AKRON, Ohio — The Kelly Clarkson Show is introducing the nation to Willie Nelson.
No, not the singer.
This Willie Nelson is a therapy horse that visits patients at Akron Children's Hospital and has done so every week for the last three years.
“It all started with my husband, Dave, and my brother-in-law, Richard, in a two-person horse costume,” his trainer with Victory Gallop’s therapeutic equestrian program tells Clarkson on Wednesday's show, which airs on WKYC Channel 3 at 11 a.m. “We would go through the local hospital and just kind of visit kids and romp around.”
But then things changed when her husband, who happens to be an equine veterinarian, was on a call with a client who needed to re-home their miniature horse.
When the horse arrived, their new plan came to light.
“He and I were like, ‘Wouldn’t this be the coolest if we could train and certify a horse to go right into the hospital?’”
This marks the second time since last month that Clarkson's show has featured a story tied to Akron Children's Hospital. Back in December, the show highlighted the work of pediatric surgeon Dr. Bob Parry to share how he’s helped ease the fears of children going through surgery by drawing colorful characters on their bandages.
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