Everyone remembers where they were when they heard about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty beautiful children between 6 and 7 years old and six heroic adult staff members were lost. The incident was the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history.

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The day after the tragedy, Gentle Carousel was contacted by the Newtown community to come and help comfort families. Therapy horses Magic, Aladdin and Wakanda traveled north from Florida to CT. For two weeks the horses worked in the community at schools, with families, at the Newtown Library, with first responders and at local hospitals.

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Over 600 people arrived in two shifts at the Newtown library to visit with therapy horse Magic, the first time many had seen each other since the tragedy. Even more came to a gymnasium the next day to spend one on one time with the therapy horses. From the interrogation room at the Newtown police station to a Sandy Hook preschool, the horses brought their love where it was needed most. In the worst of circumstances, we constantly saw the very best in people.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses has returned to Sandy Hook/Newton, CT several times since the first visit.