Beaver Dam Nursing and Rehab Residents in Kentucky Get a Surprise Visit From a Beloved Senior Horse
Sometimes Getting Older Sneaks Up on You
The older I get, the more I realize there are just some things I can't do anymore.
Yesterday I was trying to carry a watermelon, a large cantaloupe, and a heavy box down a flight of stairs to my car. I made it exactly one step before saying, "Nope."
Everything had to go down one trip at a time.
In my 20s, or even my 30s, I would've bounded down those stairs without giving it a second thought. Now I'm thinking about my balance, the weight of the box, and whether I'm coordinated enough to make it to the bottom in one piece. And I'm only in my 40s.
As a lifelong equestrian, I know one day I'll have to give up riding, and I already dread that day. I like to think swinging a saddle onto a horse keeps me young, but I've definitely graduated to much shorter horses and much lighter saddles. My guy is technically a pony, and at 5-foot-9, my legs practically touch the ground. I couldn't care less. He's easy to get on and off, and these days, that's a pretty big perk.
As I get older, I think more about how important it is to find ways to keep doing the things we love, even if they look a little different than they used to.
Maybe that's why this story caught my attention. It's a reminder that getting older doesn't mean the fun stops. Sometimes it just means finding new ways to experience the things that bring us joy.
Beaver Dam Nursing and Rehab Brings Joy Through Horses
When someone reaches the point where they need the care of a nursing facility, it can be an emotional transition. Leaving home and life as you know it is never easy. Some facilities simply provide care. Others create moments of joy. That's exactly what caught my attention about Beaver Dam Nursing and Rehab.
Facebook knows me a little too well. It served up a video of a beautiful black horse named Raven casually strolling through the halls of the facility, visiting residents who couldn't come outside.
As someone who loves horses and stories that restore your faith in humanity, I was hooked.
A Summer Camp That Connects Kids and Seniors
I spoke with Marketing Director Alissa Logsdon, who explained that every summer the facility hosts a children's camp. Research has shown that interactions between children and older adults can benefit both generations, and Beaver Dam Nursing and Rehab embraces that idea wholeheartedly. Activities Director Cindie Kelley plans a week full of shared experiences for campers and residents.
Each day has its own theme. There's Science Day with experiments, Craft Day where everyone creates together, and this year's favorite was Western Day.
The kids showed up dressed as little cowboys and cowgirls, and the special guests were three horses from Riding On Faith LLC.
Residents and children spent time petting the horses, and the kids even got to ride. But the best part happened afterward.
Raven the Horse Made House Calls
Some residents weren't able to come outside. Rather than let them miss out, Riding On Faith owner Mindy Dockery had another idea. She fitted her 30-year-old mare, Raven, with rubber shoes and carefully led her through the nursing facility to visit residents in their rooms and hallways.
"There were smiles all over the facility," Alissa told me. "Their faces would light up, and they'd start talking about the horses they had in their lives. They're still talking about it today."
It's hard not to smile seeing a gentle elderly horse quietly making her way through the halls, bringing back memories that had probably been tucked away for decades.
The Story Behind Riding On Faith LLC
Mindy believes horses have a unique ability to heal, and the story behind Riding On Faith explains why.
Her grandfather, Charles Newton, was a farmer who was paralyzed from the waist down after a devastating accident. One day he told his wife to saddle his horse because he wanted to ride. When she reminded him that he couldn't walk, let alone ride, he looked at his horse and said, "Little boy, you've got to help me walk again."
According to Mindy, the horse laid down so he could climb aboard. He rode that day, then the next, and the next. Eventually, he walked into his doctor's office without assistance.
Whether you call it determination, faith, therapy, or something else entirely, the experience left a lasting impression on their family.
It was originally Mindy's mother's dream to start an equine therapy business, but the timing never worked out. That dream was eventually passed to Mindy. She told me that one night she woke from a deep sleep feeling called by God to start the business.
"So the next day, I quit my job," she said. "God had a plan. He took care of everything."
In 2020, Riding On Faith LLC was born. Today, the organization offers riding lessons, birthday parties, special events, and both physical and emotional equine-assisted therapy and Mindy's mom gets to help with behind-the-scenes tasks at special events.
One Horse Created Memories Across Three Generations
Horses have an incredible way of connecting with people. This week, Raven connected children, parents, and nursing home residents all in the same place. She sparked conversations, brought back treasured memories, and created brand-new ones.
Sometimes the best therapy doesn't come from medicine. Sometimes it arrives wearing four rubber shoes and a kind pair of eyes.
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Gallery Credit: ASHLEY SOLLARS
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