And now the REST of the story...

Since I am out of comission to do anything with TOEH (and still waiting for someone to fill in with me -- granted we don't have an indoor arena and we just got a few inches of snow!), I decided to post some horsey news.

While it's nothing new for people to think "guide horses" are a good idea - this is an interesting concept. A disabled woman petitioning to keep her "helper horse" in her apartment.

There are hundreds of non horsey people (or people who I like to say are "romantically involved" with horses, and may own a horse but really have no real sense in their brains) who seem to think that having a "guide horse" is cute, acceptable, and even practical (WTH?!). Those of us who have seen the dynamics of a horse laying down, getting up, defecating and urinating, the amount of forage that they need, and their nature in general understand that this is a terrible idea. I think the people who run the Guide Horse Foundation frankly should be ashamed of themselves for subjecting livestock to all of this.

There are a couple of specific reasons why having a helper or guide horse is nothing like having a guide or helper dog:

1) A guide dog is easily able to fold itself up and put itself under a table, chair, sit quietly by your side. The dynamics (and size!) of a miniature horse both laying down and rising to a standing position don't really favor laying under a table or chair. They don't have the ability to "crawl" or push themselves under a piece of furniture. They don't sit.

2) While the ability to teach a horse when to defecate and urinate seems to be popular among racehorses, etc - it is not easily trained and most horses do not exhibit this behaviour. A horse does not have the ability to "ask" to go out.

3) Horses are significantly less "portable" than dogs. While some backyard hicks (like our family!) have had horses in the back of their cars, it's not safe to say that they will easily be able to go up and down stairs into city buses, up into apartments, or through revolving doors. FORGET about escalators!

4) Specific to this story - an apartment is no spot for a horse, no matter how large or small. I can't even begin to imagine the sanitary nightmare that apartment would be once the horse has lived there for a week. Even IF it could be trained to defecate in ONE spot only, where is she going to put it? Even IF she could keep it there, imagine the bugs infesting her apartment from the bales of hay she would have to store - might be small but still eats!

5) The people who generally think that this is acceptable often are not horse people to begin with (otherwise, I doubt they would think it was that acceptable at all!), and so may not provide the care and husbandry that an equine requires - nevermind access to a farrier (in your apartment?! (another wth?!)) or equine veterinarian in the innards of the city.

6) The dynamics of affection with a horse are often very different than those of a dog. While a dog may eagerly snuggle up to you, lick your hand, and generally make you feel wanted, depending on the personality of a horse, you very seldom get that kind of 'pocket puppy' attitude that this woman seems to want.

"Cooper insists the 100-pound tobiano pinto can be house-trained and said it "just makes me so happy whenever I'm around him. I'm not lonely anymore.""

If it is loneliness that this woman is concerned about, I can name horses to fill 100 hands that don't want you to know how much they appreciate you!

It is interesting to see the quotes at the bottom of the article from the Guide Horse Foundation... it is slightly more plausible to imagine a horse as a blind person's guide - in a rural area, what I think this woman needs is a dog for companionship and an electric wheelchair!