Jack enjoys being centre of attention at Kingston Hospital

If you accept that horses are great therapists, then it seems perfectly logical to us that they should do occasional hospital visits.

We love visiting Kingston Hospital, where staff and patients alike are invited for a pony cuddle in the car park. Earlier this month it was Jack’s turn to accompany Peter and volunteers Roberta and Kate. As Jack can’t tell you himself, I asked Roberta and Kate for their impressions of the day.

Kate says:

“We had a lovely welcome from the friendly hospital and volunteers team. Jack surprised people in the car park and got quite a few waves and smiles. Everything was set up to make it easy for the children coming down from the ward to safely meet Jack, who loved his morning out and about meeting and greeting his many admirers. He met – and enchanted – doctors, nurses, patients and carers, everyone keen for a pony cuddle.

There was an extra safe and special welcome reception for Noah, who spends a lot of time in the hospital and gets really excited when he knows we’re coming. It was great to see how much Jack really cheered up his visitors, including a lady on her way to treatment who was so pleased to meet him that she came again on her way out.

Thank you to all the Kingston team for having us and for the going home chocolates!”

Roberta says:

“What a lovely thing to be able to participate in! Jack turned some heads at Kingston Hospital, after all probably the last thing you expect to see outside the main entrance is a pony! But, as Peter put it, it is a horse-pital so why not? (groan)

Lots of patients, and visitors on their way in and out of the hospital stopped to see Jack, and he spread a lot of joy that morning. The in-patient children who were able to safely come and see him just loved it, as did the nursing staff and the children’s parents. 

It was magical to see the joy the interaction with a horse can bring to people’s lives.” 

We can only do this because we have very special horses! To join the team they need a calm and gentle personality. A nervous horse could find an occasion like this too daunting, so we’d never ask them to do it. We carefully train our ponies to ensure that they are comfortable in unfamiliar situations, surrounded by people, and that they take horse-box journeys in their stride. Jack is definitely a star member of the team!

Noah was able to visit us in Petersham recently. Read all about it in Meet our young friend Noah 

Read more about Jack and other members of the human and pony team