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

[Margo and Arrow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 6:51 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Guide horse the center of attention in woman's trip to 
visit Galway trainer


> 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."
>
>
>
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