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Award-winning mini horse brings joy to care home

Jo Kent
BBC News, Poole
Listen: The in-demand therapy horse Mr Kelloggs

There cannot be many horses that can fit in a lift or would be happy to travel in one but Mr Kelloggs takes it all in his stride.

The 10-year-old British miniature horse works as a therapy animal and the lift he is reversing into is at Eagles Mount Care Home in Poole.

Last year, Mr Kelloggs won a BBC Make a Difference Animal Award, which is given to an animal that has made a positive impact on people's lives, or to someone who works with animals to improve animal welfare.

Nominations are now open for this year's awards.

As the small horse starts his tour of Eagles Mount, first visiting residents who cannot easily move out of their rooms, it is clear to see why he is a worthy winner.

Bringing back memories for Malcolm

A group of three people are sat with a brown coloured miniature horse in the centre of the photo. The horse is wearing a bridle. To the right there is an elderly man who is stroking the horse. He is sat in a care home chair with a crochet blanket across his knees. To the left of the picture his wife is sat in another care home chair. She is talking to the horse's owner. The horse's owner has her back to the camera. She has brown hair and is wearing a blue T-shirt.
Malcolm's father used to train horses

First Mr Kelloggs visits married couple Malcolm and Beryl, and Malcolm is very keen to feed him some biscuits.

His owner Megan Gledhill politely explains that is not allowed.

Then Malcolm comes out with a revelation: "My dad used to show horses, all through the summer.

"He went from Bournemouth, to Harrogate, Leeds, Manchester city ground, he trained them."

The care home staff said they never knew this about him.

"It's amazing, the joy it brings to them," says Alison Williams, who is responsible for wellbeing at the home, and organised the visit.

"It brings back so many memories of when they had their own pets, and we've heard stories today that we've never heard before, about people that kept horses, and we never knew that about them," she adds.

Kisses for Eileen

A group of people with a minature horse in a care home room. At the back sitting in a chair is an elderly man with white hair. Next to him in a wheelchair is his wife, she has short brown bobbed hair with a fringe, she is kissing the minature horse, named Mr Kelloggs. The horse is in the foreground, wearing a harness and bridle. He is raising his nose towards the woman for the kiss. Sat to the left side of him with her back to the camera is his owner, a young woman with dark hair wearing a blue t-shirt.
Mr Kelloggs shared a kiss with car home resident Eileen

Next it is the turn of Eileen and Ray.

"Come here baby, give us a kiss," says Eileen.

Obediently, Mr Kelloggs edges closer and lifts his nose to Eileen's face for a kiss.

Eileen is delighted: "That's it Ray, you're dumped now," the staff joke.

It is a wrench for Eileen when it it time for Mr Kelloggs to leave but another visit is promised.

The tour continues into the rooms of Lesley and Mary.

"What's his name?" Mary asks but she is not impressed with the reply.

"No, that's not a nice name for a beautiful darling like you," she tells him.

Megan explains that Mr Kelloggs got his name because he was born in Wales close to the site of one of the factories of the cereal manufacturer.

Horse riding nostalgia for Lesley

A woman who has downs syndrome is propped up by a pillow and sitting up in her bed. Her name is Lesley. She has light coloured hair with a bun on the top of her head. In the foreground is minature horse Mr Kelloggs. He is brown in colour with a lighter coloured mane, and is wearing a bridle. Lesley is reaching out and stroking him on the nose.
Mr Kelloggs meeting care home resident Lesley

Lesley's face lights up when Mr Kelloggs enters her room.

It brings back memories of a time she rode a horse.

It is clear to see the impact he has on the residents, and it is the reason why he won a BBC Make a Difference award.

Megan's mum Sharon Gledhill, who helps her to run Linking Hearts Therapy Horses, says it is a privilege to do what they do.

"A lot of people, especially the people that are bedbound, they're not going to get a chance to go out into the forest and see a horse and be so close to a horse," she says.

After touring the rooms, it is time to visit other residents in the lounge.

Mr Kelloggs spends at least half an hour in there, meeting everyone individually. As he approaches each person, he is greeted with a big smile.

"It's the sensory experience, they get to hug and kiss him and stroke him," says Sharon.

"It just brightens them up and puts a spark in their day again."

To the left of the photo is a young woman with brown hair. She is the owner of miniature horse Mr Kelloggs. He is in the centre of the picture and she is watching as he is introduced to care home resident Mary. Mary is looking at the horse with a big smile on her face, she is holding his bridle and stroking him. Mary is wearing a red and white striped top.
There were smiles all round when Mr Kelloggs visited

How to nominate

BBC Make A Difference Awards 2025 logo, white and pink writing on a purple background
The 2025 Make a Difference Awards are now open for nominations

The Make a Difference Awards recognise and celebrate people, across eight different categories, who are going above and beyond to make a difference where they live.

Every BBC Local Radio station will host an awards ceremony in 2025.

The awards are a chance to say thank you and show recognition and appreciation for people who love to make life better for others.

Nominations can be made via the BBC Make a Difference website where you can also see full terms and the privacy notice.

Nominations close on the 31 March at 17:00 BST.

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