That just about says it all. This site discusses the use of miniature horses as alternative guide animals. The critters are touted as less excitable, less needful of (or distracted by) human attention, and longer-lived. Interesting.
(via Reenhead)
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I can see this. We has some folks bring a mini into the Michigan Renaissance Festival a few years back.
I watched them as they came down a hill in a large, randomly moving crowd, and the horse was unperturbed. This one was a pet, on a leash like a dog, but I can certainly see the use as a guide animal.
As the breeders keep working toward refining the mini horse, they have a lot of animals that are aesthetically below their goals, but appealing to the rest of the world. This seems like a good use.
(At least until they ‘improve’ the breed to temper of a thoroughbred… nervy nervy nervy…)
Stupidity. Plain Stupidity.
I raise guide dogs 😛
Kelai of the Anti-Guide Horse Association
Any particular reason for your evaluation/opposition?
Read this and you will understand that this is a SCAM!! T
http://www.guidehorseno.com
Unfortunately, half the links at the site are bitrotten. That said, I do agree that, in general, horses would seem to have some tempermental and physical limitations vs dogs. I’m not in a good position to make any final judgment, though, nor does the case seem a clear-cut “SCAM!!”
Having myself owned Mini’s…and having seen what they are like.. I personally think they would make and DO make great quide animals… Horses have the same abilities to guide a person as a dog does… I’ve actually seen horses take care of handicaped people in ways NO ONE would believe had they seen it themselves…. and one of which was a mini stallion…not the sweetest thing in the world unless he liked you, but when it came to keeping his handler safe, he knew it was HIS duty and he did it… even though his handler wasnt handicaped, but merely a very frightened child…
I say “GO Mini’s GO”
Stephanie