Meet Magic and Tinkerbell, the therapy ponies calming anxious travellers at Vancouver’s airport

Two miniature ponies are the latest addition to an animal therapy initiative at Vancouver International Airport.

Two miniature ponies named Magic and Tinkerbell have joined the crew at Vancouver International Airport to help soothe the nerves of anxious travellers.

The move is an expansion of the “Less Airport Stress Initiative,” which started bringing therapy dogs to the terminal several years ago.

“We’ve got dogs, we’ve got ponies, we’ve now got the YVR dog and pony show,” said Eric Bateman, the airport’s chief experience officer.

“It’s been wild, just watching people’s excitement as they come down to check it out.”

The two ponies are being provided by Green Acres Therapy Horses, founded by twin sisters and equine enthusiasts Pamela and Jacqueline Green. The pair said they hope lending their horses to the airport will help raise awareness about the benefits of therapy ponies with the hope that their use will soon become as mainstream as the use of therapy dogs.

“You don’t have to ride them, you don’t have to pat them, you don’t even have to touch them – you just have to be in their presence, and you can get the benefits of what they have to offer,” Jacqueline said.

Tinkerbell is the older of the two ponies, a 17-year-old mare who is blind in one eye and was passed over for adoption many times before the Greens took her in.

“She’s got an exceptionality and look at the work she’s doing,” Pamela said.

“That’s one of the messages we want to get through. Just because you have an exceptionality doesn’t mean you can’t do great big things, and just because you’re small doesn’t mean you can’t do big great things.”

Magic, a three-year-old gelding, is still in training but the sisters say he’s already doing a great job.

“Our horses always leave people better than they found them,” said Jacqueline.