There are many non-governmental organizations or non-profit foundations in the world. These are responsible for solving or improving some aspect in the community where they work. Some have a regional scope, others national and even international. So they hold branches in various countries. Most of these foundations have a noble work to accomplish. In this case we will deal with the Guide Horse Foundation.
The mission of the Guide Horse Foundation is to provide a safe and reliable form of mobility for men with visual impairment.
The Guide Horse Foundation has the will and commitment to transfer guide horses to blind people for free. It should be noted that to continue developing this noble work, you have the donations you receive from the general population.
Taking into account that the breeding of these miniature horses entails a large expense. As well as the logistics expenses that the whole process entails. The goodness of its founder as well as of all the people who collaborate directly or indirectly with the Guide Horse Foundation do a noble work for these blind people.
As we already know the intelligence of the horses they make special candidates to be trained to exercise equine therapy activities. Likewise, they are also trained as guide animals, especially miniature horses, these are the ideals due to their size, which facilitates the mobility of people who choose to be beneficiaries of the Guide Horse Foundation program.
Origin of the Guide Horse Foundation
The Horse Guide Foundation was created in 1999 as a practical program with the purpose of accessing the skills of miniature foals as assistance animals. This initiative arises from the imperative need to have guide animals for blind people. In this sense, guide horses are an appropriate assistance animal for people with visual disabilities in the United States and in the world.
In the first steps that the foundation took, they realized that the Guide Horses have shown a great opportunity as a mobility alternative. Likewise, people with visual disabilities who have had the company of these guide horses confirm that they have a unique performance to protect them.
These beautiful and tender miniature horses that are trained as guide horses. They represent an opportunity for people with visual disabilities to develop autonomously. In this way the people who are beneficiaries of this program express gratitude and joy for having a miniature guide horse. Well, the behavior of these beautiful animals is excellent in various environments.
There is a special sector of the population of visually impaired people who opt for horses. Since they consider an advantage the fact that the horse has a longer life. On the other hand, people who are allergic to dogs or in some cases they are phobic.
Every day the popularity of these horses is growing, a sample of this in a survey carried out by the prestigious Discovery Channel. Throwing that 27% of the universe would opt for a guide horse if they needed a guide animal.
Training miniature horses for people with visual impairment
By 1999, visionaries Janet and Don Burleson completed a successful feasibility study with miniature horses. These assistance animals for people with visual impairment. So Janet is a retired professional horse instructor with more than 30 years of experience in horse training. I also achieved great success in this work.
Due to the success of this experience, requests for guide horses by people with visual disabilities began to rain. Because they had to go deeper and train miniature horses with the necessary skills to provide assistance and companionship to blind people. Well, he must keep the person safe at all times.
In principle, they started with the training of two guide horses. These trained them to guide blind people in public spaces
One of the organization’s most emblematic horses and models was a 14-year-old dwarf mare called Twinkie. This issue successfully guided blind people in various spaces. Also included are shopping centers and urban areas crowded with heavy traffic.
Then they followed with another batch of horses from the Guide Horse Foundation as it has a waiting list of people waiting to be benefited with a guide horse.
Miniature horses vary in size, so the Horse Guide Foundation is not feasible to raise them. So that the miniature horses that this organization trains are from donations of breeding farms and individuals
Miniature horses that are trained in the program must have very good physical health and intelligence. This favors that in the long run the assistance horse is a success.
Candidates to qualify to be a beneficiary of a guide horse
In general, the Guide Horse or Guide Horse Foundation has had a particular interest on the part of the following types of people:
- The ideal candidates are horse lovers. In other words, people with visual disabilities have grown up surrounded by horses, as these have a special advantage and include equine behavior and care.
- Among the people who have this limitation there are people allergic to the usual guide animals. This is how they find a hypoallergenic option in horses to facilitate mobility.
- There are also mature individuals and horses tend to live much longer than traditional guides. So it represents a great advantage from the emotional point of view for the beneficiary. As the pain of losing an assistance animal has devastating effects on a person’s self-esteem.
- People who have some type of physical disability are candidates to have a guide horse. One of the benefits of the miniature horse is its docile nature. Guide horses are more comfortable to operate for people with physical disabilities. It also has a special strength since they are competently strong enough to provide support to these people.
- One of the most common is dog phobia, there are people who, strangely enough, fear dogs. So it is a reason for them to lean for a miniature assistance horse.
- One of the advantages it represents for some people is to have an assistance animal. Likewise, that it can remain in an open environment when it is not fulfilling the functions of assistance animal.
The Guide Horse Foundation: a noble job
The Guide Horse Foundation has a noble job in continuing to train miniature horses. This in order to improve the quality of life of people with visual impairment. Without a doubt, the role that these horses play in the lives of these people is fundamental. Well, it guarantees a better quality of life, independence and autonomy to function on a daily basis.
Gustavo Mirabal supports all these initiatives where horses are related to human beings. Gustavo Mirabal ‘s intention is to make initiatives such as The Guide Horse Foundation to bring horses closer to people.
One more reason to continue loving, caring for and respecting animals. It is one of the most beautiful creations of the greatest designer of all time God.
Sources
http://guidehorse.org/
If you want to know more about Gustavo Mirabal or Equestrian Word, go to:
https://www.flickr.com/people/161015276@N06/