© 2005 All Rights Reserved. Do not distribute or repurpose this work without written permission from the copyright holder(s).
Printed from https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/
By using selective breeding programs over many generations, horse breeds have been produced which are little more than a couple dozen inches tall. These horses are called miniature horses, and they range anywhere from nineteen to thirty-eight inches in height. They are not a new invention; as early as the seventeenth century, miniature horses were bred as pets for the European nobility. And in the last few centuries, they were also used as pit ponies in English mines to carry loads of coal. But in recent history they have been put to use in another pursuit altogether: as guide animals for blind individuals.
Dogs have been used for this purpose for several generations. The first training schools for guide dogs were established in Germany during the First World War, to enhance the mobility of veterans who were blinded in combat. And the United States’ The Seeing Eye organization began training guide dogs way back in 1929. It wasn’t until 1998 that somebody got the idea to train miniature horses for the same purpose, but it turns out there are a few surprising advantages to using a minihorse as an alternative to a dog.
Perhaps the most compelling advantage is the animals’ lifespans. Most of the dogs which are trained as guide dogs are large breeds—usually German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, or Labradors—which have typical lifespans of 8-12 years. Considering that a dog is in its second year by the time it is ready to be used as a guide, a seeing-eye dog can only offer about 6-8 years of service. Not only is it emotionally difficult for one’s constant companion to die of old age, but if a blind person gets a new guide dog, he or she must repeat the training process each time. While a miniature guide horse requires roughly the same amount of time to train, it has a typical life expectancy of 30-40 years.
Guide horses also offer a viable alternative when a blind individual has an allergy to dogs, or a dog-related phobia. And unlike domestic dogs, minihorses are not addicted to human attention, so they are content with little affection from their owners. They are also able to live outdoors comfortably in almost any weather conditions.
Miniature horses, like their full-sized relatives, have a few advantages in vision as well. They have a field of vision which is 350 degrees wide, and eyes which are highly sensitive to motion. They also have excellent night vision, which allows them to see in almost total darkness. Because of these advantages, often a miniature horse in training will detect a potential hazard before their sighted trainers do.
A guide horse uses a harness similar to that of a guide dog, and is outfitted with special horse sneakers to help them keep traction on a variety of surfaces. They typically weight 55-100 pounds, and they are trained to be fully housebroken. Just like guide dogs, US law dictates they be permitted in businesses, cabs, buses, airplanes, and pretty much anywhere that a blind person is able to go. This right is protected in the U.S. by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
These miniature guide horses probably won’t be the best solution for most blind individuals, but it never hurts to have some alternatives.
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Printed from https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/
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I wonder how much they cost.
Hehe, they’re pretty cute even when they’re full-grown. I bet they’d ge t a lot more unwanted attention than dogs…
Secret Ninja said: “I wonder how much they cost.”
If you click on the links provided you will see that the costs to train are around $60K but the guide horses are given free to use to the blind applicant. There are conditions that have to be met in order to qualify on getting a horse though.
The lifespan of the horse is a good point. You would be on your 4th dog vs a horse. Nice article.
I have been to guide dog training facilities before – guide animal training is really quite an amazing task to watch in action. Guide dogs even have graduation services when they are finished and given over to their new owner.
This is a great idea. The only downside I can think of is “house-trained.” To my knowledge, a horse just goes whenever and they cannot be trained otherwise. Of course, I did not dig deeper into the other articles but I think there may be a poopie found in the grocery store or in the isle of the jet.
JustAnotherName said: “This is a great idea. The only downside I can think of is “house-trained.” To my knowledge, a horse just goes whenever and they cannot be trained otherwise. Of course, I did not dig deeper into the other articles but I think there may be a poopie found in the grocery store or in the isle of the jet.”
The article said: “…and they are trained to be fully housebroken.”
Can’t believe I missed that. So sorry.
My mother-in-law used to breed and train miniature horses. They have very well-behaved temperments and can be trained just like a dog.
phazeshifter said: “My mother-in-law used to breed and train miniature horses. They have very well-behaved temperments and can be trained just like a dog.”
Now I want one!!
I have heard that guide dogs are not actuely used right up untill the time the dog dies wich means the don’t offer 6-8 years life span but are actuely use only for abou 5-6 years
I want a chariot pulled by a dozen of these things. That would rock!
I ran into the Panda Project ( http://www.crisny.org/users/kurlanda/pandaproject.html ) several years ago, before Panda was actually finished with her training. I found it fascinating, and have been somewhat hooked on the idea ever since – to the point of having donated to the training of some of the horses. The horses offer some interesting differences from dogs, largely stemming from being herd-oriented herbivores as opposed to pack-oriented carnivores. One is that the miniature horses seem to have a natural instinct for navigating crowds that the dogs simply don’t. Another is the relatively low requirement for affection from any one individual (no mugging for the crowds).
Obviously they’re not for everyone, you have to have a sizeable yard and the ability to house two miniature horses (each is given with a companion horse), but having more options for people with severe vision problems seems all to the good to me.
And yes, guide dogs are retired whenever their physical condition drops below what is needed for their job, which can be in as little as 3 or 4 years if the owner is physically very active, or as long as 9 (the longest I personally know of) for a very healthy dog with a relatively sedentary owner.
Very cute animals, glad to see there are more than just dogs out there… seeing eye mini-chichuas!… oops, I didn’t see you standing there….. :'(
Nice article.
Aww, they’re so cute! I want one!
Horses are ridiculously smart and I’m sure they could be house broken. So are pigs. How come no one has a guide pig?
It is very interesting to Know that people are starting to use Minnies as a giude for the blind. Is it true that horses in general are natural guides for the blind in any casse, or do they need to be trained to be a guide?
Good luck getting them to guide you through the throng of squealing girls though… otherwise, awesome idea, and they are very cute.
“I want a pony!!!”. I guess children will be poking their eyes this christmas…
JustAnotherName said: “Now I want one!!”
Dementia said: “Aww, they’re so cute! I want one!”
me09 said: “”I want a pony!!!”. I guess children will be poking their eyes this christmas…”
Me too, LOL
I just can’t believe how long it took me to find this website. Almost anytime I want to comment it’s been several months, if not over a years since the most recent! (I just kept hitting previous article till i found the beginning, then started reading) Oh well, glad I’ve found it now!
Back on topic…I’ve just made my boyfriend promise that if I ever go blind, he’ll help make sure I end up with one of these!
Man, that sounds cool.
Too bad I’m not blind…
Damn Interesting! If I go blind I’d definitely want a pair– dogs annoy me to no end. Anyone know what the “requirements” are to qualify for a horse rather than a dog?
Someone suggested guide pigs… while pigs are rather smarter than dogs, their eyesight is much worse.
i think the ponies would be better. my boyfriend and i can’t help but notice how “depressed-looking” seeing eye dogs seem. if the ponies aren’t attention-craving animals, it would seem more humane to let them do the work instead
…well, um, if the creatures live to be around sixty years old, you’d think you could housetrain them.
I’ve heard the guide horse story before and it always seemed a little too good to be true. If guide horses are so cool, then why aren’t more people using them? I decided to look it up and here’s a website that discusses some of the downsides:
http://www.guidehorseno.com/
There are lots of disadvantages to guide horses. One big problem is a horse’s natural instinct is to flee when threatened. Dogs don’t spook like horses do. Overcoming this spook reflex with training is difficult and not assured. In an emergency, the animal is supposed to bring the blind person safety, not the other way around.
Horses are plenty smart but dogs are smarter. Horses have a difficult time with “intelligent disobedience”. Imagine the owner saying “Come on Trigger, let’s cross the road now.” A horse will obey while a dog is smart enough to disobey if a car is coming.
I still think the miniature horses are cool looking. If I were blind I’d want a seeing eye dog and maybe a horse too.
Cool!!! I can make Alan say things! *Moves one step closer to world domination*
A miniature horse as a service animal can be of service for more than the blind. If you have a balance problem and tend to fall the miniature horse will support your weight. Horses can be desensitized to where they will not bolt and run away.