Miniature horses provide therapy for the elderly

Cassandra Wilson gets “all goose bumpy” just remembering the day that launched Wee Whinnies Therapeutic Minis.

It was the Fourth of July 2011 when Cassandra and her husband Todd had their miniature horses in Bigfork’s parade and they noticed the residents of Lake View Care Center in the shade on a lawn quite a distance from the parade. They decided to take their little leopard appaloosas Kozmo and Domino up for a visit.

“They just adored the minis,” Cassandra said. “Karen, the activities director, asked if we could come to visit sometime.”

A few weeks later, Todd, an electrical engineer, took a day off to drive Cassandra and three of six little horses to the Bigfork nursing home for an official therapeutic encounter. On a beautiful August day, Todd and Cassandra led their miniatures to meet the residents waiting in wheelchairs and chairs in the courtyard.

“One gentleman, as we were walking into the courtyard, he whinnied at the horses,” Cassandra said. “Sammy whinnied back at him so that was a good start.”

Amazingly, the miniature horses related in a special way to each patient. Cassandra took Domino up to a man who appeared to have suffered a bad stroke as he sat limp and unresponsive, secured with straps in the wheelchair.

“Domino just gently lipped his knee as he had shorts on,” she recalled. “He just lit up and started laughing and from that moment on he was alert and conscious of the horses for about 10 minutes.”

Comparing notes afterward, the couple learned that Todd had the same experience when he took Sammy, their black stallion, up to a man in a similar state of unawareness. Todd and Cassandra were in awe of how perfectly the miniatures behaved.

“They all seemed to know why they were there as soon as we walked into the courtyard,” she said.

Although they got a late start, Todd and Cassandra scheduled another therapeutic visit to Brendan House when Todd got a day off and before the weather rendered their McMannamy Drive road too rough for their horse trailer. It was a replay of their first experience at Lake View Care Center.

Hazel Riebe, activities director at Brendan House, said the horses were extremely therapeutic for the residents who thrive on the unconditional love from animals. She said she was a tad worried about getting the horses through the building into the courtyard, but it worked out fine.

“They’re pretty small and very friendly,” Riebe said. “It went over very well.”

She said the visit brought back memories. One woman who was 100 shared stories of how she rode horses until she was quite elderly.

“This was quite a thrill for her,” Riebe said. “They all like animals, but they have to leave them behind when they come here.”

Cassandra recalled one particular lady at Brendan House who spoke very little but took a big shine to Domino, a tiny appaloosa. Each time she turned around, she noticed the little lady was pushing her wheelchair up to get closer to the small horse.

Toward the end of the visit, Cassandra led Domino over for some one-on-one time with the lady. The gelding knew just what to do, putting his head into his lap.

“She took her fingers and kind of like butterflied them all over his little face,” Cassandra recalled. “She grabbed his halter and pulled him right into her and he let her. He just stayed soft and relaxed, like he knew she needed that from him.”

According to Cassandra, research has confirmed the emotional and therapeutic benefits of animals. Miniature horses make a perfect fit with Montana nursing homes.

“So many people come from farming backgrounds and ranches that horses are just kind of extra special,” she said. “It touches a lot of people and brings a lot of memories back.”

It was only about four years ago that the Wilsons wondered what anyone would do with a miniature horse other than burn through hay.

Then, on a visit to look at a saddle for their big horses, they met a couple involved with driving and showing miniatures in parades and competitions.

“The first thing my husband said was ‘No, we’re not getting a mini so get it out of your head,’” she recalled. “A year later, we got our first miniature and he was just so awesome that my husband said, ‘Yeah, I think I would like one to drive myself.’”

Each miniature came to them from unique circumstances.

Along with custom lightweight driving cart, Todd built an insulated barn to keep them safe from the occasional mountain lion and warm from freezing winds.

“We’re at maximum capacity,” Cassandra said. “We’re at six and we’re done.”

At first, they were content to use the miniatures in parades and enjoy training them to drive with carts. Cassandra said she found herself thinking “wouldn’t it be great to do something with miniatures that had a little more meaning.”

She did some research into therapy visits and began working with the horses with that in mind. Then, that Fourth of July parade opened the door to take the horses to Lake View Care Center and Brendan House.

Cassandra and Todd found the visits were as therapeutic for themselves as for the patients. They came away from both visits with an inner glow of happiness after seeing the joy their horses brought to the elderly and disabled as well as the nursing home staff.

“After a visit, Todd and I wish we could bottle the feeling that we had and sell it because everyone enjoys it,” she said.

They did the next best thing, forming a nonprofit to seek donations from people who would like to share the satisfaction of bringing mini-horse love to those who reap so much benefit from them.

They are in the process of making Wee Whinnies Therapeutic Minis a 501C3 nonprofit, hoping to expand their work with donations for gas and a more practical vehicle.

So far, they have used their own money to pay for the substantial amount of gas required to drive their large truck and horse trailer around the valley for visits. To reduce costs, they bought a $300 1998 minivan to renovate so Cassandra can haul the horses on her own and use much less fuel.

In the longer term, the couple hopes to acquire a vehicle that can handle the winter roads and allow year-round visits. Cassandra said they need donations to make that dream come true.

“Our goal is to sell our minivan and buy an all-wheel-drive cargo van,” she said.

With help from donations, Cassandra said she would make many more visits to nursing homes. She dreams of expanding their services to make visits in hospitals and to hospice patients.

She also envisions teaming up with a specialist who works with autistic children.

“Autistic children are very tactile and would enjoy grooming the horses, braiding their manes and tails,” she said. “I would love to do that.”

People interested in learning more may contact her at 756-2211 or by email at weewhinnies@gmail.com. She can take donations by invoicing through PayPal or receive checks to Cassandra Wilson at 1625 McMannamy Draw, Kalispell, MT 59901.