Guide horse facts for kids
A guide horse is a special kind of miniature horse trained to help people who are blind or have very limited eyesight. They offer another way for people to get around safely, especially if they can't or don't want to use a guide dog.
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The Story of Guide Horses
The idea of a guide horse for a blind person is quite old. It even appeared in a 1943 film called The Blocked Trail, where a small horse guided a blind miner.
However, the real effort to train miniature horses as service animals for blind people started with Janet and Don Burleson. In 1998, while riding horses in New York City, they noticed how their horses seemed to know when it was safe to cross the street. Janet remembered seeing a blind rider in horse shows. The rider's horse guided her around obstacles. This made Janet wonder if a miniature horse could be trained to be a guide animal.
Janet had trained Arabian show horses for 30 years. She knew a lot about how horses act. She also had a pet miniature horse named "Twinkie" who often followed them like a dog. From these experiences, the Burlesons began to train miniature horses to help people see.
Twinkie was their first student. The Burlesons created a tough training program for these small horses. It was similar to how guide dogs are trained. They also added special training to help the horses get used to loud noises and busy places. There were some funny moments too! The first time they took a miniature horse to a grocery store, it grabbed a Snickers bar right off the shelf! Their goal was to train these horses to be fully capable guide animals.
First Guide Horse User
One of the first people to use a guide horse was Dan Shaw. When he was 17, he found out he had retinitis pigmentosa. This eye disease slowly makes vision worse. In 1998, he learned skills like reading Braille at a school for the blind. But he felt he had few choices. He didn't want to use a white cane. He also didn't want a guide dog because he had lost a beloved pet dog years before. He knew losing an animal he depended on would be even harder.
In 1999, the Burlesons started The Guide Horse Foundation. This group helps provide miniature horses as assistance animals to blind people, especially those living in the countryside.
Dan Shaw heard about the Burlesons' program. He was very interested when he learned that horses live for 30 to 40 years. So, he applied to be the first person in the world to use a guide horse. The Burlesons began training a horse named "Cuddles" for Dan. On March 6, 2002, Dan flew to Raleigh, North Carolina, and met Cuddles. After some practice, Janet Burleson sent Dan and Cuddles into a crowded store. The aisles were full of items, but they successfully found their way around. Dan knew some people might not believe horses could be service animals. But he felt getting his independence back was more important than any criticism.
Another person received her guide horse, "Panda," in 2003. In 2007, news reports said Panda was "protective, alert, and house-trained." She even loved to play fetch! Panda was about 29 inches tall and weighed 120 pounds.
Guide Horses in the UK
In the United Kingdom, a guide horse named "Digby" was introduced in 2018. Digby was said to be Britain's first guide horse. However, Digby grew quite a bit, reaching about 33 inches tall. This made him too tall for his handler's office. He also became a bit "awkward," sometimes knocking things off supermarket shelves.
Guide Horses as Service Animals
Official Rules
In the United States, the Department of Justice (DOJ) made an important decision on September 15, 2010. They clarified the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This rule stated that properly trained and suitably sized miniature guide horses can be recognized as official service animals.
What Makes Them Special?
Miniature horses can live for about 30 years. This is much longer than dogs, who usually live 8 to 16 years. For people who are allergic to dogs or are afraid of them, a horse can be a good choice.
However, there are differences. While a dog can live in many homes, a horse needs to live outdoors. They need a shelter and space to move around when they are not working.
It can also be tricky to take a miniature horse on public transportation like buses or taxis. Some people also worry that a horse's strong fight-or-flight instinct might make them less predictable than a guide dog.
The Guide Horse Foundation suggests that a house-trained guide horse can usually hold its bladder for six hours. But for travel, it's safer to plan for about four hours.
How Guide Horses Are Trained
Training a guide horse is a very strict process. It takes about eight months for each horse. The Burlesons created a training program that starts with basic lead work. This teaches the horse to walk at the speed the person wants and to go around common obstacles.
Next, the horse learns to understand 23 voice commands. Then, they are taught to move around both still and moving objects. After this, the horse learns to tell the person when there is a step or a ramp. Finally, the horse is housebroken. This is usually easy because horses naturally don't like to go to the bathroom indoors.
A very important part of their training is called Intelligent disobedience. This means the horse must be able to ignore any commands that would be unsafe for itself or the person it is guiding.
Are They a Good Fit?
- Horses usually live to be 25–35 years old. This is much longer than a dog's lifespan.
- Miniature horses chosen for this training weigh about 55 to 100 pounds (25 to 45 kg).
- Good eyesight is key for a guide animal. Horses generally have excellent vision. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads, giving them nearly 350-degree vision. They are very sensitive to movement and can often spot danger before their human trainers do. Horses also have great night vision and can see well in almost total darkness.
- Miniature horses are generally not good for helping people who are deaf or have hearing impaired. Most dog breeds have a natural "watchdog instinct" that is important for a hearing assistance animal. Horses do not have this instinct.
