According to a specific provision made by the Americans with Disabilities Act, miniature horses are the only species to be accommodated as service animals along with dogs. Like their canine counterparts, miniature horses should also be trained to carry specific tasks to assist their human with a disability.
For a miniature horse to be accommodated and recognized as a service animal, it must meet four factors or criteria made by the Justice Department: Miniature horses must be housebroken, under the control of the handler, can be accommodated by a facility based on its size, weight, and type, and must not compromise the safety of operations in a facility it enters.
But what exact traits do these equine animals possess that make them on par with canines when it comes to being service animals? Here are five of them.
1. Trainable with high emotional intelligence
Although horses are not as quick in learning skills as dogs, they possess strong intuition and emotional intelligence that dogs can find hard to beat. This means miniature horses make good psychiatric service animals because they can detect and respond quickly to handlers suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, and bipolar disorder.
2. Conscious of safety
Miniature horses are highly alert and are always looking out for dangerous scenarios. They have preserved this trait from their larger ancestors that were bred for transportation. As a result, they have excellent judgment when avoiding obstacles and finding the safest route as they guide their handlers to a destination.
3. Wide and excellent vision
Horses have a unique eye placement that gives them almost a 350° vision. They see well in the dark and can move their eyes independently. Along with reason #2, miniature horses make one the best guide animals for the blind along with dogs. Plus, a fully matured miniature horse is strong and can support the weight of a person with vision problems in case they stumble.
4. Longer lifespan
A service dog can only serve its owner for an average of 8 to 12 years. Miniature horses have an average lifespan of 30 to 40 years. Some even live for more than 50. This makes miniature horses the service animal species with the longest years of servitude. If only dogs can also live as long as them.
5. Better public acceptance
Service dogs are commonly perceived as pets rather than service animals. It’s the main reason why they face resistance in accessing public spaces even with them wearing identification vests and collars. On the other hand, handlers with miniature horses don’t face this problem often because tiny equine companions are easily recognized as service animals.
Miniature horses are as large as medium-sized dogs. They can fit anywhere, even in the passenger cabins of public transportation. They also get fleas rarely and shed twice a year — perfect for handlers that are allergic to dander. Thinking of getting yourself or someone a service animal? Consider the miniature horse.
Do you own an assistance animal? Register your pet today.
The Service Animal Registry of California invites you to have your assistance animal registered in order to designate its status. We also encourage you to take our online classes so you can be fully aware of your rights and gain more knowledge about your support animal.
Finally, we present to you our book entitled, “ASSISTANCE ANIMAL LAWS: LEARN YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING SERVICE ANIMALS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS, THERAPY PETS, AND OTHER DOGS, CATS, AND ASSISTANCE ANIMALS” to provide you with a complete education on assistance animals. Purchase your copy of the book by clicking the image below. 