Five Pandemic Horse Tales To Make Your Heart Soar

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much”
– Helen Keller

Our human history is intricately bond to that of the horse. Therefore no WARHorse should be surprised that so many in our horse community are imagining ways to help others during the global coronavirus pandemic. We’ve assembled five horse-themed news bits: heartwarming examples of compassion, ingenuity and humor.

Feeding Their Community
Vienna, Italy: The Fiakers (carriage operators) of Vienna have been driving people around Vienna since the 18th century, at least until the coronavirus lockdown. Vienna and much of Italy are shut down under government orders to shelter at home but the Fiaker’s horses still need to be exercised.

As a means to work the teams and help their community several Fiakers teamed up with a local hotel to deliver free meals to the elderly. The InterContinental Vienna hotel is closed to guests but the kitchen staff has been busy preparing 250-300 meals a day. Volunteers transport the food to the city’s residents via car, bike and now horse.

(Photo Courtesy: MrPanyGoff CC BY-SA 3.0=25389942 Wikimedia Commons)

Masked Officer’s Message
New Jersey, USA: Rosie, one of the horses from the New Jersey State Police Mounted Unit shared an important Public Service Announcement on Facebook reminding residents of coronavirus precautions.

A Message from the Field

This is a public service announcement from New Jersey State Police Mounted Unit horse, “Rosie.”

We have all been in our barns for several weeks now, and we would all like to go out for a good run, but this is not the time to stall our efforts to halt the coronavirus.

If you absolutely must trot around town to get essential supplies such as hay or grain, remember to maintain a social distance of at least one nose to tail, wash your hooves, and try to wear a mask.

Even a cloth mask is beneficial to help stop the spreading of the disease. Personally, I prefer my custom-made French blue mask.

If we all work together as a team and don’t horse around, we can defeat this virus together.

Anything less than full cooperation would be unstable.

Be safe out there!

Officer Rosie

(Photo Courtesy the New Jersey State Police Facebook Page)

Stable Therapy
Washington D.C., USA: National Guard medics took a break from working the frontline of the pandemic for a bit of equine-assisted therapy. Meds from the 1st Battalion 224th Medical Company have been working in tents sent up outside a hospital’s emergency room. Since March, 30 medical soldiers have been providing triage in support of hospital staff.

U.S. Army Capt. Brandon Williams, a behavioral health officer, coordinated the outing with a stable located next door to the battalion’s base. Medics, many who had no experience around horses, spent time brushing and petting the horses. Said one soldier, “When you’re out there, and you feel the brush, and the horse’s breath and look into their kind eyes, it just helps you relax.”

Pfc. Wayra C. Cerda meets Summer.

(Photo Courtesy Sgt. James Nowell-Coleman, 29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

Silky Switcheroo
Lexington, Kentucky, USA: A company in Lexington that makes jockey silks is doing what it can to help hospital workers. Bloodline Products has shifted production to making surgical masks and hospital gowns for medical personnel. Using patterns provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the company making the desperately needed items “as fast as we possibly can, as with Thoroughbreds, speed is paramount.” The company’s team of seamstresses, working at home, are producing 6,000 to 12,000 masks a week.

(Photo Courtesy Bloodline Products)

Better Than Santa
Indiana, USA: Seniors locked down at residential home in Indiana were surprised when visitors came knocking on their windows. Four horses and two dogs from the Pony Express came calling. The animals belong to Wes Jackson an executive with American Senior Communities which owns the senior home and 86 others across Indiana. Jackson and his wife plan to visit every community explaining, “It’s much harder on residents now with the isolation requirements…so these guys are essential for the emotional health of our residents…and employees too.”