[nagdu] Guide horse the center of attention in woman's trip to visit Galway trainer

[Ginger Kutsch]

Her assistant, her guide, her horse

Guide horse the center of attention in woman's trip to visit Galway trainer

By Tim O'Brien

Published 10:58 p.m., Tuesday, June 26, 2012 

Source:
http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Her-assistant-her-guide-her-horse-36
65174.php

 

 

 

COLONIE - As Mona Ramouni travels with her guide animal, heads turn. 

 

People expect a Seeing Eye dog. But a horse?

 

Twenty-nine inches tall, Cali is a chestnut-brown miniature horse trained as
a guide animal. When she and Ramouni arrived on a flight from Detroit to
Albany International Airport on Tuesday, people whipped out their cellphone
and moved quickly to get a snapshot of the 7-year-old horse.

 

Ramouni, 32, lives in Williamston, Mich., but flew in for a reunion with
Dolores Arste of Galway, who trained Cali.

 

"People love Cali. It's like traveling with a rock star," Ramouni said. "She
is a people magnet."

 

Cali remained calm as news crews, including one filming for an Australian
television show, followed the animal through the airport.

 

"She did very well on the plane. She is very adaptable," Ramouni said. "She
will do anything I ask."

 

Arste had never trained a guide animal before Cali, but she owns a farm with
six regular-size horses and was used to training them. Three years ago, a
friend, Alexandra Kurland of Delmar, who had trained a miniature horse for
another blind person, recommended Arste when Ramouni asked Kurland to train
one for her. Kurland advised Arste on what she needed to do.

 

"I've trained a lot of big horses, but I'd never trained miniature horses,"
Arste said. She got Cali from Becky Montano, who owns the Broadalbin farm
where the horse was born, and said it took about nine months to train her to
be a service animal.

 

Miniature horses make good guide animals because they are well aware of
their surroundings, and they live much longer than dogs, Arste said.

 

"Miniature horses are herd animals like regular horses, so they have a
tremendous ability to be aware of space," she said.

 

They can remain in service for 40 years or more, while guide dogs last about
eight years before they need to be replaced.

 

Cali also has keener eyesight than a guide dog, is less easily distracted
and doesn't pull like a dog might, Ramouni said. The horse also can wait as
long as six hours before needing to relieve itself. When she is ready to go,
Ramouni said, Cali will get restless and a little bratty until she's let
out.

 

Ramouni is Muslim, and many in her faith do not consider dogs clean animals,
Arste explained.

 

"She was concerned her friends would be uncomfortable" if she got a guide
dog, Arste said. "She thought (a horse) would be more welcome."

 

Having the guide animal has made a huge difference in Ramouni's life.

 

"She's changed my whole world," she said. "She has made it possible for me
to do anything I want to do."

 

Ramouni said she used to live at home with her parents working a dead-end
job. Now she lives on a farm and is studying rehabilitation psychology at
the University of Michigan. She wants to start a foundation to help connect
people with guide horses. She has trained one miniature herself and is
working with two others. Unlike a dog, the horse cannot sit on a plane, so
Ramouni sits in the bulkhead seat and Cali stands in front of her. The
animal just views it like a bumpy road.

 

Arste said she trained Cali using humane methods, with a series of clicks
and food rewards. While she was training Cali, she made three trips to
Michigan.

 

"I shadowed Mona throughout her day so I got a sense of what she needed,"
Arste said. She brought the horse back home to prepare her for Ramouni's
specific needs.

 

Ramouni also spent time at Arste's farm before the final transfer. While the
two are in regular contact, Tuesday was the first time they reunited since
Cali became Ramouni's guide in 2009.

 

As with other guide animals, people often are drawn to the horse, but they
should only touch her if given permission.

 

"So far, everybody has been really positive," Arste said. "They always want
to pet her and say hello."

 

Ramouni, who is staying in town through Saturday, said she is thankful to
Arste for training Cali.

 

"I try to tell her how grateful I am," she said. "I am so lucky to have
Cali."