Mini Guide Horses

[Mona]

there IS a market out there and this is just one of them~! :bgrin

Yes, and THAT is where I have a BIG problem with the use of minis as Guide Animals. Selling minis for "guide horses" should NOT be just another means of "marketing" your horses. This will cause many people to enter into it too lightly, thinking how great it would be, or how cute it would be, while those selling the horses...marketing the horses specifially for this purpose, will stand back, hold out their hand for the $$$ and :cheeky-smiley-006: all the way to the bank. They got their money, and that is all that matters! Publicity sells! Unfortunately, there will be hurt people, and hurt minis in doing so.

As for Panda and Anne, well maybe this case is special and will work....of all that I have read about over the years, this does sound to be the most advanced, most well trained, BUT, as I say, I am DEAD AGAINST people selling these horses as just another means of marketing their horses! :ugh:

 

[rabbitsfizz]

We all know the can of worms keeping horses in a house is going to open.

I really do believe that sort of deliberately provocative nonsense is best left out of a serious discussion.

The facts remain. ONE horse successful at a job it was never cut out to do does not equal success of any real kind.

I have NO doubt that a pig could be trained to do the task, none whatsoever.

I am pretty sure a chimpanzee could also be trained to do it.

But dogs are actually cut out to do it- they love helping and being with people and the success rate of the Guide Dog programme (I am not sure about the states but here they breed all their own animals) is extraordinary.

Why on EARTH would you wan to attempt to train another sort of animal???

We already have an animal that can do the job- horses quite obviously cannot do it better and have so many drawbacks I just do not understand why they were ever even considered.

I am afraid I too do not buy into clicker training- although in experienced hands it can get really good results it is too often pushed forward as a "cure all" and I am pretty sure Amy will agree there is no such thing.

Worst case scenario it is brain washing- there I have said it.

I have had to deal with too many thoroughly confused dogs whose owners have approached them with a book and a clicker- then come to us when the dog is over a year old.

At least with conventional methods they bring the pup in at ten weeks!!

OK I am Off Topic, sorry for that.

Amy I am NOT attacking you, nor am I attacking Anne and Panda- it is great that it works for her.

It is NOT the way I want to see Minis going, they are herd animals, not domestic pets.

They are supposed to live in groups in fields, not houses to feed peoples fantasies.

OK, Mrs Grouchy this morning, I know, sorry, I just woke up like this!!!

 

[Little Wee Horse Farm]

:

I deleted what I originally wrote here. This kind of says it all anyway.

 

[shminifancier]

Ya dogs have been used for years , But what if minis had been used before that? Then we wouldn't be talking like this, as the horse would be the number one choice.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Come on now folks lets get serious.. first off yes there is always the fear of retaliation by the "group" which they have proven they will take.

Might it work in some situations yes a few limited ones- however is this a new find for guide animals no it is a new marketing idea period.

A horse in a school classroom laying under a desk for a blind child not feasible, a horse laying down on a airplaine (or standing there) not feasible , a horse in a cab again not feasible, a bus not feasible or safe for others

Might it work for those experienced horse people who have lost there sight, on there farm in the country... I do believe that yes it might , is it a be all end all safe situation for horses in the middle of cities, on public transportation, no not for the handler, the public or the horse

Many will of course push there thinking on this NOT ALL but MANY of those have there own agendas which include making money and or "fame" of some sort in there own mind... read here I said NOT ALL but MANY

 

[Marty]

My remarks on this subject are not meant to hurt anyone on this forum. They are to disagree with the "PRO" people with respect.

Some of you people that are for this idea, seem to forget something:

What about the people that are not horse savvy? You know what I mean. You see it here daily on the Front Porch, where newbies get the minis and get in all sorts of troubles with them because they expected doggy behavior and don't have a clue how to handle a horse, any horse. They freak at the least little thing that some of us know how to ignore and/or handle. So about 30 people try to talk them through it and eventually they get it.

The horse can be trained all he wants to be and the blind person can be "trained" to work him too. Regardless, all people do not have "the gift" of horsemanship that comes naturally to some. There are some that have had to work at it to learn it and muddle through somehow. You do not learn how a horse's mind works over night, or in a week, or in a month, or in a year. And to do this successfully, you have to know and understand the horse. Heck, I've got one out here for over 20 years and I"m still trying to figure him out!

You cannot teach a person horsemanship over night. And a blind person at that. There is no crash couse. And by the way, a blind person would not be able to SEE a horse's body language to be able to read him like the rest of us could.

Come on shminifancier, I know that you know better than this. You want to write a book on how to housebreak a horse? Well GOOD cause when my new version of HAPPY HORSEKEEPING WITH DIRTY HOLLY hits the market this spring, it's going to blow your theory of keeping a horse in the house, right out of the water. What are you thinking trying to encourage anyone to take a little pony out of his natural born right to live as God intended and expect him to live in a bubble?

Still a big friend and fan of Amy's and always will be. Just going to disagree with her on this one with GREAT RESPECT.

 

[shminifancier]

What about the people that are not horse savvy? You know what I mean.

Ok lets get real~. Training a mini for seeing eye is NOT going to be for Everybody and Is Not Was not Intended to be. But if some horse person that MIGHT want to TRY this idea, there is a option. No this in NO WAY will be the norm. This in no way is meant for anybody and everybody that wants a "seeing eye animal" ~!

Gesh it is just a few and I mean a very few people that Just Might want to do this with a mini, and That Is ALL that this program is for. It will never replace, NOR was EVER said to replace the seeing eye dog at all,, in no way, no how. But why, oh why, can't there be a hand full of minis doing this??

And Besides 99.99% would NEVER be interested in a mini to do this in this first place.~! But that less then 1% should be able to do this, and with the Wide Open Arms from the Miniature Horse World~!

 

[angel_cowgirl]

These comments have NOTHING to do with the guide issue, but a sub-issue.

And by the way, a blind person would not be able to SEE a horse's body language to be able to read him like the rest of us could.

Being a blind person, I'm a little offended by this. There may be things I can't see, but that doesn't have anything to do with reading someone or animals moods. My gelding is my best friend because we "read" each other so well and he knew when to act goofy, when to give me a hug, when I was frustrated with him, when I was proud of him, etc.

I know you didn't intentionally mean anything by it (and please know I have a lot of respect for you), but to me it almost sounds as if a blind person couldn't take care of an animal as well as "the rest of you". And no in this instance i'm not referring to a guide animal, I'm saying in general. I do totally agree some people are not cut out to be horse owners, but the ones who are who have extra challenges just pay closer attention and/or find alternative ways to do things.

 

[Manda]

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[Marty]

Being a blind person, I'm a little offended by this.

Very sorry Angel Cowgirl, most certainly did not mean to disrespect anyone that is blind.

I had my own mother in mind when I said that.

She was

1. Totally and completely blind

2. Not a horse person