A visit to a Care Home from a miniature horse provided an extra special treat at Sherborne House in Yeovil.

‘Star’ met each of the residents at the dementia home earlier this year, and made a big impression for a little horse.

April Kibby, from Lofty Therapy Horses said, “Each visit throws up new ‘experiences’ which they are ready to deal with and learn from. We bought our first American Miniature Horse called ‘Lofty’ as a companion for a larger horse and thought we would show him. That never happened as we took him to visit my father in law in a nursing home and the rest as they say, is history.

Star is the only female therapy horse and is an American Miniature Horse that was donated to us for therapy use. She came from a farm in Cheshire.  She originally came from Texas as a 6-month old foal. She is 8.5 years old and 32 inches high, our smallest therapy horse”.

Miniature horses can live up to 30 years and like regular sized horses enjoy a roam in a field and a warm stable at night.

Lofty has made several TV appearances and continues to visit nursing homes, hospices, nurseries, hospitals and schools.

Special little trainers are made for the horses which enable them to trot around indoors whilst on their visits. They are also trained to go in a lift making them easily accessible to all floors.