PBS高端访谈:美洲迷你马为你带去欢乐（在线收听）

Hari Sreenivasan: From dogs and rabbits, to guinea pigs and even birds, pet therapy animals come in all shapes and sizes. Nick Blumberg, from our partner station WTTW in Chicago, has this report on a pint-sized equine therapeutic mission that is bringing happiness to those in need.

Nick Blumberg: These are American Miniature horses.

Dina Morgan: They're non intimidating, they're tiny, they're magical looking.

Nick Blumberg: And they're the, ahem, main attraction of the nonprofit Mane in Heaven. (That's m-a-n-e.)

Dina Morgan: We take our adorable little miniature therapy horses to hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes. Our goal and our mission is to just bring a little bit of happiness and comfort and joy to those in need.

Nick Blumberg: Founded in 2012, Mane in Heaven is an all-volunteer organization based at a private farm in Barrington.

Danielle McCready: We work with the horses four days a week. We do training and visits, so if we're not on a visit, we're training here.

Dina Morgan: They have to learn their commands. They have to be used to people hugging them and petting them. Learning elevators, learning different floor surfaces.

Nick Blumberg: And, volunteers have to learn answers to frequently asked questions. No, they haven't been shrunken down. They're not ponies. And yes, they're full grown.

Dina Morgan: We joke that they might get wider, but they won't get any taller.

Nick Blumberg: Another common question: why are they wearing shoes?

Dina Morgan: First of all, they do prevent them slipping on the floor. Also good for infection control. Plus they just look pretty darn cute. So that's the other reason why.

Nick Blumberg: These three little guys get to enjoy a relaxing day out in their paddock, but Tinkerbell and Hope are getting loaded up into their bus, a mini bus, of course and we're headed to a Shriners Hospital for a visit.

Dina Morgan: I can't tell you how fulfilling it is when you walk into into a hospital room or walk into a school and see these great big smiles, people's eyes get wide, and the laughter.

Nick Blumberg: But they're not just entertainment. Sometimes, the horses provide motivation for young patients who are scared to get their blood drawn or who are working to improve their walking.

Danielle McCready: We'll put another lead on the horse and the kids can help us walk and learn commands, like walk and whoa. It's really powerful to see these kids engage with these little guys and see that they're connecting and the horses are listening when they're asking for them to do something.

Nick Blumberg: While Mane in Heaven asks for donations, it doesn't charge for its visits. It's made about 60 visits so far this year. Though the minis share a therapeutic mission, they all have different personalities.

Danielle McCready: Tinkerbell is super curious. Spirit is very spiritful. Hope is very sweet and gentle. But in general they're all very calm, very comforting, and they're very intuitive.

Nick Blumberg: They make visits all over the Chicago area, so keep your eyes open for them but look down.

Danielle McCready: What are you doing? I don't have anything in my pocket. That's a microphone that's in my pocket.

哈里·斯瑞尼瓦桑：从狗子到兔子，从天竺鼠到鸟类，可用于宠物疗法的动物可以是各种形状和大小的。下面请听我台记者尼克·布卢姆伯格从芝加哥WTTW合作站发回的报道。内容与品脱大小的马类带给有需要的人欢乐有关。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：这些是美洲迷你马。

迪纳·摩根：它们一点都不吓人，因为体型很小，看起来很神奇。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：它们是非盈利组织“天堂之马”的主要吸睛点。

迪纳·摩根：我们将可爱的迷你马带到医院、康复中心、疗养院去为别人做治疗。我们的目标和任务是将快乐、安慰和喜悦带给那些需要的人。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：成立于2012年的“天堂之马”是由志愿者组成的组织，地点在巴林顿的一家私人农场。

丹尼尔·麦克里迪：我们每周有4天跟马在一起。我做培训、看望不开心的人，所以如果我们没有去看望别人，就是在农场里做培训。

迪纳·摩根：他们必须学会指令，有时候它们需要被拥抱或者摸头。学习如何坐电梯，如何在不同的地板上行走。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：志愿者们不要回答一些出现频率高的问题。不，这种马不是缩小了的版本，不是小马。它们已经长得很健全了。

迪纳·摩根：我们经常开玩笑说，它们只会越长越胖，但不会再长高了。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：还有一个常见的问题是——它们为什么要穿鞋子？

迪纳·摩根：首先，可以防止在地上滑到，对于感染控制也有好处。而且这样看起来很可爱，这是另一个原因。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：这些小家伙们可以在牧场里度过轻松的一天。但小仙女和希望还是被我们装上了公交车——一辆迷你公交车。我们当然是要带它们去圣地兄弟会医院慰问。

迪纳·摩根：我无法形容走进医院病房或者进入学校的时候，看到这些荡漾的微笑有多么的有成就感。大家的眼镜都睁得大大的，伴随着笑声。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：但这并非娱乐。有时候，这些马儿可以为年轻的病人带来动力，让惧怕采血或者还在努力学走路的人得到勇气。

丹尼尔·麦克里迪：我们会让马儿走在前面，让孩子们帮我们遛马并学习指令，比如“走”和“喔”。看到这些孩子跟这些马儿的相处，看到他们彼此交流，看到马儿听从孩子的指令，这些让我们倍感力量。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：虽然“天堂之马”会接受捐助，但不会对慰问之旅收取任何费用。今年到目前为止，他们已经做过大概60次慰问。虽然这些小马有共同的治疗任务，但它们性情各异。

丹尼尔·麦克里迪：小仙女好奇心很强，而小精灵则非常灵动。希望很甜、很温和。但总体来说，这些马儿都很沉稳，给人带来安慰，它们都很聪明。

尼克·布卢姆伯格：他们的慰问走遍了芝加哥地区，所以让我们好好关注它们的发展吧。

丹尼尔·麦克里迪：你在做什么？我兜里什么都没有，只有一个麦克风啊。