Therapy horse provides stress relief to defendants in Fort Lauderdale courtroom

A therapy animal with plenty of experience provided some courtroom comfort.

Pegasus, a certified therapy mini horse, visited the Felony Mental Health Court, Thursday morning in Fort Lauderdale.

7News cameras captured the friendly horse dressed for the occasion, with a judge’s robe and white wig.

Pegasus was brought in by the team at Meraki Behavior Health to help provide stress relief to defendants with severe mental illnesses.

“We look for therapy that best meets the client’s needs, and if somebody has trauma or PTSD or depression or anxiety, spending time with a horse like this would be everything,” said Judge Ari Abraham Porth.

People who met the horse said it was a special moment.

“Being able to meet other therapy horses at other programs, but never in a courtroom, so it’s defini