The Little Hoof Company Trots by Norden House

It is often said that animals manage to put smiles on our faces with ease, and this was certainly the case when the Little Hoof Company visited HMT’s Norden House Care Home, delivering a plethora of smiles.

The residents of the Care Home were going about their day as usual, when all of a sudden, two pony’s, named Digby and Doug, came along for a visit. Arranged by the Activity Coordinators at Norden House, Ella & Adriana, and Tinka Allingham, the owner of the Little Hoof Company, as a treat, which truly delivered a superb morning’s surprise.

A few residents had asked about potentially having animals visit the home but had no idea what the activity team had conjured up for them.

Ella commented, “It was a brilliant day for all our residents, and a huge surprise for them too. When the pony’s showed up everyone was smiling and wanting to say hello. We’re really glad we were able to bring Digby and Doug to Norden House, it was such a fantastic experience.”

The Little Hoof Company has been run and operated for the last 2 years, by Tinka Allingham. Tinka has spent most of her life around horses but wanted to find a way of helping people in care homes share that connection too. She’s been training Shetland ponies for care home therapy ever since, and the reviews are always superb.

Digby, the more experienced of the two ponies, led Doug with grace and prowess. From spending time in the gardens, to trotting around the café, the two had a wonderful tour of the grounds. They will be welcomed back with open arms when they visit again.

Norden House continues to build partnerships with businesses across Littlehampton and Worthing, leading to delightful experiences for their residents. In a year that has seen a visit from Zimbabwe, exercise and recovery sessions and now 4-legged friends, the team continue to go above and beyond in delivering exceptional care.