Miniature horses as assistance animals

[nogooddeed]

The ADA now recognizes miniature horses as assistance animals.  If trained and housebroken.  At first I thought it wouldn't work well, but now I think the sound of those little hooves clip clopping through the hall and a neigh now and then might be really interesting.

[NancysSummerSip]

Oct 7, 2013 13:47:30 GMT -5 nogooddeed said:

The ADA now recognizes miniature horses as assistance animals.  If trained and housebroken.  At first I thought it wouldn't work well, but now I think the sound of those little hooves clip clopping through the hall and a neigh now and then might be really interesting.

I was going to say, that would be a necessity. Otherwise, we're talking about a whole lot of newspaper and rug cleaning here.

[Virgil Showlion]

Is this a joke, or do they actually use miniature horses as assistance animals?

I've read about mini horses as pets, and the article came with a strong caveat that the horses can only hold in their waste for 4-5 hours max. I'm not sure how keen I'd be on an animal I'd have to de-poo 5 times a day.

[Deleted]

They have been consider assistance animals since I was a child, this is not new.

[Deleted]

Why use a mini horse as a blind guide?

There are many compelling reasons to use miniature horses as guide animals. Horses are natural guide animals and have been guiding humans for centuries. In nature, horses have been shown to possess a natural guide instinct. When another horse goes blind in a herd, a sighted horse accepts responsibility for the welfare of the blind horse and guides it with the herd. With humans, many blind people ride horses in equestrian competitions. Some blind people ride alone on trails for many miles, completely relying on the horse to guide them safely to their destination. Through history, Cavalry horses have been known to guide their injured rider to safety. The Guide Horse Foundation finds several characteristics of horses that make them suitable to guide the blind:


Long Lifespan - Miniature Horse can live to be more than 50 years old, with the average lifespan being 30-40 years. According to guide dog trainers, guide dogs have a useful life between 8-12 years.

Cost Effective - Training a guide dog can cost up to $60,000, according to the Guide Dog Users national advocacy group. According to Lighthouse International, there are more than 1.3 million legally blind people in the USA, yet only 7,000 guide animal users. Hence, a Guide Horse could be more cost-effective and ensure that more blind people receive a guide animal.

Better acceptance - Many guide dog users report problems getting access to public places because their dog is perceived as a pet. Most people do not associate a horse as a pet, and Guide Horse users report that they are immediately recognized as a working service animal.

Calm Nature - Trained horses are extremely calm in chaotic situations. Cavalry horses have proven that horses can remain calm even in the extreme heat of battle. Police horses are an excellent example of well trained horses that deal with stressful situations. Guide Horses undergo the same systematic desensitization training that is given to riot-control horses.

Great Memory - Horses possess phenomenal memories. A horse will naturally remember a dangerous situation decades after the occurrence.

Excellent Vision - Because horses have eyes on the sides of their heads, they have a very wide range of vision, with a range of nearly 350 degrees. Horses are the only guide animals capable of independent eye movement and they can track potential danger with each eye. Horses can see clearly in almost total darkness.

Focused Demeanor - Trained horses are very focused on their work and are not easily distracted. Horses are not addicted to human attention and normally do not get excited when petted or groomed.

Safety Conscious - Naturally safety oriented, horses are constantly on the lookout for danger. All horses have a natural propensity to guide their master along the safest most efficient route, and demonstrate excellent judgment in obstacle avoidance training.

High Stamina - Hearty and robust, a properly conditioned Guide Horse can easily travel many miles in a single outing.

Good Manners - Guide Horses are very clean and can be housebroken. Horses do not get fleas and only shed twice per year. Horses are not addicted to human affection and will stand quietly when on duty.

[bean29]

Covered by one of my favorite authors several years ago already:

www.catherineanderson.com/books/heretostay.html

[Virgil Showlion]

And if the horse goes blind, you can always get it its own seeing-eye pig.

[nogooddeed]

Looks like official ADA recognition in 2010. 

I know it's a serious topic and they provide a very valuable service, but I have to ask, do you say "giddy up horsey" when you want to go somewhere?

[dannylion]

There was a program on, I believe, the Discovery channel several years ago that profiled a lady who was training miniature horses as guide animals.  They had little custom-made sneakers to give them traction on slick floors and sidewalks.  Apparently, they make excellent guide animals, and they live longer than dogs.  It seems that horses actually can be housebroken; people just never bothered because they always live in barns.  The lady who was training the horses commented that sometimes when she would take one of them to a mall or other public place for training and acclimation, there were people who actually asked her what kid of dog it was. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Oct 7, 2013 15:06:39 GMT -5 nogooddeed said:

Looks like official ADA recognition in 2010. 

I know it's a serious topic and they provide a very valuable service, but I have to ask, do you say "giddy up horsey" when you want to go somewhere?

They'll have come up with a system of verbal and non-verbal commands to train the animals. My experience is that verbal commands are purposely esoteric, to avoid situations where a service animal may be confused by a third party uttering a known command.

There are apparently only ~7,000 blind people in the US who use service animals of any kind. And I'd bet that only a small fraction of those are mini horses.

The 7,000 figure blew me away. I'd have guessed you'd be able to find that many service animals in NYC alone.

[Virgil Showlion]

Oct 7, 2013 16:59:07 GMT -5 dannylion said:

There was a program on, I believe, the Discovery channel several years ago that profiled a lady who was training miniature horses as guide animals.  They had little custom-made sneakers to give them traction on slick floors and sidewalks.  Apparently, they make excellent guide animals, and they live longer than dogs.  It seems that horses actually can be housebroken; people just never bothered because they always live in barns.  The lady who was training the horses commented that sometimes when she would take one of them to a mall or other public place for training and acclimation, there were people who actually asked her what kid of dog it was. 

Seeing-eye dogs. Seeing-eye horses. Seeing-eye pigs. Even dozens of stories about seeing-eye cats.

But you know what you'll never see? A seeing-eye snow leopard.

Not. one.

Just goes to show you how stupid and useless they are.

[Deleted]

I have to take my cocker spaniel out at least 5 times a day.  Well, not me personally . . . she has a SAHP. 

She can pee twice in one walk.

I guess cocker spaniels would make awful service animals.  Actually, mine has made us the service humans.  She walks Mommy, not the other way around.

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2013 17:13:03 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Oct 7, 2013 16:59:07 GMT -5 dannylion said:

There was a program on, I believe, the Discovery channel several years ago that profiled a lady who was training miniature horses as guide animals.  They had little custom-made sneakers to give them traction on slick floors and sidewalks.  Apparently, they make excellent guide animals, and they live longer than dogs.  It seems that horses actually can be housebroken; people just never bothered because they always live in barns.  The lady who was training the horses commented that sometimes when she would take one of them to a mall or other public place for training and acclimation, there were people who actually asked her what kid of dog it was. 

Seeing-eye dogs. Seeing-eye horses. Seeing-eye pigs. Even dozens of stories about seeing-eye cats.

But you know what you'll never see? A seeing-eye snow leopard.

Not. one.

Just goes to show you how stupid and useless they are.

 It's just... sad.

 Your snow leopard obsession is comparable to Paul's "liberal" thing.

Oddly, the commonalities don't end there...

[dannylion]

I don't think there are any Steam Punk seeing-eye crow whatsits, either.  Or whatever that is. 

Just sayin'. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Your snow leopard obsession is comparable to Paul's "liberal" thing.

Pfft. I point out animals in a thread about animals and suddenly I'm "obsessed".

I don't think there are any Steam Punk seeing-eye crow whatsits, either. Or whatever that is.

You leave him out of this! Falcons are extremely useful birds. They can scout out an enemy troupe more than a fortnight's march away.

[dannylion]

You leave him out of this! Falcons are extremely useful birds. They can scout out an enemy troupe more than a fortnight's march away.

Satellite imagery, drones, ground-based sensing devices, and other marvels of the current millennium are equally proficient at locating the enemy and identifying his activities, and they don't make that annoying screeching sound.  Or poop on your shoulder. 

[Virgil Showlion]

Oct 7, 2013 18:16:45 GMT -5 dannylion said:

You leave him out of this! Falcons are extremely useful birds. They can scout out an enemy troupe more than a fortnight's march away.

Satellite imagery, drones, ground-based sensing devices, and other marvels of the current millennium are equally proficient at locating the enemy and identifying his activities, and they don't make that annoying screeching sound.  Or poop on your shoulder. 

...and they cost 80 million dollars each*.

*Operation, logistics, maintenance, and disposal costs not included. Rocket fuel and jet fuel sold separately.

[dannylion]

...and they cost 80 million dollars each

No screech, no poop, worth every penny. 

[Opti]

Falcons are extremely useful birds.

So what breed is the Virgil all-black Falcon?

[Virgil Showlion]

Oct 7, 2013 18:32:33 GMT -5 Opti said:

Falcons are extremely useful birds.

So what breed is the Virgil all-black Falcon?

Purebred "Uncia's Bane". Exceptionally intelligent and bred to withstand freezing temperatures and extremely high altitudes.

[Opti]

Do they come frozen as bird pops and you thaw them out when needed?

[Virgil Showlion]

Oct 7, 2013 18:46:56 GMT -5 Opti said:

Do they come frozen as bird pops and you thaw them out when needed?

They erupt triumphantly from mighty falcon eggs.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Can't we just invest this money into robots?

Actually, I'd kind of like something like Megabrain from Widget.

[Deleted]

My mini horse is a royal PIA.  LOL  I can't imagine him being an assistance animal.

Maybe exercise assistance as I'm running my ass off to catch him after he discovers yet another way to get out.

[skubikky]

Oct 9, 2013 10:36:38 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

My mini horse is a royal PIA.  LOL  I can't imagine him being an assistance animal.

Maybe exercise assistance as I'm running my ass off to catch him after he discovers yet another way to get out.

How the h$%l do you potty train a horse?
Most horse go every hour or two!

[Deleted]

Oct 9, 2013 14:25:08 GMT -5 skubikky said:

Oct 9, 2013 10:36:38 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

My mini horse is a royal PIA.  LOL  I can't imagine him being an assistance animal.

Maybe exercise assistance as I'm running my ass off to catch him after he discovers yet another way to get out.

How the h$%l do you potty train a horse?
Most horse go every hour or two!

The minis they take to the nursing homes around here are clicker trained, but they still make sure they get taken out every 4 hours max.  They'll click them to go when they first get there before they get out of the trailer and they're good for the few hours they're visiting the residents.

[skubikky]

cool....

[Deleted]

Dang, I wouldn't have the patience to take the animal out that often. I'm just relieved that my DD only poops once a day.