Residents at Brewster House Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, were treated to a heartwarming surprise on 3 March 2026 when 12-year-old Shetland pony Owen trotted through the doors for a very special visit.
The idea came about when Courtney, a domestic team member, mentioned to the Lifestyle Coordinator, Leoni, that she knew someone who could bring in her Shetland pony for residents to meet. After getting in touch, handler Jodie kindly agreed to bring Owen along on a sunny Tuesday morning. and what followed was a day filled with joy and laughter.
Owen visited residents in the lounge and made his way to every bedroom, ensuring everyone had the opportunity to meet him. The home was soon buzzing with excitement and chatter about the “real-life pony” inside the building.
Resident Dennis said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw a pony walk in. He admitted he thought staff were joking when they first mentioned a pony was coming and said he had such a lovely time meeting Owen and learning all about him.
Resident Patricia shared that she owned horses and had been around them all her life. She described the visit as one of her best days and said she is already looking forward to Owen’s next visit.
Resident Ric said, “I couldn’t believe it when you walked in with a pony — I thought I was seeing things! He was so soft and even fell asleep when I stroked him, he was so relaxed.”
Leoni, Lifestyle Coordinator, said:
“It was so much fun seeing all the faces light up and hearing all the excited chatter between residents, staff and family members.”
Animals have a unique way of bringing comfort, joy and connection, and this special event highlighted how powerful those moments can be.
One of the standout moments of the day was simply the pure joy, excitement and disbelief that there was an actual pony inside Brewster House.
