Through the Eyes of Another

Most people have probably seen at least one person with a guide dog. Whether it be on the street, in the mall, or maybe a restaurant. These animals are known as service animals. They are specially trained animals-not pets. Most service animals are dogs and are trained to perform functions that its owner is not capable of. This includes everything from leading a blind person around obstacles they may encounter, pulling a wheelchair, providing a stable body for balancing for those who have mobility impairments, or relieving emotional stress. Animals that are trained for service also know how to behave properly in public, pick up items that are asked of them, or even open doors. They are truly smart animals that are loving, compassionate, and helpful.
Unfortunately, a dog isn't for everyone. Some people are allergic or fearful of dogs, no matter how well they are trained. That's where miniature horses come in. Miniature horses are horses, not ponies, that stand no higher than 34 inches at their withers. They are ideal assistant animals for people. They are fairly low maintenance, very comparable to dogs. Many people also enjoy that these animals can live outside when they are not being used.
The Guide Horse Foundation was founded in 1999. The first guide horse was trained by a long time horse trainer, Janet Burleson, as an experimental project. Though not as common as a guide dog, miniature horses have many benefits and are becoming more popular over time. Horses are identified as a guide animal in public by wearing a jacket, just as dogs are. Though horses also have to wear a unique accessory, boots. They boots look just like tennis shoes and help horses with traction on laminate or slick flooring since malls aren't really designed for horse hooves.
A great advantage to using a mini over a dog is that they have an average lifespan of 30-40 years. People have noted that their lifespan makes using a mini more cost effective. An average guide dog costs about $60,000 to raise and train and can only be used for service for a maximum of 10 years. Some other benefits that have been noted are horses memory capacity and vision. Horses have a very good memory in comparison to dogs. Horses also have a wider range of vision than dogs do, which can be extremely helpful in leading a blind person in a busy area.
As you can see, dogs aren't the only animals capable of assisting humans. This can be seen not only in guide animals but also in therapy animals. Many animals, from birds to ferrets, have been used as therapy animals. Who knows, maybe someday someone will train a bird to give directions to the visually impaired.

Posted by: Christine McConville