Pint-sized but packed with personality – meet Polly Pocket

Our latest addition to the team, Polly the Shetland pony arrived one afternoon in her own miniature horsebox to great excitement.

A rescue pony who’s not had much love in the past, she’s now enjoying the cuddles, the comfort and the carrots that are all part of her new life. She’s confident and affectionate and we think she’s going to be a tiny star with a BIG personality.

But while she’s loving her new creature comforts, she’s also starting work as a therapy pony. Mostly she’ll get to work from home, but with the occasional trip to children’s wards or care homes. After all, who doesn’t feel better when they’ve just cuddled a pony?

Children with mental health difficulties find ‘normal’ human interaction very challenging, but being around horses can be transformative. Horses see all humans equally, there is no judgement, and no assessing. They simply respond to kindness, to voice and to touch, to everyone equally. For a traumatised child the chance to interact with a horse in a calm and supportive environment can be a breakthrough. We’ve watched children who couldn’t speak steadily improve, and then their first word has been ‘horse’.

Today we were visited by a child carrying with her through life a history of complex issues. This child was encouraged to touch Polly, leaving marks with finger paints to mark the connection as she did so. It’s one of the things we do that helps children who are completely withdrawn to begin opening up – it starts the process and there is the evidence to prove it. It’s a vital first step.

For a tiny pony who’s been starved of affection in the past, what’s not to like? This therapy definitely cuts both ways.

Would you like to help keep Polly supplied with carrots? Find out more on our Donate page.