A care home in Newport, Isle of Wight, was surprised last week when a horse came to visit.

Residents at Vecta House were pleasantly surprised to see their new furry friend roaming around their garden as Tippy from Boster paid a visit.

Nicola Shepherd, general manager at Vecta House, said: “Our residents have really enjoyed their unusual visitors. We knew that having the horse whisperers here would be a bit of fun for all our residents, especially as some find it difficult to go on many outings in our minibus.

“We are always looking for new activities for the residents and today we have seen the enjoyment and the therapeutic influence animals can have on people.”

Tippy was accompanied by his ‘horse whisperer’ and took a tour inside the house.

Vecta House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals.