programs.
According to Katie McGowan, Executive Director and Founder of HorseAbility, these miniscule little equines can be called either miniature horses or ponies (the latter term is connotes a horse size under 14.2 hands, which is equivalent to about 58 inches, or 147 centimeters).
“The residents were all smiles and showed tears of joy,” Centers spokesman Jeffrey Jacomowitz tells Bushwick Daily. “All they wanted to do is pet the horses and just be in their presence.”
Organizers were thrilled that the pony visit was such a success, and the ponies will definitely be back at the facility again soon!
Too cute! Happy Friday, Bushwick!
Featured image: Aiden the pony and a happy friend. Photo courtesy of Centers Health Care.