They Turn Miniature Horses Into Great "Guide Dogs"

They Turn Miniature Horses Into Great "Guide Dogs" LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules 25-1-44 Miniature horses make outstanding guide dogs" for blind people and have a number of advantages over canines, says the Guide Horse Foundation, Kittrell, North Carolina. Founders Don and Janet Burleson say they got the idea while riding rented horses in New York's Central Park. They noticed the horses had become used to auto and pedestrian traffic and could make their way through the park and surrounding urban area with hardly any rider direction. The horses even stopped for red lights and knew it was safe to proceed when the lights turned green. The Burlesons, who have raised and trained horses for years, reasoned that if full-sized horses could guide riders through difficult situations, mini horses might be able to do the same. With that in mind, they began training a miniature mare named Twinkie to see if the idea would work. "To our delight, Twinkie quickly learned to do everything a guide dog can do," Janet says. That was three years ago. With help from horse donors and trainers, the Burlesons' idea is slowly catching on. The first guide horse, a little mare named Cuddles, will be placed with Dan Shaw of Maine in May 2001. Several more horses are being trained. The training regimen takes more than a year. Guide horses are not for everyone. But they appear to have some advantages over dogs. Since the bond between owner and guide animal is important, longevity may be one of the biggest advantages. A guide dog may have a useful life of 10-15 years but a miniature horse might serve its owner for twice that long. Healthy horses have a life span of 30 to 35 years and some have made it to 50 years of age. Miniature horses can also carry small packs and pull small carts or even specially fitted wheel chairs. On the negative side, while horses can be house broken to some extent, they are not as reliable inside as a dog. Trainers strap on a "poop" bag when they go out among people. As for health, if they're fed and cared for properly, horses need no more veterinary care than dogs. And they don't get fleas. At 25 in. tall or so, and weighing 50 to 75 lbs., miniature horses are no larger than most guide dogs. The Burlesons point out that horses have been guiding humans and providing companionship for centuries. Miniature horses were kept as pets for children by some royal families in the 17th century. While horses may be skittish by nature, they note that they have been trained to remain calm, even in battle with cannon going off around them, so normal urban noises should be no problem. Horses have good memories, can be trained easily, and quickly get used to routines. They have a 350-degree range of vision. Some people say the only thing a horse can't see without turning its head is its own tail. The Guide Horse Foundation relies on volunteers to donate, train and deliver trained Guide Horses free-of-charge to visually impaired individuals. Right now, they have a waiting list of 20 people who would like a guide horse. If you know of someone who could benefit from a guide horse, or if you would like to donate a horse or help train a horse, contact the foundation. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Guide Horse Foundation, 2729 Rocky Ford Road, Kittrell, N.C. 27544 (ph 252 433-4755; E-mail: info@guidehorse.com; Web site: www.guidehorse.com).

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