Horse pays surprise visit to hospitalized woman

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Courtesy Florida Hospital Connerton 

Sometimes the best therapy is the kind only friends can provide – especially four-legged friends. One Florida patient found that out Monday when she got a surprise visit from her horse.

According to a Florida Hospital spokesperson, Christine Carbonneau has been fighting through a long illness and is trying to wean off a ventilator. Her longtime partner Gary thought she seemed a little down, and suggested she might benefit from a visit with her horse, Ireland.

That staff at the Connerton Long Term Acute Care Facility in Land O’Lakes helped set up the surprise and they were able to get the 68-year-old off her ventilator long enough to go and outside and be eye to eye with her beloved Ireland.

“It was a touching moment and it is safe to say there was not a dry eye,” offered hospital spokesperson Richelle Hoenes-Ahearn.