Horses, I find, are incredibly calming animals. They can be kind and seem to have an intelligence that we don’t fully understand. This is why one group has started introducing the miniature horse to hospitals as a therapy. They can even play the keyboard.
Recently, a video of a miniature horse playing the keyboard for a bedbound child went viral. The horse, using its lips, whips its mouth back and forth up the piano, causing a ruckus, but also a hilarious wake-up. It looked like it was just the typical lunatic nonsense of the internet. But with a little bit of investigation, it appears to be part of a very special therapy project.
The keyboard-playing miniature horse is actually one of many. These musical animals are used as therapy for people in need, and they don’t just play pianos. Victoria Nodiff-Netanel runs a non-profit charity, providing horses to patients as a calming, therapeutic cure.
“I started training Pearl to do different things, and that’s when I got my light-bulb moment of how wonderful it would be to share my passion and connection with horses to help people,” she told People. “I didn’t know anything about animal services, animal therapy, or animal-assisted therapy at the time. So, I started taking one step at a time with my one horse.”
Miniature Stable Of Miniature Keyboard Playing Horses
Now, the charity has taken off. People love the tiny little horses and their calming effects. “When someone’s hugging a horse, everybody becomes very quiet. It allows people to make that emotional and spiritual connection. It really helps,” she says of her tiny horse project. “Sometimes kids or adults will talk to the horses or cry with the horses, hug the horses, things that’ll happen that won’t happen in other situations.”
@overtime Best piano player ever 🥹❤️ #horse #children #piano #wholesome ♬ original sound – Overtime
The Miniature horse really flew to popularity after being seen playing an electric keyboard. According to the founder of the charity, all of her tiny horses know this trick. It appears that it’s a crowd favorite, too. I can see why.
“They react to things so gently, so calmly, and with such sensitivity that people feel so comfortable around them. Here’s this tiny little horse they can touch and interact with and hug and feel her heartbeat.”
Next time I get ill, if I don’t get treated to a miniature horse playing an electric keyboard, I’ll be so disappointed.