SIOUX CITY, IA -
Some would say residents at the Westwood Nursing Home were "horsing around" today. That's because "Houdini the Horse" paid a visit, to show off a few tricks.
This horse has been training for 17 years now, and you can see it in his performance. And the relationship between Houdini and his trainer is special one.
For Dick Wallen, training horses runs in his genes.
"My dad was a horse trainer, back in the 20's and 30's and years ago my brothers and I grew up in barn life, so we trained horses all our life," he said.
Wallen has been part of the White Horse Patrol for decades. The patrol maintains about 20 white horses, and performs in parades and events all over the U.S.
"I carried my first flag in front of the White Horse Patrol in 1936," he said.
And now, in 2012, at the age of 91, Wallen still does what he loves the most.
"I wouldn't do anything else. I'm just sad I can't get around better with what I'm doing," he said.
But he still makes do, and shares his love of performing with people of all ages, including those at Westwood nursing home.
"It was precious. I love animals anyway, so, but it was just as cute as it could be," she said.
Grace Uhl says Houdini the horse reminds her of childhood, she grew up on a farm.
"We were just getting out of that era, where they were changing from horses to tractors and, it was just a pleasure to be out with the livestock," she said.
But Houdini is no ordinary horse. Wallen let us on his training secret, he calls it the magic wand, a stick that directs his horse.
"When he learned to do the Hula, he learned to just watch the stick, when it goes over there, it means step this way, and that way," he said.
A partnership years in the making that's only getting better with time. Wallen says he plans on working with Houdini until the day he dies. Being 91 years old, he's guessing that'll be another 8 to 10 years!
