The Horse Who Learnt to Hear
Poppy was born with a hearing impairment. She loved horses, and as she grew older, she dreamed of becoming a vet or winning rosettes. Poppy’s hearing deteriorated, and she was almost deaf by the age of nine. She used sign language as a way to communicate. Poppy was depressed and rarely smiled. She was fortunate to have her parents and the school work together to enable her to continue to use sign language. Poppy worked so hard in school, even though she sometimes felt sad and lonely.
Poppy could see fields and stables full of horses from her bedroom window. One horse was a dark brown horse with a white nose patch. It was always alone in the field, looking gloomy. It would often look up at Poppy as she gazed into her bedroom. They stared at one another for hours.
Poppy’s parents began visiting the stables that were connected to the field. Poppy walked with them, standing on the fence and throwing carrots in the area. All horses except for the brown horse seemed to be aware of her presence and came over to eat carrots.
Poppy’s parents began to allow her more time in the stables as the owners of the horses arrived. Poppy started to ride and live a part of her childhood dreams. She didn’t allow her disability to stop her. She wanted to ride Paddy, the brown horse she’d learned was named.
Poppy knew something was wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. She called him, but he wouldn’t answer. She realized he, too, was deaf! She taught Paddy how to hear differently by building up her confidence, as well as his, through vibrations, touch, and sight. Poppy eventually earned Paddy’s trust as he started to come to her. She remained calm and patted, brushed, talked to, and even gave him carrots! She really had a connection with Paddy.
Poppy became closer to Paddy over time. She didn’t give up because of her determination. She spent time with him every day, and he eventually let her ride him. It was amazing! Together, they competed as a horse and rider deaf. Poppy and Paddy had their best day ever when they won the first prize. They were so happy they became inseparable. They understood each other’s challenges but did not let it stop them from achieving and being happy. The two became a source of inspiration for many other children with hearing impairments.
