The best thing for the inside of a (person) is the outside of a horse

September 21, 2016 3:23 PM

Hidden Desires is a project of The Care Group, a Green Cross member organization. Here they grant the wish of Mrs. Jacobs to ride one last time. Watch to the end. It gets really dusty! No translation needed.
posted by agatha_magatha (14 comments total)

That's fantastic. Do they have that device just so disabled or elderly people can ride?

Also, why is the mirror positioned so she can watch the "drivers"? Wouldn't it be a more usual riding-like experience if she could see where she was doing and see the horses heads etc.?
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 3:30 PM on September 21, 2016

Nope, not crying. not one single damn bit.

While I'm not crying, I'll just say that's an amazing thing to do for someone.
posted by drewbage1847 at 3:44 PM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]

I'm weeping. That was lovely.

According to wiktionary.org, "heerlijk" means "wonderful, great, delicious, glorious, magnificent".
posted by Lexica at 4:06 PM on September 21, 2016 [2 favorites]

I'll have to watch that properly later as even a quick video skim with the sound off was a bit too much for me. My mum is a wheelchair user as a result of a horse riding accident and would, I'm sure, still give anything to ride again. I'm very glad Mrs Jacobs got her wish.

"A bit dusty" never really works for me, as suppressed crying is only rarely a bit of surreptitious eye wiping, and more all manner of suppressed facial contortions. Maybe "It appears to be a g-force testing chamber in here" would work.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 4:09 PM on September 21, 2016 [5 favorites]

Beautiful.
posted by doctor_negative at 4:33 PM on September 21, 2016

This is wonderful.
posted by Hermione Granger at 4:49 PM on September 21, 2016

I want to share this on FB to combat all the political negativity. We all need more of this and much less of the other.
posted by cairnoflore at 5:26 PM on September 21, 2016

This is wonderful! She looked so very happy. I'm so glad I got to see this, and so glad these awesome people made this happen.
posted by Silverstone at 6:17 PM on September 21, 2016

Yeah, I started tearing up during the hairbrushing. I'm done for.
posted by allthinky at 6:44 PM on September 21, 2016

Oh bless. I would have enjoyed hearing about how she was as a young equestrienne, and I am sure she would have loved to tell about it if she could. I don't doubt the horses knew to be gentle.
posted by Countess Elena at 7:55 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

The mirror is probably set that way to allow the driver and caregiver to make sure the patient is doing well.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 10:01 PM on September 21, 2016 [1 favorite]

Do they have that device just so disabled or elderly people can ride?

They sure do. Riding for the disabled is a great amazing program and it's worldwide. I've been volunteering on and off for years. It's awesome.
posted by fshgrl at 11:12 PM on September 21, 2016 [4 favorites]

Against every fiber of my being, my daughter owns two horses, courtesy of, well, me. Dangerous, expensive, and smelly they are. Not too bright, either, if truth be told.

But unbelievably charming and at times inexpressibly beautiful. Who knew?

I'm deeply ashamed to admit that no one has ridden them for several years now, since my daughter moved on to other things, and truth be told, hurt her back from riding. But they're part of the family; I couldn't imagine getting rid of them, and for all they cost, they give back more.
posted by adam hominem at 3:29 PM on September 22, 2016

I'm so glad she was able to do this. Her small was absolutely radiant. I could see what she must have looked like over a jump or winning a class.

Since my stroke, this has been added to my email signature:

Of all the things I have to accept in life, may I never know the last time I will ride a horse.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:35 PM on September 22, 2016 [4 favorites]