Therapeutic horse experience offered to people with dementia

Residents of The Beeches care home in Leatherhead will be offered a chance to spend time with the horses

A charity that offers therapeutic horse-riding sessions to disabled children in Surrey is to offer a similar service to people with dementia.

Tea with a Pony is a new scheme launched by the Horsley, Bookham and Leatherhead Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).

The first event will take place at Badgers Farm in Effingham on Friday.

The charity's chair said it will provide mental and emotional benefits.

Helped by trained volunteers, residents of The Beeches care home in Leatherhead will enjoy tea and cake, and be offered a chance to stroke and spend time with the horses.

The sessions have been developed for adults affected by dementia, Alzheimer's and for people recovering from a stroke.

'Mental and emotional benefit'

"We know the positive impact of pets, but for many older people, keeping their own pet is no longer possible," Sheri Johnson, the chair of the Horsley, Bookham and Leatherhead RDA, said.

"Not only do they lose the companionship but also, as research has now shown, pets can be really helpful in alleviating stress and anxiety - and both of these are known to be aggravated by dementia.

"Tea with a Pony brings the mental and emotional benefit to people who cannot ride but can still benefit from being around these intuitive and loving creatures."

The charity usually offers therapeutic horse-riding sessions to disabled children

Michelle Daniels, The Beeches care home manager, said: "We're really excited about this new experience for our residents and are looking forward to seeing how they find it and what they get out of it."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].