A Hamworthy care home resident rode a horse for the first time in years during a stable visit.

Sheena, who lives at Dorset House care home in Poole, rode Sally the 15 hands 2 inches tall horse at the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Saddle Club in Bovington. Afterwards, Susannah, a former showjumper, got to meet Sally the horse up-close and give her a pat. The special event was organised by Sam Baker, Activities Lead, with support from Amy Hoyland, Activities Assistant at Dorset House.

The visit was arranged in response to Sheena and Susannah’s special wish to visit a stable and ride a horse after taking up horse-riding as children. They were joined by several other residents from Dorset House for the trip, who also got to meet some of the horses, as well as looking around the facilities and learning more about how the animals are cared for.

Sheena said: “I used to ride a horse called Briar as a child all through the school summer holidays. I haven’t ridden one since then, so I enjoyed it, as I never thought I’d get to do it again.”

Neil Dominy, Home Manager at Dorset House, said: “At Care South, we love to get to know the individual likes and dislikes of our residents, including any dreams and wishes that they may have, in the hope that we can safely make them happen. I am so pleased that we could make Sheena and Susannah’s special wish come true.”

Equine therapy can provide a host of benefits including reducing stress and anxiety, building trust and strong bonds, improving confidence, and boosting physical health.

Stephanie Buchanan, Yard Manager at RAC Saddle Club in Bovington, who recently received a BEM in honour of her work supporting the community, said: “Our aim is to give back to people of all ages in the community, so we were delighted to enable Sheena to ride a horse and to welcome the other Dorset House residents to meet some of the animals and have a tour of the facilities.”

Dorset House, which is run by the not-for-profit charity Care South, provides specialist residential, respite, and dementia care. The care home features a range of communal lounges overlooking a landscaped garden for residents to enjoy. Dorset House also has a dedicated activities team who organise a daily programme of events to bring residents together to socialise and build friendships.

Care South is the leading provider of high quality residential and home care services across the south of England. The not-for-profit organisation, which is a registered charity, has care homes in Dorset, north Devon, Somerset and West Sussex, and home care offices covering east and west Dorset, and northeast Somerset and south Somerset.

For more information about the care services available, go to care-south.co.uk or call Care South on 01202 712410.