Appropriately trained, housebroken miniature and pigmy horses (<38 inches from ground to withers) have proven to be safe and reliable guide animals for blind individuals since at least 1999. Federal law mandates admittance of on-duty miniature guide horses to all public facilities, including airline passenger cabins (where they stand quietly at a bulkhead). Miniature horses have a working life (often 30 years) and life span (usually 25–35 years) significantly longer than those of dogs (about 8 years working life and 12–16 years life span) – an advantage for individuals with difficulty overcoming the grief of losing animals. The annual cost of a miniature horse during its working years is probably significantly less than that of a guide dog. Furthermore, horses can assist people allergic to or afraid of dogs. They are also acceptable to devout Muslims, whose religion deems dogs unclean. Despite appreciable demand for guide horses, obtaining one is challenging due to a scarcity of sources and trainers.

Submitted by Alice (“Wendy”) T. Gasch, MD from the Cogan Ophthalmic History Society .