Kim~Crayonboxminiatures
Well-Known Member
The activity director from one of the local nursing homes called me a month ago to ask if I could bring a horse to the indoor carnival they were having for the residents. She explained the carnival would be indoors, and they would have a tarp set up on the carpet for me to use. I agreed, I knew I had just the horse to do the job!
So I brought the three kids with me to the farm this morning and we gave Spring a spa day, she got brushed, bathed, sprayed, combed, braids, etc. to get ready for the afternoon. The kids left (lucky me, only had to work a half day!) and I tied Spring to the old swing set in the sun to dry. After all the work of getting beautiful it was time for a nap.
I loaded her up in the trailer and we were on our way. I went in the nursing home first to find out where we were going to set up. First I had to walk her through two sliding glass doors, but this is a retirement home, so the doors are slow, you have to get through the first one and then wait for the second one to open (meanwhile the first one is closing right behind you). Not a problem for Spring, then we had to navigate the growing crowd of pedestrians, walkers and wheelchairs crowding the entrance to the chapel where we were on the other end. We entered the large room, full of bouqets of helium balloons, clowns making balloon animals, carnival games, etc. We were in the far corner with a tarp on the floor. Again, not a problem for Spring, she walked through the crowds, balloons, walked right onto the tarp and waited patiently for her crowd to arrive. Right next to us was the coin toss, pennies striking glass, not a problem, in the next corner across from us was the musicians, started with a banjo, then a dulcime, it was loud, but again not a problem.
She was patient as the people came walkers, wheelchairs, children, balloon animals, patting her on the head like a dog (she doesn't like that), enduring scratches, and after checking the first few hands and pockets for treats she gave up on getting any "cookies" for doing her job. About midway through our two hours there, there was an ebb in the flow, most were busy playing the games, and the accordian music started. Spring cocked a hind foot and took a nap!
So many people came towards us and their jaw dropped, or their eyes lit up as they realized the horse was real! One dear older woman sat for about 20 minutes in her wheelchair at the edge of the tarp, telling me about how she was a farm girl and helped on the family farm. She enjoyed watching Spring, and all the other people petting her. There was a last woman that wheeled out on a bed/chair, who my guess is probably had a stroke at one time, she had trouble forming words sometimes. She was delighted with Spring and told me she used to ride, but she was a little sad that Spring was too small to ride. It was a real pleasure to witness the joy that Spring brought.
And I was proud of my unflappable horse, who thinks accordian polka's are perfect for an afternoon nap.
I forgot my camera, and was so disappointed not to get any photos of her at the carnival.
So I brought the three kids with me to the farm this morning and we gave Spring a spa day, she got brushed, bathed, sprayed, combed, braids, etc. to get ready for the afternoon. The kids left (lucky me, only had to work a half day!) and I tied Spring to the old swing set in the sun to dry. After all the work of getting beautiful it was time for a nap.
I loaded her up in the trailer and we were on our way. I went in the nursing home first to find out where we were going to set up. First I had to walk her through two sliding glass doors, but this is a retirement home, so the doors are slow, you have to get through the first one and then wait for the second one to open (meanwhile the first one is closing right behind you). Not a problem for Spring, then we had to navigate the growing crowd of pedestrians, walkers and wheelchairs crowding the entrance to the chapel where we were on the other end. We entered the large room, full of bouqets of helium balloons, clowns making balloon animals, carnival games, etc. We were in the far corner with a tarp on the floor. Again, not a problem for Spring, she walked through the crowds, balloons, walked right onto the tarp and waited patiently for her crowd to arrive. Right next to us was the coin toss, pennies striking glass, not a problem, in the next corner across from us was the musicians, started with a banjo, then a dulcime, it was loud, but again not a problem.
She was patient as the people came walkers, wheelchairs, children, balloon animals, patting her on the head like a dog (she doesn't like that), enduring scratches, and after checking the first few hands and pockets for treats she gave up on getting any "cookies" for doing her job. About midway through our two hours there, there was an ebb in the flow, most were busy playing the games, and the accordian music started. Spring cocked a hind foot and took a nap!
So many people came towards us and their jaw dropped, or their eyes lit up as they realized the horse was real! One dear older woman sat for about 20 minutes in her wheelchair at the edge of the tarp, telling me about how she was a farm girl and helped on the family farm. She enjoyed watching Spring, and all the other people petting her. There was a last woman that wheeled out on a bed/chair, who my guess is probably had a stroke at one time, she had trouble forming words sometimes. She was delighted with Spring and told me she used to ride, but she was a little sad that Spring was too small to ride. It was a real pleasure to witness the joy that Spring brought.
And I was proud of my unflappable horse, who thinks accordian polka's are perfect for an afternoon nap.
I forgot my camera, and was so disappointed not to get any photos of her at the carnival.
