Sometimes animals can do things that humans can’t. With a Cinderella Incineration Toilet installed in the stable, the Dutch foundation, Therapiepaardje, and their therapy horses are able to help even more people with their health-promoting work.
Text: Heidi S. von Moranville
Photos: Annabé / www.therapiepaardje.nl
It’s a well-established fact that animals have a positive impact on humans. Winston S. Churchill once said: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
From one idea to a whole herd
It started with an idea combined with the knowledge that proximity to animals not only provides comfort, but also ensures many health benefits. The Therapiepaardje Foundation, located in Deventer, The Netherlands (about 100 km east of Amsterdam), uses specially trained mini-horses as therapy animals. The idea quickly grew into a foundation with 27 volunteers and a whole herd of four-legged friends.
James Bond, Bambi and Jack Frost at work
«The mini horses have a friendly and calm disposition. Since they are no bigger than a large dog, they are very suitable as visiting horses in institutions, residential centers and hospitals.» Annabé, supervisor and one of the volunteers in the foundation, tells us.
«Our horses are very different, and not all of them are "perfect"», she continues. «James Bond lacks an eye; Bambi is lame and Jack Frost is small in stature. But interacting with the people we meet, these "flaws" are something that many can relate to. The horse accepts you as you are, it is present here and now.»
Image 1 and 3: Therapy horses are very suitable as exercise companions – even indoors!
Image 2: The mini-horses respond well to children, too
A focus on value creation
The foundation focuses on value creation. Not only for users in contact with the therapy horses, but also for the volunteers. «We offer internships and a place for practical education,» says Annebé. «We also use pensioners and the elderly as mentors (horse companions), so that they can still be useful and give value back in society. Our oldest supervisor is 92 years old!»
Cinderella in the stable
In addition to bringing the horses on visits to institutions and residential centers, Therapiepaardje wants to expand the offer to welcome groups to visit the horses. Until recently, the foundation had no proper sanitation facilities for volunteers and visitors. There are no drains in the stables or the surrounding area, and the foundation therefore had to look around for alternatives.
In their search, the foundation came across Cinderella Incineration Toilets, and contacted Cinderella’s Dutch offices.
«The fact that Cinderella Incineration Toilets don’t need water or sewage, and all waste is incinerated into odorless and sterile ash suits us perfectly,» Annabé tells us enthusiastically. «We are very grateful that Cinderella sponsored most of the toilet, so that we now have a good solution for both volunteers and visitors. It means a lot to us and to our further work!»
Image 1: Having a proper toilet means a lot to the foundation. Annabé is very happy.
Image 2: Original detail: using a harness as a toilet paper holder!
Read more about the foundation here. (Dutch language)
