Rescue pony delivers joy to hospice patients
Debbie Hillery rode horses growing upwards inwards Minnesota – carefree summertime rides through the prairie on a palomino named Sundance.
Now the horses come upwards to her – specifically, a 30-inch tall, 250-pound miniature Equus caballus named Lilly.
On a Mon morn inwards August, Lilly in addition to her owner, Brook Mortensen, arrived at Hillery’s MoonValley habitation inwards due north Phoenix. They are a volunteer pet squad for Hospice of the Valley, which is caring for Hillery.
After nibbling a petty Bermuda grass inwards the front end yard, Lilly sauntered into the household unit of measurement room, enticed past times apple tree treats. Over the side past times side hour, Hillery in addition to her household unit of measurement members enjoyed petting in addition to grooming Lilly, placing pinkish in addition to white bloom clips inwards her mane equally they chatted amongst Mortensen.
The pet therapy take in was arranged past times Hillery’s hospice habitation attention squad members subsequently they heard how much she likes horses.
“It’s only in addition to thus fun!” Hillery exclaimed, brushing Lilly’s white mane. Lilly responded amongst a soulful expect in addition to pawed the flooring amongst her hoof (a request for “more apples, please”).
Hillery, 59, was diagnosed amongst lung cancer concluding year. She’s had chemotherapy in addition to radiations treatments, in addition to has opted forthwith for hospice in addition to palliative care. Married in addition to the woman raise of ii grown daughters, Hillery had a career inwards sales in addition to is a one-time cheerleader for the Minnesota Vikings.
A decade agone she served equally a Hospice of the Valley volunteer.
“There’s something close horses that seems to soothe her,” said Margi Cook, Hillery’s sister. “In the concluding duad of months, she’s been talking close horses in addition to enjoys beingness amongst them.”
Hospice of the Valley has close 200 pet therapy teams – mainly dogs in addition to their “people” – who take in patients in addition to families at their homes or wherever they reside. The visits perk upwards patients’ days in addition to evoke pleasant memories of pets they select had inwards the past.
Like Hillery, Mortensen grew upwards amongst horses, but didn’t select much contact amongst them equally an adult until iii years ago. That is when her husband, who owns a puddle company, brought habitation a video of a client’s miniature horses. “I said, oh, I select to select one!” she said. “But I knew miniature horses can’t endure glorified pets – they select to select a job.”
Mortensen bought non only i but 4 miniature horses from a farm inwards Minnesota, including Lilly, a rescue Equus caballus purchased at auction.
Now the ponies’ twenty-four hr menses undertaking is entertaining children at birthday parties in addition to exceptional events – Story Book Ponies, which tin constitute on Facebook nether that advert or at storybook-ponies.com – based inwards the Northwest Valley.
Last spring, Mortensen started searching the mesh for a charitable action she could produce amongst the ponies. She came across Hospice of the Valley’s website in addition to learned close the Pet Connections program. Within a month, Lilly became a registered pet therapy creature in addition to Mortensen completed the requisite volunteer training.
“I tin sympathize amongst these patients,” said Mortensen, a thorax cancer survivor. “I’ve been there. I’ve been bald. I haven’t felt well. That was my principal motivation. These horses convey me in addition to thus much joy. I desire to convey joy to mortal else.”
To persuasion to a greater extent than photos of Lilly’s take in on Facebook, click here.
Reporting: Beverly Medlyn, communications manager at Hospice of the Valley, a not-for-profit scheme that provides end-of-life care.
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