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Equine therapy brings a smile to memory care patients in Parker

God’s vision. That’s how one resident of Terra Bluff’s memory care facility described her equine therapy as she wiped a tear from her face and went back to brushing a miniature horse named Flower.

Four of the memory care patients came to the Equine SOULution barn for an equine therapy session Thursday morning where they met a handful of horses, mules and donkeys of all sizes.

“A lot of programs bring the horse to the community,” Mary Slouka, owner of Equine SOULution, said. “I will not do that because they get so much out of the smells, the sights, the sounds. You’re getting all of your senses. Except for eating, of course.”

A book of comments Slouka keeps in the barn tells the story on its own.

“I’ll always remember when I was 90,” read one comment, “Because it was the year I got to meet a horse.”

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Even normally agitated or combative residents relax within moments of the horses coming out, she said.

“I’ve never seen such calmness and engagement with them,” said Bobbie Rogers, an employee with Terra Bluffs.

Slouka said she’s seen people come in angry and yelling but immediately smile once the horses come out.

“Each person walks away with something different, and the horse seems to know what they need,” Slouka said.

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