Steinbring Inc.

This is very interesting. The Guide Horse Foundation provides “a safe, cost-effective and reliable mobility alternative for visually impaired people.” Supposedly, a really small horse is cheaper to train and lives longer than a dog.

There are many compelling reasons to use miniature horses as guide animals. Horses are natural guide animals and have been guiding humans for centuries. In nature, horses have been shown to possess a natural guide instinct. When another horse goes blind in a herd, a sighted horse accepts responsibility for the welfare of the blind horse and guides it with the herd. With humans, many blind people ride horses in equestrian competitions. Some blind people ride alone on trails for many miles, completely relying on the horse to guide them safely to their destination.

Link [ Via RGS ]