Miniature Horses as Guide Animals (POLL: Yes or No)

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Do You Think Miniature Horses Make Good Guide Animals?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 4.3%
  • No

    Votes: 90 95.7%

  • Total voters
    94
The problem is, people with no knowledge whatsoever of horses are infatuated with the concept and refuse to listen to those who actually have experience with them. When I've discussed my thoughts about this with non-horse folks, they act as if I've just outed Santa and the Easter Bunny.

The city of Portland, OR, has talked of allowing them on the metropolitan area's bus and light rail system. Is there even a single guide horse in Portland? Not that I know of (how many are in the country? Two?). But the city is ready to accommodate them.
 
I do not want to belittle anyone's opinion, but I haven't ever heard someone with hands on horse experience who thinks that minis as GUIDE animals are a good idea come up with solid reasoning. The people I have heard advocate it are either out to make a buck, or know what they know about horses from storybooks.
 
^ You know, I think it's only a matter of time before the owner is faced with the reality of "a horse is a horse, of course of course." For the person's sake, I hope I'm wrong, but I have owned many horses and handled many others and there's not been a one I'd trust to guide me if I could not guide myself.
 
I was invited by my friend JILL to come onto this forum to explain my support for this. I have handled horses my entire life, so I do feel I meet Jill's qualifier in this instance. I believe there are SOME horses that are very well suited for the work and they can be of excellent service, not just as therapy animals but as GUIDES. I personally know of two instances where I have met and corresponded with the individuals about their choice to use minis as their guides. Those pairs include the above linked Cali and Mona. Cali was trained by a friend of mine, Dolores Arste. When Mona was first looking to get a guide horse, she contacted me, and I put her in contact with Dolores. So I'd say I have pretty good exposure on that one. Cali has been actively guiding for Mona for at least two years now. Then there is Panda and Ann Edie. Panda has been Ann's guide for about 10 years now. Ann is a very intelligent person and also very practical. She has had guide DOGS before, so she has a good context for what constitutes a good guide. Ann has been present at a clicker expo where there were dogs everywhere, leaping at her and causing a fuss. Panda navigated that crowd like they weren't even there. I first met Panda while she was still in training back in 2003. Panda was the reason I got into miniature horses at all. I met her and spent 10 days with she and Ann. I went on training walks with them. Panda wasn't perfect yet, but she was getting there. I believe that you would hear from Ann now, that Panda is an unusually good guide. After 10 years of guiding, a dog would be facing retirement. Panda is in her prime and doing great work for Ann. She is anticipated to continue this work for years to come.

Food for thought for those who jumped right onto that "no" button on this poll. Don't take away the rights of those who are experiencing great success with this concept. I am sure that dog guides faced the same level of naysaying when they were becoming the trusted partners they are for many these days. Let these people be, and give them your support. They have a hard enough road to walk.
 
I will add that I have voiced my opinion as someone with extreme visual impairment. (Many who have been around me have no idea how poor my vision is, as I hide it quite well.)

When I was recovering from eye surgery and I truly could not see, I learned that most HUMANS cannot be trusted to safely guide another human.

Amy, I would never presume not to allow someone to make their own decision, but that doesn't mean that I must support that choice against my judgment or refrain from stating what I believe based upon my own experience.
 
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Thanks for your input Amy. Maybe since you are involved with Miniature Horses and know the actual ages that is "normal" for them to live, you can try to explain this to those using them and training them. In the one story that Mary Lou posted the link of, it was stated that they can be used into their 30's and 40's! How realistic is that?? They always use that as a main reason for comparing the use of dogs vs the use of horses, and it is NOT a realistic quote at all, as I am sure you know. Let's face it, it is not real common for a horse to even live into their 30's, and even when they do, it does not make them a good candidate for use as a guide. It would be like expecting a 90-100 year old person to keep up with the same strenuous day to day activities of a 50 year old. And a horse rarely ever sees the 40 year mark, and I am sure the guide would not even be an option at that point.
 
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I'd like to say first of all that I am a horse owner, I am handicapped, I have handicapped family members, and I have owned and trained service animals.

There is a tendency recently, for people to attempt to have their personal preference in animals recognized as a companion/therapy animal. The result has been much confusion over terminology, and what it means to be a guide animal, a service animal, a therapy animal, or a companion animal.

There is a place for a properly trained animal..but many people are now trying to have their personal pets recognized as their necessary companion animal. There are many reasons for this, from an honest need, to someone wanting to scam the system and write off their pet expenses as 'service animal related'. Wouldn't we all love to be able to write off our horse expenses as our therapy for anxiety?

I have seen a woman with a sugar glider in baby clothes, the same with a baby monkey torn from the arms of its mother..both women used a power wheelchair (as do I), and both women insisted that their pets be allowed in a restaurant as service animals. They had no registration cards as such, no training, the animals were pets. But the business owners were afraid of looking mean, or of being sued, and allowed these pets inside. With no registration, no one knows what, if any, shots or other preventive measures had been taken, and neither was housebroken. We are seeing an increase in pigs, small exotics, reptiles, and birds being termed service, companion, and therapy animals.

Personally, I see it as an affront to the well trained service, companion, and guide dogs that undergo months of training. Their people also undergo training, and are carefully matched. Not every dog makes it through training, actually few do. As for horses, they are fine as personal therapists and friends..I love mine!! But I would not consider taking them into a public place and passing them off as a necessity to my well-being and safety.
 
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Amy, Dolores Arste is one of my favorite trainers. I'm a clicker fanatic. And I believe Panda was trained by Alexandra Kurland who is the most amazing clicker trainer around. I read about her work with Panda. If every mini who was destined to be a guide mini was evaluated and trained by these two experienced, fantastic, trainers it would be a wonderful thing. I think though you'll also find a lot of resistance to clicker training (not from me) but that is an entirely different subject.
 
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Mountain Woman, I definitely understand. I met both of these wonderful ladies as a result of my passion for clicker training. That is also the reason for my LB handle: ClickMini.

To each their own, I am a live and let live sort. I would just hate to have Ann and Mona's very capable guides legislated out of existence. Everyone always seems to think they know the best for others. Oh well, I said my piece. I get tired of this same old song and dance. I just wanted to point out that these animals have been in service for quite a few years now, the proof is in the pudding as the saying goes. Nothing dire has happened. Nothing. These horses do have extensive training. And they are wonderful guides. I am not speaking from some theoretical viewpoint. I know the parties involved.
 
I read the article posted on page 3 about the woman with a guide horse. It was trained by a woman who had never trained a guide animal. Great.

Who..who thinks having a HORSE standing on a plane, unrestrained at the front, is a good idea should the plane hit rough weather or an air pocket?? I can only imagine several hundred pounds of hoof and horse flailing helplessly and in a panic. Not a good thing, and someone will get hurt. This is silly. Especially when you add in the existing problems with unregistered and unrecognized animals passing for service trained, just to get them on a plane, in a store, etc.

Not to be picky, but Muslims actually consider horses 'clean' to have in a home over a dog?? Seeing what my mares can do to a stall in 15 minutes, I beg to differ, but that's another issue completely.. This seems a lot more like the people who walk around Wal-Mart with a 9 foot python around their neck. It's for the attention, not really for their health issues. How many helper monkeys do you see?? They really don't work out. Seems like a sad life for a horse meant to live outdoors in the sunshine around other horses.

I am imagining a classroom..12 students, all with a helper horse. Parents insisting the schools provide feed, board, and a groom during class time..since they are herd animals, the horses all wander off to the playground together to graze..
 
I am with you all the way.

For those that this "works" for, I honestly see it as a situation that "works" until it doesn't. Horses are creatures of flight. I do not see how any amount of training can change WHAT an animal is. I think there ware some bad situations waiting to happen when it comes to the people who put faith into their horses serving as GUIDE animals
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OK, Devil's Advocate here....

I think we should stop using the "horses should be free to run" argument, when we all know that a great many horses, Racehorses, Show Horses, Horses owned by obsessive compulsive owners who do not wish to have them develop a "hay belly" etc are NEVER free to run and graze and be horses!

I have gone on record as saying I shall never have a dry lot- how many of you, playing the "horses should be free" card, have dry lots???

OK "DA" hat taken off now.....

Do I think horses should be Guide Animals?

No, of course not the idea is preposterous, and if there are two, in the whole world, who are good at it, well, good luck to them, there are THOUSANDS of Guide Dogs, trained by professional units (I have no idea how it is done anywhere else but here a Charity called Guide Dogs for the Blind, breeds, trains and owns every single dog, which are supplied free of charge, and a lot of training (for the human not the dog) is given before the animal is released. The dog always remains the property of the Association and there is a waiting list for "failed" puppies and retired dogs of vetted and impatient people. )

And , in the world, there are TWO "Guide Horses"?

I think it speaks for itself, really, but if they want to go on deluding themselves and wasting money, so long as that money is theirs, I have no huge problem with it.

By every now and again having threads like this we are giving them loads of free publicity, though, and you know what they say about publicity!
 
I didn't mean to imply that all horses need to run barefoot and free through the daisies to be happy. Far from it..like most domesticated animals, many are happiest when they have a 'job' to do, be it racing, driving, showing, or standing to be groomed. However, a life devoid of the outdoors, of other herd animals..of standing in my living room until I need something just cannot be 'right'.

Let's say, it's a right animal for the job, sort of a thing. My Lab Mindy would brace and stand, steady, and retrieve dropped items and the phone. She was great at these things, by nature. Probably 9/10 of training is building upon, and reinforcing behaviors that already exist in a particular animal. That's why there were a whole bunch of Lassies for the TV show. Some to run..some to wave a paw, some to crawl..no one dog did ALL the behaviors.

In choosing a companion for my son, I am looking for the right combination, and have yet to find it.

Where did the idea a mini horse (or any horse) has a 40 year work life come from? The same reasons a guide dog retires after 8 to 10 years would be true of a horse..age, feet, arthritis, health, teeth, hearing..

One more question, if anyone knows..the lady in the article, does she travel alone with her horse? Is she totally independent? Or does she have someone there to help with disposing of waste, feeding, problems, loading on and off planes, trains and buses..in other words, is there usually actually someone there as an assistant to the horse? I have a strong feeling there may be..unnecessary for a Guide Dog, or service animal with an ID as such.

Clicker training is a great idea, and works beautifully, by the way.
 

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