Family brings horse to visit grandmother in hospice
A horse was the guest of honour at a Devon Hospice last week (23 September).
Megan Hayes, 14, rode her new horse, Puzzle, into the grounds of Rowcroft Hospice in Torquay to meet her grandmother Pat West, who is a resident there.
Pat’s daughter Sally Hayes — Megan’s mother — arranged the visit and drove Puzzle up from her home near Ipplepen.
“My sister [Helen West] events and as a family, we are just really into horses,” Mrs Hayes told H&H.
“We bought Puzzle after mum had been admitted to the hospice, so she didn’t really know him.
“She’s so poorly now that we thought we can’t take mum to see him, so we brought him to see her.”
The family has only had the 15.2hh seven-year-old skewbald gelding for about seven weeks and Mrs Hayes added that he was “very good” during the visit.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“He is just a really nice chap,” she added.
“I am sure he knew — it is almost like he had a sixth sense.”
Animals frequently visit the hospice for pet therapy sessions.
“The hospice is not really a place you really know until you are in the position we are in,” said Mrs Hayes.
“Absolutely nothing is too much trouble — the staff are just amazing.
“It is a wonderful, wonderful place.”
Pat, 77, has motor neurone disease and has been a patient on Rowcroft’s inpatient unit for around nine weeks.
“We have two horses who live at the bottom of our drive, but one is resting with an injury at the moment,” said Pat.
“We haven’t had Puzzle for very long but he is cool, calm and collected — he hasn’t put a hoof wrong.
“It was great to have him here, it was a very good day and the staff have been excellent.”
The visit was covered by BBC Spotlight and was broadcast on Thursday (24 September).
Occupational therapist Sarah Reynolds said: “Rowcroft believes in trying to make every day the best day possible for patients and their families.
“So to be able to provide Pat with an opportunity to see the lovely Puzzle and her family together in the grounds of the hospice was just wonderful.”
The hospice’s inpatient unit manager, Sue Harvey, added that many of their patients enjoy visits from “four-legged friends”.
“They are a real talking point and are always so happy to be cuddled and play — Puzzle the horse was no exception,” she said.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.