Giddy up the aisle as Aberdeen horse gets church blessing

Neigh bother: Olly the horse takes it in his stride in church

A church service in Aberdeen took an unusual turn on Sunday when a woman brought in a horse to receive a blessing.

It was not quite a steeple chase, more of a gentle trot up the aisle for Olly, a 25-year-old Belgian Warmblood.

The horse received a blessing from Rev Dr Flora Munro at Garthdee Church after the first prayer.

Owner Lisa Watt said she contacted the church after seeing a similar ceremony take place in the US.

She said: "The minister was really up for it. She was so excited and positive and everything and then a few other people couldn't believe I was going to take the horse into the church.

"It's never been done before so they were convinced it wasn't going to happen."

Olly took it all in his stride.

Olly quietly took his blessing from Rev Dr Flora Munro

Ms Watt said: "We had the minister organise the first hymn and he came in during the first hymn, got his blessing, she said a few words about him and then we came out.

"We got group photographs of everyone who was there.

"Being 25 he's quite laid back anyway but I knew he wasn't a complete nutcase or anything."

The blessing of animals is a long-held tradition in Christianity.

People celebrate the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals on 4 October.

On this day, pets and working creatures are led to churches for a special ceremony called the "Blessing of the Animals".