hi Cindy (whittle hooves)... welcome to the forum. I am from PA. I am blind, and Holly Fisher from Fisher's Farrier Service in Illinois has begun to set up an organization called EquineEye.org -- in order to train miniature horses, particularly Falabellas, as guide horses for people who are blind. Not everyone wants a guide dog. By housebreaking and training mini horses for guide work more blind people can benefit from having a guide animal. Holly also signed the guestbook on Toyland Falabellas international website. Toyland falabellas is the largest breeder of Falabellas in the United States. The organization will cover the major expenses of guide horse ownership--purchasing, training, help setting up secure fencing and shelter, teaching the blind owner how to use and care for their guide horse. There is also a movie about a guide horse, a fictional movie--called Apple of my eye.
Apple of My Eye (2017) - IMDb
A tender story about a teenager who loses her sight after a riding accident and has to learn to cope with her new life. Not quite embracing any of the guide dogs offered to her, her life begins anew when the guide dog trainer decides to train an adorable miniature horse to be her companion animal. ---------- The horse used in the movie was a horse owned and trained by Toyland falabellas International. Here is part of a conversation I had with Holly Fisher:
I understand your reasoning about the proper order of things in regards to the organization.
My thoughts are to create the organization now, so we can get donations from businesses & Grant's. Then use those funds to pay for your mini horse.
If we form the organization later, then all expenses will need to be paid by you & I. Even if we found a size appropriate mini horse, it's still going to cost around $1,000 to purchase the horse. I would be willing to train your mini & provide all of his regular care (food, bedding, hoof trimming & veterinary) for free. However, it would be a tremendous financial relief if the money our organization generated could pay for the purchase of a quality Falabella, pay me for the hundreds of training hours the mini will require, the traveling expenses for the horse to train in public places, your travel expenses to come here periodically especially the week you get to take your mini home. The organization should be able to cover any extra costs needed to help you set up a shelter & a secure fence for your new partner to live with you.
I think that once training for your mini begins, the word will spread quickly & will generate a demand from people wanting their own guide horses. Those are just my thoughts & concerns. I asked the owne of Toylands Falabella's to be a board member in our organization. Hopefully she'll say yes. I have a good friend named Stephanie that agreed to be a board member. She is an author, has a master's degree in psychology & works at a college specializing in special need students.
Your minis are beautiful. I love that you do therapy work. How long have you been doing that?
. I am also in Georgia and am wanting to get into therapy. Did you send them to any special training? I cannot seem to find anything local 
