Sharing Sammy: N.S. senior's dream to meet rescued racehorse comes true

Wish granted: N.S. senior meets Sammy the horse Senior’s charity We Are Young grants a hands-on experience with the Baxter family’s empathetic, retired racehorse, Sammy.

"Maybe he'll marry me!" joked 79-year-old Elise Richard as she walked through the entrance of the Serenity Acres barn in Ardoise, N.S.

When the senior’s charity We Are Young, which grants wishes to deserving seniors, first approved of Richard's wish, it was to ride in one of the gliders she’s been watching from her Debert, N.S., property for decades.

But, when the non-profit reached out to the mother of three adult children with good news, she responded, “I would rather meet Sammy."

"We knew who to get in contact with!" says We Are Young co-founder Katie Mahoney, whose organization has been profiled multiple times on CTV News at 5.

It’s also how Richard learned about Sammy’s plight after watching both Saving Sammy series.

"I kind of just wanted to look in his eyes," Richard says when asked about wanting to meet the 18-year-old rescued racehorse.

The retired nurse misses the day-to-day interactions with people, which was such a big part of her career.

Richard describes retirement as isolating and, even though she has a loving family, she says, “sometimes I feel all alone."

But not on this day.

Richard spent time grooming the old horse, who spends much of his own retirement doing Equine Assisted Learning, a form of therapy for people.

Watching the pair, you would never guess it was the first time Richard had ever laid her hands on a horse.

She says she was always intimidated by their size, until now.

"I feel the gentleness of him," she says.

The recent months have been difficult for Elise, who recently lost her sister.

"Sometimes it's these simple wishes that mean the most," says Mahoney.

The wish ended with more than a few kisses between woman and horse, and an open invitation to come back and visit her new four-legged friend again.

"Sammy is my dream come true," says Richard.