VOA健康报道2024--Mini Horses in Greece Bring Joy to Sick, Disabled

 

A non-profit group in Greece uses small horses to provide pet therapy to sick and disabled people. But the organization is now considering its future after facing financial difficulties.

The Associated Press (AP) recently met members of the group, called Gentle Carousel¹ Greece. The animals are brought to hospitals and care centers to give joy to the sick or those suffering physical limitations.

The horses are bred as miniature animals and stand about 72 centimeters tall. They are specially² trained to provide comfort to disabled children, sick people, or older adults.

One of the horses was recently brought to a school outside Athens for children with special needs. At the school, nine-year-old Josifina Topa Mazuch seemed drawn³ to a small, gray horse. She ended up leading the animal down a school hallway.

The horse, named Ivy⁴, stood no taller than the girl's pink wheelchair. "I really want them to come again," Josifina told the AP about Ivy and another visiting horse, Calypso. "They made me feel really happy," she added.

Ivy and Calypso are two of nine miniature horses provided by the non-profit group. The organization is linked to an American group called Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. The U.S. group is based in Ocala, Florida.

The organization said the horses complete at least two years of training. They are taught how to work in confined environments with children and adults with special health needs. Caregivers say the horses provide a form of pet therapy that offers valuable social interactions and new learning experiences.

But the leader of the Greek organization says her group has been financially struggling in recent years. Gentle Carousel Greece is run by 68-year-old Mina Karagianni. She said she now performs most of the group's duties herself. Karagianni also finances the group and cares for the nine miniature horses, mostly by herself.

Karagianni also told the AP she learned about the Florida-based organization over the internet while she was searching for information on a pony⁵ she had rescued. After learning about the group's activities, she got the idea to start her own operation.

"I was touched and I was moved, and I said: 'OK, we have to bring this to Greece,'" Karagianni said. So, she decided⁶ to make changes to her land to be able to care for the horses. She said she turned her property into what she calls a "Magic Garden." She has everything she needs to care for the horses. She also runs a small restaurant and party area.

Karagianni launched her Greek group in 2014. She said the organization has served about 12,000 children since it began until the pandemic led to restrictions⁷ in 2020.

The pandemic caused financial pressures and Karagianni herself faced a medical problem that hurt her ability to run the group. "I'm just starting to get myself back together again now," she told the AP. "With a lot of financial difficulties. But what can I do? I'm trying."

Karagianni said she had contacted businesses and non-profit groups about financial help but has not been successful. She plans to continue to seek help. "I'm making super-human efforts," Karagianni said. "I'm doing what I can. But I can't do it alone," she added.

Karagianni said she keeps going because she sees the great benefits the children and adults receive from the animals.

At the special needs school, teacher Eleni Volikaki said she sees "incredible" reactions from the children. "It's like something awakens⁸ their senses." Volikaki noted⁹ the horses can often get students to make more progress than with other therapy methods.

"We saw things we didn't expect," she said. "We saw children with autism, or children who are generally afraid of animals, coming very close, letting the (horses) get close to them." Volikaki added.

I'm Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

therapy - n. the work of treating mental or physical illness without using drugs or a medical operation

miniature - n. extremely small

confine - v. to prevent something from leaving a place or to prevent from spreading

benefit - n. something good that helps you or gives a person an advantage

1 carousel   

n.旋转式行李输送带

参考例句：

• Riding on a carousel makes you feel dizzy.乘旋转木马使你头晕。
• We looked like a bunch of awkward kids riding a slow-moving carousel.我们看起来就像一群骑在旋转木马上的笨拙的孩子。

2 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 ivy   

n.常青藤，常春藤

参考例句：

• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
• The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。

5 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 awakens   

v.（使）醒( awaken的第三人称单数 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到

参考例句：

• The scene awakens reminiscences of my youth. 这景象唤起我年轻时的往事。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The child awakens early in the morning. 这个小孩早晨醒得早。 来自辞典例句

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。