[nfbwatlk] Blind student saves for three years to buy a guide HORSE because her strict Muslim parents consider dogs unclean, Daily Mail, November 14 2010

[Mike Freeman]

I can't say I greet this with unbridled enthusiasm!

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nightingale, Noel" <Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov>
To: <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 10:45 AM
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Blind student saves for three years to buy a guide HORSE 
because her strict Muslim parents consider dogs unclean, Daily Mail, 
November 14 2010


> Thought this article might be of interest to the list.
>
> Link:
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1329398/Blind-woman-buys-guide-HORSE-strict-Muslim-parents-consider-dogs-unclean.html#ixzz15FmZlVWq
>
> Text:
> Blind student saves for three years to buy a guide HORSE because her 
> strict Muslim parents consider dogs unclean
> By Daily Mail Reporter
> November 14, 2010
>
> The 28-year-old's strictly religious parents would not allow a dog in the 
> house, considering the animal unclean.
>
> But then Miss Ramouni stumbled across a website article about miniature 
> guide horses in April 2008.
>
> 'It was something that I never thought about for myself,' she said.
>
> Photo:  Leading the blind: Mona Ramouni has bought and trained a miniature 
> horse, Cali, to be her guide
>
> The psychology student used three years of savings from her job at a 
> Braille proofreading company to pay for a horse to be trained to act as 
> her guide.
>
> Photo:  Refreshment break: Miss Ramouni treats Cali to some water
>
> Since welcoming three-year-old guide horse Cali into her Dearborn, 
> Michigan, home last year, Miss Ramouni has seen her life turned around.
>
> Cali measures about 2ft 6in tall and has been taught to stand still 
> indoors. She also helps Miss Ramouni get out of vehicles and move through 
> crowds.
>
> Her proud mistress said: 'She is an awesome little horse. What I really 
> want is to be able to take her places neither of us would have been able 
> to go without each other.
>
> 'Before Cali, I had given up. I got to the point where I thought, 'I'm 
> going to get nothing out of my life'. Cali has given me the confidence 
> back I used to have as a kid.'
>
> Born three months premature, Miss Ramouni lost her sight shortly after 
> birth.
>
> Among the challenges she had to overcome in order for Cali to stay at her 
> home were getting a permit to place a large shed in her family's garden 
> and to find a farrier to look after the horse's hooves.
>
> Her friends warned her it would be a difficult thing to do.
>
> But Miss Ramouni said: 'The more everybody told me "No, don't do it," the 
> more I wanted to do it,' she said. 'I got to a point in my life where I 
> thought... "Why should I settle for something less than I can have?"
>
> 'There have been so many obstacles. People said 'You'll never find a vet. 
> You'll never find a farrier." I found them all.'
>
> She added: 'More than even the independence, I found that Cali showed me 
> that there are possibilities.'
>
> Photo:  Horses for courses: Miss Ramouni and Cali attend a seminar at 
> Michigan State University
>
> Photo:  Cali helps his proud mistress cross the road. Miss Ramouni spent 
> three years saving to buy the 2ft 6in tall horse
>
>
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