Edgewood Vista Visit (10/21/11, Duluth, MN)

Staff Comments:

“Precious. Precious. Magic has the patience of Job.”

“Magic is so mellow and calm.”

“Magic doesn’t do much. She seems to say just love me up and I’ll be happy.”

“Is she one of those attack ponies? Is she trained to attack?”

“Magic minds better than most kids.”

The residents had caught a glimpse of Magic 3 days before when we visited the Memory Care Unit in this building. They were eagerly waiting for Magic again. As I set up the projector and screen, residents started coming in, telling me they wanted to make sure they had front row seats. One woman told me “I dressed up for Magic.”

When I put WindChill’s picture on the screen it started the questions.  They asked for information so I handed out the brochures early. As people looked through the brochures, more questions were asked. It was a lively enthusiastic crowd. During the presentation you could see people shaking their heads, dabbing their eyes, and making disapproving sounds of the way WindChill’s basic needs were not met.

The activity director, after seeing the presentation for another audience a week earlier, decided this group would enjoy it too. It was a great decision on her part. These were very caring, thoughtful, insightful, and respectful animal lovers.

When Magic came in, there was just a loud murmur of excitement. Kathi brought Magic over to start the petting. Some people could not wait, got off their chairs, and started crowding Magic. Staff was busy taking pictures. Kathi had to be firm to ask the staff and Trish and I to make sure people would stay seated. We assured everyone that Magic would COME TO THEM.

Residents’ comments:

“I didn’t know what to expect.”

“It is the oddest thing…seeing a horse in the hall.”

“If my 64 yr. old son saw Magic, he would go out of his mind.”

“I’m on my way for a potty break too Magic and I better hurry.”

“She is good. I’m not laughing at you Magic.”

“When are you cutting her bangs?”

“If you got a saddle I’ll ride ‘em.”

“Magic can keep me warm at night.”

“You like me.”

“I was scared of it but no more.”

“Oh look at her eyes, she sure doesn’t need mascara.”

“Magic is so beautiful. Can you see if we can do something with this hair?”

“Magic is asking me with her eyes …Do you have anything for me to eat?”

“My yes she is a diva, isn’t she.”

“She has lots of fur.”

One woman played peek-a-boo with Magic’s mane.

“Man, all of these girls would love to have her eyelashes.” said one man.

One resident gave Magic a complete facial massage for about 10 minutes. Magic crooked her leg, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

Two young staff people were kidding with each other. The VERY TALL young man was scared to come near Magic. He asked Kathi, “Does the horse bite?” Kathi replied, “OnlyTALL people.” He and the other co-worker ended up getting pictures taken with Magic only after she dared him.

One resident who loved animals cried as she pet Magic. She told Magic “They wouldn’t let me have my puppy in here. I had him for 7 years.”

One man told us that his father had lots of horses. His brothers and sisters rode them. The horses were good trail horses but as soon as they got to a certain spot close to home, the horses would make a sharp turn for home and take off. He remembers all of his siblings falling off their horses 50% of the time as the horses turned to gallop home.

“You’re stocking up for winter I can tell,” as one man rubbed Magic’s belly.

One woman talked about her grandmother. The grandmother would read horse stories at night to her and her sisters. She remembers a frisky horse named Prince. Her father trained him to pull a sleigh.

Another resident thought that Magic might be pregnant. “She is so big. She is going to have babies.”

During our visit Magic had to go out on 2 breaks. During the first one, several residents patiently stayed in the big dining room for more time to pet Magic.  After that we walked the halls, going into rooms. First stop was the beauty shop.

“Happy Birthday! This is your present.” said a staff member as Magic entered a woman’s room.

One resident followed us quite a bit as we walked the halls. He had told me that his daughter had done jumping. He just could not get enough of Magic and had tears in his eyes each time he petted her. As we came near his room, he asked us in. There he showed us pictures of his daughter jumping. She was a professional. We all oohed and awed over the pictures and the awards she had won.

A little boy was fearless and very in love with Magic. He just loved Magic all up and then lay his head down on her back.  Magic and he were so in sync. It was such an awe moment.

During the second potty break, a resident, who was picked up by her family convinced her family to drive to Magic’s trailer to get a picture of Magic. The family waited in the car until Magic came out of the trailer for a picture.

A staff member also asked for more information about going into the Hermantown schools. “This is a message kids need to know.”

Finally it was time to leave. Residents and staff at the reception desk in the lobby asked, “When are you coming back?” A staff member from the Memory Care Unit that we visited on Tuesday was there also. She said to one of the staff at the reception desk, “Tell our supervisor we want Magic back.” Magic and the team can’t wait to visit Edgewood Vista again.

Aftenro Home outreach (10/31/11, Duluth, MN)

“What the heck??? Is this a joke…bringing a Halloween horse in here?”

Magic was very excited to get to dress up for Halloween. When Kathi arrived Magic whinnied inside her trailer to hurry things up. Magic had her scary spider, her saddle bags full of candy, and her butterfly outfit ready to go. Residents were watching out the windows to see what was happening. Staff was waiting excitingly by the front door. Every horse dreams of a Halloween entrance like the one Magic had when she entered the building.

She was surrounded by staff in Halloween costumes themselves all talking at once.

“Is that a Tinkerbelle pony?”

“Butterfly girl has come to visit us.”

“You are a gorgeous butterfly.”

“Magic just say I am beautiful.”

“Magic IS ready for Halloween!”

“I’ve never seen a horse with wings before.”

Staff did a lot of hugging and laughing as pictures were being taken. Then we were assigned two volunteers to lead us on a Halloween visit down the halls of the three story building. We started at rehab on first floor but moved up to the 3^rd floor. There were a few gasps each time the elevator door opened and people had to catch their breaths when they saw who or what was riding the elevator.

Magic’s saddle bags were filled with chocolate, both regular and sugar free. It was fun to see the residents pick it out and offer one to Magic too, who only sniffed it. One woman asked if she could have some for her grandchildren who were coming to visit later in the day. Another woman asked if she could grab some candy bars. Kathi said yes jokingly, “Only if you say trick or treat.” The woman laughed and said, “Magic you are my treat.” When Kathi asked one resident if she wanted chocolate, “Is the Pope Catholic?” was her reply.

The team soon realized that we had put Magic’s butterfly wings on backwards.(The set of big wings should have been in front, not the small wings) However our mistake really worked out to be an advantage in the small rooms when Magic had to turn around or back out of residents rooms.

Resident comments:

“What a sweetheart she is.”

“You make a nice fur coat.”

“She is so mellow with all that stuff on her.”

“She’s just my size!”

“It’s about time I saw a miniature horse.”

“Do you like to be petted?”

“She smiled when I took her picture.”

“This pony has a lot of growing up to do.”

“She is a house horse…and very satisfied.”

“Did you see that horse that came in?”

“This horse is so kind. I can’t get over it.”

“What do little kids do around her?”

“If you bleach her hair Magic will be a white blond.”

“Maybe my son will buy me a horse?”

“I read Magic was coming and I was wondering how you were bringing her into the rooms.”

“You are a very good girl.”

“She has a nice shape.”

“Oh first time I petted Magic I thought it was a cow…Now I see it’s a horse.”

“She can afford to be a different. She is a DIVA.”

“She’s the cutest thing I ever saw.”

“She’s nice looking…very well groomed. I like you.”

“I’ve been waiting for her…where does she stay…in the house?”

“You do well with all the old people and everybody’s kids.”

“You are a special, special, one.”

“I wish my room was big enough for Magic to fly.”

“Look, Magic came all the way down to my room to visit me.”

“Magic is sure a miniature all around.”

“I wish humans had the same brains as animals.”

One woman walked all the hallways on all 3 floors looking for Magic before she found us. She had been at Keystone Bluffs for our 2 visits there. She knew Magic was coming. She followed us and every once in a while, just put her hands on Magic’s back.

One woman asked how much Magic weighed. We told her 235 pounds. The resident said, “Don’t worry Magic, I weigh 235 pounds too.”

One woman remembers a horse in her childhood named BANANA SPLIT. Another woman named her horse Betty.

Another woman told us that her granddaughter was afraid of horses. “She thinks they will chomp off her fingers. She just can’t be afraid of horses. It just isn’t right.” “You have to let horses know you’re the boss. You can’t be scared.”

One vet from WWII remembered the Germans using horses during the war in France. He remembers as he got to the top of a hill while doing reconnaissance, seeing lots of horses, under German guard.

“That’s a cow…a very nice brown cow.”  “Are you visiting all the old ladies in the building?” said one man. Every time we saw him he kept up the cow joke. “What does she do? Kathi replied, “She delivers candy.”  “Oh that’s her job.”  He replied. Another time he came around just as we were going down in the elevator to 2^nd floor. He asked Kathi, “Are you the mother of the cow?” Kathi replied, “Yes I am the PROUD mother of the cow.” Still another time, with a volunteer wheeling him, he pointed to Magic to show her and said, “There’s that cow right there.”

One man recalls working for a stable when he was 8 years old. His job was to bring water to all the horses. He had to go to the hand pump and fill buckets.

One woman said she rode an hour a day before work. She rode bareback and sometimes she got blisters on her butt. She remembers 1 horse she was riding that was a jumper but she didn’t know it. She and the horse came to a stream. The horse jumped over it and she was so proud of herself for staying on him.

One woman was visiting relatives in Canada. There were some Canadian Mounted Police on horseback riding down the middle of main street. One police officer stopped and wanted to see her miniature poodle. He took the poodle out of her hands and put the poodle on the horse. The dog froze.

One woman yelled from her doorway, “Does her color make her a roan?” Kathi said yes.

One woman asked Kathi if she could give Magic a carrot. Kathi said “Magic would have a hard time saying trick or treat.”

Another woman said, “I wonder if I could get my leg over her!” “Wouldn’t you like to know what horses think?”  She asked Magic several times “Do you have a cute boyfriend?”

Another woman loved Magic’s forelock. “Do you want me to comb your hair? This is part of the deal.”

A man asked if Magic wore a diaper. Another man in a wheel chair replied, “They are giving me a shovel to follow her.”

One woman asked, “Would you like some Halloween candy?” I said no. “Jeez it’s not for you…it’s for Magic.”

One woman reminisced about her days around horses on the family farm. She recalls the really BIG work horses needed to do all the work on the farm. Her mother told her the stories of how she always knew where to find her when she disappeared.  Her mom knew she was crazy about horses and always knew to go to the barn and “There I would be under those big horses legs and they did not move them an inch. I was crazy about those horses.”

The team had a good laugh. A resident was standing in his doorway talking on the phone. His phone was dangling off the table and the cord was stretched to the max. He was telling the person on the other end of the line about the horse in the hall. “She is very tiny. She has 4 legs and 2 bags of candy. She is wearing butterfly wings. They call her Magic.” We took a picture of him on the phone talking with Magic in the doorway just to prove his story and promised him a copy.

Towards the end of the 2 ½ hours we were at Aftenro, Magic did a big body shake. Nothing fell off but it did move forward to her neck but it was easy to move it all back.

One resident came up with a novel idea for our Halloween visits next year. When Kathi told her there was candy in the saddle bags, she took out a candy bar from Magic’s saddle bags, but put her head next to Magic’s head and said to Magic, “Do you give out candy kisses Magic.” Next year we will fill Magic’s saddle bags with Hershey kisses so Magic can do her magic with her MAGIC KISSES.

There were 2 young boys and a baby in a stroller walking the halls with trick or treat bags. We met them several times. The boy in the spider costume had padded muscles. When I asked to feel his muscles, he did a bodybuilder poise with both arms up. We all laughed.  His baby brother wore a green suit. He was dressed as a pea pod. The third boy wore a Mickey Mouse outfit complete with the black round shoes. Both boys went up to Magic and said “Trick or Treat” to get candy in their bags. They also had their pictures taken with Magic.

Our last resident was a very entertaining, animal loving, softhearted woman. She had just come out of her room to go to lunch. She had a walker on wheels. She immediately fell in love with Magic and just took over from Kathi. She just fawned over Magic. Magic loved the tone of her voice. You could tell Magic felt very comfortable with her. The woman took some candy bars and then asked Magic, “How many do YOU want?” You can’t talk…just stamp your feet then. You don’t need candy do you…you need meat…meat…meat.”  She kept up the talk while she petted Magic and rearranged Magic’sforelock. “You want to stay with me? I can tell. I’ll take this horse and hide her. Here you’re working for these people and no meat. Let’s run away.  I know just poop or pee and we can get out of here. I can take you home….you want to use my bathroom? You can fly away.”

The woman took the lead rope from Kathi and started walking. Magic started walking with her. Magic however squeezed in between the woman and her walker and stood solid as a rock. Kathi guided Magic out from between the walker and then the woman and Magic proceeded down the hall with Magic by her side. The woman said, “I’m stepping and Magic‘s stepping.” Then she started singing, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG until she got to the elevator. Magic and the resident and Kathi took the elevator down to the 1^st floor while Carole, Trish, and I walked the stairs.

When the woman got off on 1^st floor, Magic led the way and the resident followed. It looked like Magic was pulling her and the walker. Magic seemed to know her way to the dining hall. A resident came up to pet Magic but the resident holding the lead rope told her to get away “from MY horse” and don’t try to get in this picture.” We had to do a bit of finessing to get Magic away and have pictures taken with other residents.

As we were leaving, residents who were eating lunch in the dining hall, asked to see Magic one more time. There was a walkway going past the dining hall with a brick wall that went only halfway up. Magic was too short for the diners to see her walk by but there were 1 or 2 entry openings in the brick wall.  Magic did a walk by. Several residents motioned for Magic to come to see them at their tables but we told them that there were government regulations about Magic being around food.

The education team left Aftenro full of Halloween spirit. Magic was anxious to go in her trailer and eat the Halloween candy left in her saddle bags. Kathi told her no way and confiscated the saddlebags. Magic got a Halloween apple instead.

Child Care Connections Outreach (07/13/11, Proctor, MN)

The teacher in charge of this summer program came in on her day off to meet with me for a pre-visit. She was very excited to have us come and getting more excited as I showed her the program.

After the visit, I put up posters by the door. Sitting on a bench was a mom and her daughter. They were also very interested in my program. The mom was a teacher and her daughter was a horse lover. They were moving soon to a city 150 miles away. She said she would love to have us come to her high school classroom. I invited her daughter to come on that Wed. to see our program. The parent and daughter did come. The daughter said to me, “My mom forgot but I reminded her.”

At the pre-meeting the teacher wanted the longer program with more facts. She said her kids were very good and could handle the longer time of sitting and listening. So I was prepared to do the older elementary program. However when I arrived and looked at the kids, I realized that the pre-K program would be a better fit. I talked with the teacher and she agreed. She said the group changes daily. Yesterday, the group was all 3^rd and 4^th graders but today it is a younger group of 4 and 5 years old and she could not figure out why. Changing the program was the right thing to do and it went great. The teacher thanked us for being so flexible.

The teacher had a sign in the lobby telling parents and kids what was scheduled for the day. On the sign was the note: The WindChill Legacy will be here at 9:30. Then there was a cutout horse with the words ASK ME ABOUT MAGIC?

While Trish and Carole setup, I sat with the kids, who were coloring horse pictures from the Legacy teacher activity books. We talked about the different color of horses especially the “RAINBOW” ones.

The kids saw Kathi’s truck drive by early so I took the kids out to watch her pull up and look at the trailer. They heard Magic whinny twice when she heard our voices. Magic was just as excited as the kids to be there.

This group had such good manners and good listening skills. They had a lot of fish and especially betas die. They had very interesting names for their fish too.

On a bulletin board was a big paper with the following written on it:

HORSES

WHAT WE KNOW

They eat hay, apples, carrots      They run                   People can ride them     They have big noses

They have tails                              They live in a barn   They play outside           They drink water

They can be big, or little              They can have ponies                                           They have 4 legs

WHAT WE WANT TO KNOW

What do their feet look like?

What do they eat? How much? How do ya feed them?

How much does a horse weigh?

How old are they?

What noised do they make?

How much water do they drink?

How do they feed and take care of their babies?

Do they drink milk?

Do they eat chicken?

Does Magic do magic? (My answer was yes, she puts grins on peoples’ faces.)

How do they sleep?

One Special Needs boy fell in love with Magic. He was just an inch taller than Magic and his hands did not reach all the way around her neck like he wanted to but he sure did the best he could to give her lots of hugs. It was really hard for him to let the other kids pet Magic. He just wanted to hug Magic forever. He pushed the other kids away from her. He wanted Magic all to himself. “My horse. I love her. My horse.”  It was even funnier when the boy sneezed and Magic sneezed just after that. Another boy said, “Now I have horse boogers on me.”

The Special Needs boy did get lots of extra time with Magic before we left.

One boy said, “Magic’s breath smells like MY dog’s breath…BAD.!”

A parent made the comment, “Magic had to be so strong to carry 45 lbs of winter coat.”

The kids all got to follow Magic out the door and see her jump into her trailer. Of course Kathi had to open the side door for Magic to stick her head out. It is so enjoyable to wait for the awe moment when Magic sticks her head out the door to her adoring fans. It never fails…you just have to smile. The kids got to pet her again. It was so funny. Magic loved the roar of the crowd. She would put her head out and then pull it back in, do a circle in the trailer and then stick her head back out. She knows how to make a repeated entrance.

The teacher forgot her camera but Trish was taking pictures and made sure every child got a picture with Magic. Trish promised to send them to her. The teacher told me she  “was very impressed with “the staff” you brought along with you. They were excellent.” She also said “This has made her year and it meant so much to the kids.”

Edgewood Vista (10/18/11, Hermantown, MN)

“HOLY COW”, yelled one man. Kathi replied, “No HOLY HORSE.”

“She’s warm. She must be real…not stuffed…a bit chunky.”

“What are you going to do when Magic grows up?”

It was a very cold and windy day but the minute we pulled up to the building we were met by a very warm-hearted, enthusiastic, excited activity director. We went over a few details with her and then Kathi pulled up with Magic. She and Magic were walking to the building when a truck made a very fast tight turn. Kathi pleaded, “Please don’t hit my truck.” as it just narrowly missed her truck.

This was a big building divided into 3 separate living areas. There was a fourth memory care unit in another building which if we had time we were asked to visit there too.

In each unit we walked into, the living rooms had very comfy couches and chairs and big dining room tables. In each unit were 10-12 residents. The staff arranged the residents so that there was plenty of room for Magic to spend one on one quality time with each person. We spent an hour in each unit. Magic was doing so good and holding up so well that we stayed 1 more hour to go to the 4th memory care unit.

Magic really enjoyed herself. The residents were very hands on. She crooked her leg so many times and just enjoyed all the scratching and hugs.

Lots of relatives were on hand too watching and smiling as they saw the smiles and interactions of their loved ones with Magic.

We heard residents say:

“You are a real good friend.”

“Have you a nice little farm for her?”

“I want you to be well taken care of.”

“I’d love to have a baby horse here.”

“You can come and see me all you want.”

It’s nice to meet all you nice people.”

“I’ve never had a horse come to my home before.”

“For our fieldtrip can we visit Magic?”

“I wish I had one but I don’t know what I’d do with her.”

“Scratching her ears is good for her.”

“I’m going to ride him.” When asked where, the reply was, “Out there somewhere.”

“Don’t scare her.”

“How often do her shoes get done?”

“I lived with horses-such a nice puppy.”

“It’s not easy styling her hair.”

“I want to go home to see her babies.”

“What a treat.”

“She came to me like she knows me forever.”

“Horses don’t like to be alone.”

“You are a real nice one.”

“Wake up little one.”

“I would like to ride her.”

“How did she get here?”

“Magic’s a nice name.”

“She needs a haircut.”

“Magic’s a good name.”

“How can you not like this horse?”

“Magic you better go home.”

“If this for me? Will you keep her for years?”

“I wish I had the horse.”

“You are a good babykins.”

“She likes to be petted.”

“Oh my God what a nice kitty.”

“I’m scared of horses. It will bite me…but it is it ok if I pet her hair?”

One woman did not like baths. She kept telling the staff and the team repeatedly, “I would not give me a bath or Magic either.”

One man told us that he and his father would ride up in the mountains on reservation land and fish off their horses.

One resident told a staff member, “So glad you got me out of my room.”

One resident was waiting impatiently. When Magic came to her she said, “You are really sweet.” Then she started whispering sweet things in Magic’s ears.

One resident said, “I grew up on a farm or some shit like that.”

One woman wanted Magic to share a room with her. Then she said, “I have to think about it.” A staff person told her, “We will put a sign on your door: “BARN”

One woman did not want to pet Magic. She reached for the lead rope. She held the lead rope while others near her petted Magic.

One visitor said, “What horse… I don’t see…oh she is kind of short under that table.”

As staff watched the interactions, one said, “They can’t take their eyes off of her.”

Several residents summed up our visit there, “You guys are having a great day.” What a fun day…unforgettable.”

We all had a good laugh when the activity director told a co-worker who owned horses, “This horse is potty trained, are yours?”

Magic was very potty trained that day. Magic had the team laughing so hard. She had to go do her business but she held it as long as she could so she would not have to go out in the cold. Finally Kathi had to take her out.

We finished the third unit and then we decided to do the fourth. None of us wanted to go outside so we talked the activity director into taking us the long way down some hallways connecting the 2 buildings. Soon Magic had an entourage following her.  Residents in the assisted living section wanted us so badly to stop and have them pet Magic. We did not stop because we were scheduled to do a program in this building Friday.  However people were so thrilled by the sight of Magic and wanted to pet her. However we were on a mission to get to the 4^th memory care unit. I kept telling people we were coming in 3 days and I hope they would come and see Magic then. It was funny to hear so many people say, “I think I saw a horse.”

The team and Magic were very tired after this 4 hour outreach. However it was so worth it. There was so much joy on residents, staff and visitor faces. Magic was completely surrounded by TLC during that whole time.

Mount Royal Pines III Assisted Living (07/22/11, Duluth, MN)

Next Page »