Guide horses live longer

An organisation in the US is claiming that the shortage of guide animals for the blind can be solved by using miniature horses.

The Guide Horse Foundation was set up seven years ago as an experimental trial to test the efficacy of using tiny horses as an alternative to dogs. Initial results have been promising.

The target users of guide horses are those blind people who are frightened of, or allergic to, dogs or disabled people who find handling dogs too demanding.

The GHF also claims horses have many advantages over their canine rivals. The average lifespan of a mini-horse is between 30 and 40 years compared with eight to 12 years for a dog. This makes training the animals much more cost effective over their life as a guide. Horses also have a calm nature, are strong, deal with chaotic situations easily and are good at remembering hazards.