[nagdu] At your service: The next assistance animal you see could be a house-trained horse

[Ginger Kutsch]

At your service: The next assistance animal you see could be a
house-trained horse 
Journal of the San Juans
By JANE FOX
Journal of the San Juans Reporter 
Sep 14 2010, 11:53 AM 
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/jsj/lifestyle/102885534.html
 

San Juan Island is now host to the next generation of assistance
animal. And she is only 24 inches high.
 

You might not think a miniature horse would be a prime candidate
for such service. However, local artist Jaime Ellsworth, an
assistance-animal trainer, is one of few in the nation proving
that supposition wrong. 
 

"Pearl has been in training for a month, learning everything I
offer her almost on the first try. She is extremely intelligent,"
Ellsworth says. 
 

By the time training is completed in two years, Pearl will be
able to operate effectively as a guide for seeing- or
hearing-impaired people. Whether it be turning on the light
switch, alerting the owner if the door bell rings or fetching the
telephone, Pearl will be trained in a full range of service
tasks. 
 

Ellsworth and Pearl are breaking new ground in the area of horse
as helper. The service animal jacket Pearl wears has been
traditionally reserved for guide dogs. Dogs have always been
thought of as loyal, intelligent, responsive and devoted. Horses,
on the other hand, have nuances of exclusivity. Almost anyone can
have a dog. Horses require a different level of finance and
skill. 
 

Not so with service horses, Ellsworth says.
 

In fact, service horses overtake service dogs in several
categories. For one thing, a miniature horse will live for about
30 or 40 years, whereas a dog sometimes lives no longer than 10
years. This longevity of life can be a real asset to someone
dependent on the animal. 
 

"The loss of a service animal can be devastating ... (with a
horse) a person doesn't go through that loss every 10 years or
so. The longer you have an animal with you, the more you will
bond and the more the animal will learn."
 

Another element is the horse's loyalty and ability to bond.
Fidelity has long been associated with the dog, but the horse is
equally capable of sticking to their owner. In fact, Ellsworth
says, being a horse, not a dog, actually helps in this respect. 
 

"A horse is an excellent candidate for guide animal because they
don't follow scents or other dogs. The horse focuses on the
handler." 
 

Pearl is also as affectionate as a dog, if not quite as
exuberant. She may not chase balls and roll over your feet, but
Ellsworth says the horse "loves to snuggle," and will quite
happily stand peacefully with her nose in the crook of
Ellsworth's arm. "Horses bond very close, she is very calm." 
 

Additionally, everywhere the dog can go, Pearl can go too.
Ellsworth has a collection of dogs, some indeed being trained for
service, and Pearl will curl up with them on the rug, and ride
with them in the car. "She loves to go in the car, she runs with
the dogs to the car and stands with her head between the seats."
 

Aside from other beneficial behavioral traits, the horse is also
cheaper to feed than a dog. "It costs about a quarter a day to
feed, and she keeps your lawn mowed. Also, their manure can be
composted." (Incidentally, Pearl is house-trained.)
 

The list goes on. It is perhaps surprising, then, that at this
point in time Ellsworth estimates there are only around 150 guide
horses working in the USA. Most, moreover, are on the East Coast.
In fact, it was after reading about a horse in Massachusetts,
Panda, that got Ellsworth interested in the idea. 
 

"I just don't think many people know about them," Ellsworth says.

 

After Pearl's training is complete, Ellsworth will evaluate what
kind of person Pearl could best help. Then, with the help of
other assistant animal organizations, she will place her in a new
home. "It could be anywhere in the country and we will do an
initial minimum month training and then have ongoing contact with
them."
 

Until that point, Pearl will continue to learn, snuggle, and ride
in the car.
 

For more information on miniature horses as service animals,
contact Ellsworth by e-mail, ellsworthart at hotmail.com
 

Journal of the San Juans Reporter Jane Fox can be reached at
jfox at sanjuanjournal.com or 360-378-5696.