By ROMAN KULKEWYCZ
HILLVIEW Bunyip Aged Care residents were thrilled when they were visited by a couple of magnificent horses last week as part of Le Pine Funerals “Commemorating the Centenary of Gallipoli Program”.
The horses were Jet (Percheron draft horse) and Chase (stock horse). They are also used to lead the horse-drawn hearse on funeral services.
Chase featured in the Gallipoli miniseries which was recently on TV. Dean Crichton, a Bunyip local is their owner. The residents acknowledged the role that horses played during World War I.
It was a wonderful afternoon of reminiscing as many of the residents were able to relate personal stories involving horses from their younger years.
Sandy remembered how he spent many hours back in Ireland ploughing his fields.
Many fondly remembered riding a horse to school.
Early days of horse-drawn carts of the milkman, butcher and baker were shared. Beryl remembered her father who served in the Light Horse Brigade during WWI.
Le Pine Funerals co-ordinator Rachel Kollmorgen said the horses had visited about 20 aged care facilities and they had been enthusiastically received.
“Seeing the warm smiles on the residents’ faces, listening to the memories that come flooding back and the interaction with the horses has been so rewarding for me, that I want to keep returning every year with our horses to visit the residents.”
