SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH. - Harbor View Assisted Living Center in Detour Village, Mich. has been open for a couple of years now. It's a quiet facility with a wonderful view of the harbour and Drummond Island to the east.
A handful of residents consider Harbor View home.
This past Saturday, they mixed things up just a little bit. They brought in a horse. But not just any horse. This one can paint and perform tricks.
Nancy Bailey, and her 12-year-old horse Junior trotted into Harbor View with staff, residents and visitors looking on in awe.
Junior autographed a book that Bailey authored, Clifford of Drummond Island. He also painted some ornaments for the residents. Bailey uses safe water colours for Junior to paint.
"Junior is the understudy of Clifford. Clifford was a horse I had for years. Junior is actually his great nephew," Bailey said.
Clifford lived to be 28.
Harbor View has had service dogs visit but nothing like this.
The residents took it all in stride, though.
"They (the residents) know what to do. The first thing they do is inhale that particular scent that a horse has. You can see that it has taken them right back. So many of them have a history with horses," Bailey added.
One resident, Barbara, could not keep her eyes off Junior.
"I think it's okay! It's okay for him to come in here! I don't see him messing up the floor yet! Not yet anyway," Barbara chuckled.
The gentleman who donated the land for the building was in attendance too.
David Gray owned the land for about four years before donating the land. He felt that the village needed the house, so local elderly residents have a place to stay.
And seeing a horse spend an afternoon in the facility's living room?
"For the residents, it's a great idea. I think it brightens up their day to have anything different from the normal routine!" Gray said.
As for Bailey's books that she has authored, you can find them on Amazon.
And for more information on Harbor View, check out their Facebook page.