Comments on: Miniature Guide Horses for the Blind https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/ Fascinating true stories from science, history, and psychology since 2005 Wed, 18 May 2022 19:59:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 By: Dick el https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-74437 Wed, 18 May 2022 19:59:41 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-74437 A miniature horse as a service animal can be of service for more than the blind. If you have a balance problem and tend to fall the miniature horse will support your weight. Horses can be desensitized to where they will not bolt and run away.

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By: allduerespect88 https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-23157 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:28:33 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-23157 Cool!!! I can make Alan say things! *Moves one step closer to world domination*

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By: allduerespect88 https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-23156 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:27:39 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-23156 [quote]Alan Bellows said: “Allduerespect88 is awesome…”[/quote]

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By: Farmer Gary https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-23043 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:28:25 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-23043 I’ve heard the guide horse story before and it always seemed a little too good to be true. If guide horses are so cool, then why aren’t more people using them? I decided to look it up and here’s a website that discusses some of the downsides:
http://www.guidehorseno.com/

There are lots of disadvantages to guide horses. One big problem is a horse’s natural instinct is to flee when threatened. Dogs don’t spook like horses do. Overcoming this spook reflex with training is difficult and not assured. In an emergency, the animal is supposed to bring the blind person safety, not the other way around.

Horses are plenty smart but dogs are smarter. Horses have a difficult time with “intelligent disobedience”. Imagine the owner saying “Come on Trigger, let’s cross the road now.” A horse will obey while a dog is smart enough to disobey if a car is coming.

I still think the miniature horses are cool looking. If I were blind I’d want a seeing eye dog and maybe a horse too.

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By: guidette https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-20764 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:30:59 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-20764 [quote]Alan Bellows said: “”[/quote]
…well, um, if the creatures live to be around sixty years old, you’d think you could housetrain them.

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By: catra7000 https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-20738 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:02:47 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-20738 i think the ponies would be better. my boyfriend and i can’t help but notice how “depressed-looking” seeing eye dogs seem. if the ponies aren’t attention-craving animals, it would seem more humane to let them do the work instead

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By: dacoobob https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-18540 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:10:22 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-18540 Damn Interesting! If I go blind I’d definitely want a pair– dogs annoy me to no end. Anyone know what the “requirements” are to qualify for a horse rather than a dog?

Someone suggested guide pigs… while pigs are rather smarter than dogs, their eyesight is much worse.

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By: Emmy https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-17447 Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:01:32 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-17447 Man, that sounds cool.

Too bad I’m not blind…

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By: CountriKitten https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-14187 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 22:39:02 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-14187 I just can’t believe how long it took me to find this website. Almost anytime I want to comment it’s been several months, if not over a years since the most recent! (I just kept hitting previous article till i found the beginning, then started reading) Oh well, glad I’ve found it now!

Back on topic…I’ve just made my boyfriend promise that if I ever go blind, he’ll help make sure I end up with one of these!

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By: Tink https://www.damninteresting.com/curio/miniature-guide-horses-for-the-blind/#comment-10131 Mon, 13 Nov 2006 04:17:49 +0000 https://www.damninteresting.com/?p=261#comment-10131 JustAnotherName said: “Now I want one!!”

Dementia said: “Aww, they’re so cute! I want one!”

me09 said: “”I want a pony!!!”. I guess children will be poking their eyes this christmas…”

Me too, LOL

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