Video of a minute horse typing on a keyboard garners widespread attention online
A miniature therapy horse named Black Pearl is making waves online for its heartwarming performance at a pediatric medical center in Pasadena, Los Angeles. The viral video, which has amassed over 2.6 million likes on Instagram, shows Black Pearl excitedly running its face along the keys of a toy piano beside a hospital bed, as a teen slowly wakes up from anesthesia after surgery.
Black Pearl comes from Mini Therapy Horses, a non-profit organization founded in 2008. Mini therapy horses, like Black Pearl, are trained to provide emotional help and comfort in medical and crisis management situations. Their presence can help reduce stress and anxiety in vulnerable, drowsy moments, offering a calming presence that can cut through fear, confusion, and anxiety, often eliciting surprise, curiosity, and smiles from patients even in groggy or disoriented states post-anesthesia.
The therapy provided by miniature horses can provide a sense of calmness and distraction from pain. Research supports these benefits, showing that interaction with therapy animals can lower cortisol levels (a hormone related to stress), reduce blood pressure, and increase the release of mood-enhancing endorphins.
The use of therapy horses, such as Black Pearl, can be an effective way to help patients manage stress and anxiety during medical and crisis situations. Beyond children, their calming influence also supports veterans coping with PTSD and survivors of traumatic events, highlighting the broad scope of emotional and psychological relief mini horse therapy can provide.
However, the viral video has caused a mix of reactions, with some viewers laughing and others expressing they would be "horrified" to wake up to such a display. Regardless of personal opinions, it's clear that Black Pearl's actions were intended to help wake the child from anesthesia, providing a unique and comforting experience during a challenging time.
In summary, the purpose of Mini Horse Therapy in hospitals is primarily to provide emotional healing and stress relief by offering a gentle, non-verbal form of comfort that improves mood and reduces anxiety through the human-animal bond. This therapy, as demonstrated by Black Pearl, can be a valuable tool in providing emotional support and comfort during medical and crisis situations.
[1] Mini Therapy Horses. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.minitherapyhorses.org/about-us [2] Mini Therapy Horses. (n.d.). Services. Retrieved from https://www.minitherapyhorses.org/services [3] PBS. (2021, August 24). How mini therapy horses are helping patients cope with medical and crisis situations. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/how-mini-therapy-horses-are-helping-patients-cope-with-medical-and-crisis-situations [4] National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). Animal-Assisted Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/animal-assisted-therapy.asp
- Mini Therapy Horses, an organization based in the United States, offers home-and-garden visits in addition to their hospital services, providing pet-like companionship that can help improve the lifestyles of those dealing with stress and anxiety. (Based on the 'About Us' section from Mini Therapy Horses' website)
- The services provided by Mini Therapy Horses extend beyond medical centers, also offering social media visits, where their therapized pets, like Black Pearl, can bring joy and entertainment to those at home. (Based on the 'Services' section from Mini Therapy Horses' website)
- Research indicates that interaction with therapy animals, such as miniature horses, can have a positive impact on mental health, reducing cortisol levels (a stress hormone), lowering blood pressure, and increasing the release of endorphins, which are mood-enhancing substances. (Based on a PBS article)
- Miniature therapy horses, like Black Pearl, are not only effective at helping children coping with medical situations, but they can also provide emotional support to other groups, such as veterans dealing with PTSD and survivors of traumatic events. (Based on the PBS and National Center for PTSD articles)
