mini horses as guide animals

[VerticallyChallenged]

I'm just curious what other mini horse enthusiasts think of using minis as guide horses? Seems a lot of people are for it.... the longer lifespan being a biggie, which makes sense.

Enlighten me! I don't breed or show, I have minis as pets....since getting my first one 10 years ago. I have one I take to churches, schools, nursing homes and other public places, however I don't think he'd ever make a good guide horse..... if anyone has further information....are they treated like dogs? Jump in the back seat of a car? Stay in the house with their person? Or are they allowed to go outside, lay in the green grass (or mud), and be a horse at times too?

I LOVE my minis...and learned quickly you can't have "just one," (I have four)...and find them so fun, easy to train (for the most part) and they add a great deal to my life. But I kinda feel sad for those who are guides....being the prey animal that they really are, regardless of training, being the herd animal that they are...etc etc. Just my opinion....feel free to help me change my mind!

http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=20489&source=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheHorse%2FNews+%28TheHorse.com+-+News%29

 

[MindyLee]

Not a fan!!!

Horses mini or big belong in a barn, not a houses/buildings/ or in streets as seeing eye whatevers. Great for therapy but not guide animals...

Im against it! And lots here are too.

Sensitive subject with many...

 

[Carolyn R]

I just saw a posting on FB with a photo of this. I hate it, totally disagree with it, and think it is cruel to use an animal that's instinct is to be in a herd and to take flight when threatened for such a purpose.

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

I'm glad I'm not alone....I thought maybe I was nuts! I, too, saw it on FB, and was surprised about all the people who loved the idea...I was at the time the only one who did not. I'm just sad for the horses....

 

[susanne]

Unfortunately, Facebook is often quite revealing of the average intelligence of the human race. Take a look at the anti-New York carriage trade pages, or some of the responses to the Cowboy Magic photos. A bit sad, but as they say, you can't fix stupid.

 

[countrymini]

reminds me of this

http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/im-not-saying-lets-kill-all-the-stupid-people.png

 

[Jill]

We just had a thread about this subject:

http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=129797&hl=guide

NO, I do not think miniature horses make good guide animals

 

[Shari]

Don't shoot me....

I think it can depend on where, how the animal is kept, animals temperament, what they expect of it. But in a City, no, not fair to the mini..... can see them getting torn up by people's dogs.

They should not live inside, good way to make them sick. They need to be out, when not in use, running in a nice size paddock, with some kind of buddy.

Guess my thought of this, is kind'a colored by Maggie.

Now Maggie has helped me a couple of times in the past. She lives in the pasture with her buddies, but when I had that last accident..... Walking with the walker with her, and later on the cane. When I go to the point I was using a cane, and not very well. I would take Maggie for walks. I would use the cane on one side, Maggie was on the other. I was holding onto her mane. She wore a halter and the lead line was always loose. She made sure to keep me up right, like she knew when I was having issues, before I was having them. She would move her body, to keep me upright.

She would match the speed of my walk/hobble. She takes caring for me very seriously. Without her help, I doubt I would of gotten as far as I did with the walking.

Same with Dyfra.

I had Maggie, many years before that. I did all her training, she has just the right temperament to help her person.

She is still helpful to me, carrying items, like fencing stuff, in her Pannier and Sawbuck. In fact, she loves being with me, and pouts when we do not do something. Because of this heat, we haven't done much.

So, I am at a toss up. But knowing how the general public is about any horse, unless the set up and training, is like my place.... I would say no. Not a good idea, for most people any way.

 

[targetsmom]

I am against using minis as actual guide animals (in place of guide dogs) but support their use in just about everything else, including therapy work and use with physically and mentally challenged handlers. I would put Shari's description in that latter category, because Maggie is not being taken into restaurants, etc., right? And you have the option of just letting go if she would spook?

I see some of the same things with our minis and our special needs 4-Her. They are just amazing, but they are still prey animals and CAN spook and bolt. I read of one guide mini that spooked through a glass door.....not a pretty thought.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Shari, you mare isn't a guide animal, though. She's a service animal. BIG difference! I use mine to stand up sometimes, after I've trimmed their feet. They ARE a big help!

I saw one of the guide horses in training back in 2003 or so. It wasn't pretty. She kept wanting to come over to OUR minis. Almost walked her handler into a wall. She did have a sighted assistant, which was good or there could have been major issues. Especially since this was at the Equine Affair in Ohio. What would have happened if that Mini would have walked behind a big horse and startled it? We ALL have seen how biggies react to out littles, and sometimes it's very scary. BOTH could have/would have been killed!

Minis are awesome therapy animals, good service animals to a point, but poor guides for the blind.

 

[Shari]

I am against using minis as actual guide animals (in place of guide dogs) but support their use in just about everything else, including therapy work and use with physically and mentally challenged handlers. I would put Shari's description in that latter category, because Maggie is not being taken into restaurants, etc., right? And you have the option of just letting go if she would spook?

I see some of the same things with our minis and our special needs 4-Her. They are just amazing, but they are still prey animals and CAN spook and bolt. I read of one guide mini that spooked through a glass door.....not a pretty thought.

No, but the stinker is happy to follow me any where. At the old farm in WA, way back when, I left the back door open when I had to use the rest room. Maggie, let herself in and happily checked out the house and was waiting by the bathroom door for me to get out. (rolling eyes) She is not worried about being indoors. I just don't want her indoors, she has to check things out.

Another knock on wood, only time I Maggie has spooked, and I won't really call it a spook, was a giant wooden snail, we walked by, going to a trail. She kind of stared at it for a long while.

She has the perfect temperament for Nursing homes.

Maggie has been with me for a veryyy long time, so we know each other well. Could she spook in the future, well...ya, she is a horse.

The right mini's, could help folks walk again, like she did for me and be good therapy. But you are right.... mini's for the blind, specially in cities with car's, dogs and so on, won't be a good thing.

 

[sfmini]

NO! Horses are prey animals, dogs are predators.

Guide dogs can be taught intelligent disobedience. Good luck teaching that to a horse. A horse is going to leave you high and dry in a threatening situation, it is their nature. They will flee rather than fight, a dog will fight rather than flee.

They are herd animals and do not recognize humans as herd members.

A friend of mine used guide dogs, and yes, it was heartbreaking when the dogs weren't able to work any more and then died, I should know, I took two of the three for their retirement. Having been around them and knowing how they work, and having had horses for as many years, horses just cannot replace a guide dog. The dog is not only a guide, but is also a companion, and a guard animal. Horses just cannot do that.

I saw the same horse at Equine Affaire almost walk the person into a pole and the person would have been hurt if a sighted person wasn't there to prevent the wreck.

 

[chandab]

Not even a therapy horse, and as well trained as she should be; my 3 year old mini filly spooked at something this afternoon, jumped sideways and knocked me on butt. She really caught me by surprise.

I'll never think horses of any size are good guide animals; therapy of all kinds, yes... they are so good for your soul.