Mini therapy horses bring joy to hospital patients, first responders throughout LA County
A keyboard playing mini-horse has become a viral sensation after her musical performance helped a young patient wake up from anesthesia at Shriners Children Hospital.
Black Pearl is a 17-year-old mare who is one of nine mini horses that make up the "Mini-Therapy Horses" team. They're a nonprofit organization that seeks to bring joy and support to hospital patients, first responders and school children.
"Pearl is very expressive at it and she does like to show off," said Victoria Nodiff Netanel, who founded the nonprofit in 2008.
In video that has since gone viral on social media, racking up nearly three million likes and more than 30 million views, Pearl can be seen moving her muzzle across a piano keyboard as she helps a girl wake up from surgery.
"She was doing a number on her keyboard, which is what all my horses do and it brings a lot of smiles to everyone," said Netanel. In the video, that exact thing can be seen, when the patient cracks a smile at the unusual sight.
Netanel started Mini-Therapy Horses out of a desire to combine her love for horses with helping others. They began in the psychiatric ward and intensive care unit at the Veterans Hospital before branching out to now visit patients at several hospitals including the Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
As official members of the Los Angeles Fire Department, the mini horse team also worked to cheer up weary firefighters after the January wildfires.
"We went into the tents where these firefighters had been working tirelessly," Netanel said. "They would just lean over and hug the horses, we brought so much comfort."
Netanel trains each mare to do a multitude of tricks, and most recently she's started teaching Valentina, a one-year-old mini horse, how to ride a skateboard. She says each training session is filled with positive reinforcement and love that the horses give back to everyone they meet.
"It's been a complete passion, joy and giving and making a difference in people's lives and it just keeps growing," Netanel said.
