Amongst the whistle of wind through trees and the sound of hooves, a local Sunbury resident offers up his hand with a carrot to a retired race horse.
This visit to Living Legends has been part of Ben Ostanin’s routine for about three years now, and his connection with the horses has been magical, his mother Sen Ostanin said.
“Environmentally, it is quite welcoming. It’s peaceful, it’s just like serenity,” she said.
“The connections he has with the horses, his interactions with them being nonverbal [as well], they communicate in their special magical way.”
It’s this consistent routine and visiting the horses each week that has helped Ben to regulate himself and stay calm, Sen said.
“They just melt when he’s around. There is no aggression from the horses, there’s nothing. He shows a lot of empathy for the horses and understanding.
“He just looks at them and they run towards him when he they know he’s there. It’s very interesting to watch.”
Sen said it has been therapeutic to watch Ben form this connection with the horses over the years, and is complemented by participating in Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).
“He does RDA a couple of days a week and it has really helped him to regulate himself [and] to keep him calm.
“It keeps him happy. He’s peaceful, he has a sense of belonging there. There’s no judgement, there’s no discrimination.
“Despite what he is feeling at that time, the staff are absolutely amazing [and] do leaps and bounds to accommodate his visits.”
Living Legends is located in Greenvale and was established to nurture connections between community and racehorse champions to promote life after racing for all horses.
Visitors are treated to one on one interactions with equine royalty including guided tours, photo opportunities and options to feed and pat,
Zoe Moffatt
