Patients at St Leonard’s Hospice welcomed some exciting visitors offering therapeutic ‘horsey hugs’.
A much-garlanded racehorse, along with therapy pony Poppy, were a big hit at the Tadcaster Road hospice.
Former racehorse Remy (Goldream) is a two-time Group One winner of the King Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and Prix de L’abbaye at Paris, Longchamp.
He’s also York Racecourse’s equine ambassador, as part of an established partnership with New Beginnings, a local rehoming and retraining racehorse charity.
Remy visits communities who would benefit from the experience of meeting a racehorse. He lives among 32 former racehorses in York at New Beginnings, founded by Kevin and Pam Atkinson.
Together with therapy pony Poppy, Remy created a bit of a stir at the hospice. Staff brought out patients living with life-limiting illnesses to stroke them when they arrived.
Kevin Atkinson said: “We see daily the powerful impact racehorses have on people’s lives and this initiative means more people can experience and learn what horses do for people, and people for horses.”
Mary Buchanan, who has pulmonary fibrosis, was at the Hospice’s Sunflower Wellbeing Hub drop-in when the horses arrived. Mary’s dad was a bookmaker, and a love of horses runs in her family.
Mary said: “It was nice to have the horses around. Animals can often sense how you’re feeling, and you get a lot from spending time with them and stroking them.
“Remy was quite funny, trying to eat the controller on my electric wheelchair!”
If you would like the opportunity to meet Remy (Goldream), he will be on course at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival (21-24 August).
