One of the chapters in my book Injustice is called “Through the Looking Glass.” It describes a DOJ gone mad where people who lose cases are given cash awards and lunacy as government policy becomes the norm. Now the same Civil Rights Division is mandating through regulations the use of guide-horses for the blind (as opposed to seeing eye dogs.) The logic from DOJ:
“Miniature horses were suggested by some commenters as viable alternatives to dogs for individuals with allergies, or for those whose religious beliefs preclude the use of dogs,” the rules state. Also mentioned as a reason to include the animals is the longer life span of miniature horses – providing approximately 25 years of service as opposed to seven years for dogs.
“Some individuals with disabilities have traveled by train and have flown commercially with their miniature horses,” the Justice Department notes.
“Similar to dogs, miniature horses can be trained through behavioral reinforcement to be ‘housebroken,’” it adds.
A few years ago, this might have seemed an elaborate spoof. But it instead shows what happens when you hire radicals into the Disability Rights Section at the DOJ, hires we covered here in the Every Single One series. These radicals are the ones writing these absurdist new regulations to micromanage American lives and businesses. Not a one of them appears to have a career history in the private for-profit sector. Which explains why we can expect horses in your local McDonalds or Target shortly.
(Cross-posted at my PJ Media column.)
A horse is a horse, of course, of course,
And no one can talk to a horse of course
That is, of course, unless the horse is [a DOJ-certified service animal]
source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/
The first thing you learn when working with horses, horses are NOT dogs. They are not courageous, in fact they run from things that scare them. Am I alone thinking it’s insane to hook a blind or disabled person to a being whose survival instincts are primarily flight and flight faster? Horses are used effectively in therapy under controlled circumstances, I cannot imagine them in this role.
Potty training – yet another issue – one mistake even if rare – is a BIG mistake, speaking as a person who mucks stalls every day.
Carmelita,
Ignoring the true facts that horses are easily frightened and almost impossible to potty train, is it credible that a miniature horse could somehow be a better guide animal than a dog? Correct me if I’m wrong: Dogs are more intelligent, have better eyesight and sense-of-smell than miniature horses. Miniature horses don’t bark (that’s an advantage). Do they bite? There is the religious craziness with Muslims that dogs are unclean animals. Is this really about providing seeing eye “dogs” for Muslims? Maybe the Muslims should consider seeing eye cats?
Carmelita is right about horses being flight animals. When frightened they will not stand and be prepared to fight, as a canid will, they will run as fast as possible. Their sense of smell is quite good, though, as I realize when my horses are spooked by a bear a quarter of a mile away that cannot be seen. And while horses are not stupid, their intelligence is very different from dogs, since they are prey whereas dogs (as we are) are predators. I know of several breeders of miniature horses who refuse to sell their horses to people who want to use them as service animals, because they feel it is not a good “fit” for the abilities of a horse. There are dogs that can be used that are essentially non-allergenic. If Muslims don’t want to use dogs, then they can use whatever they would use in the middle East, and I’m pretty sure it isn’t miniature horses.
I looked up the miniature horses. They are smaller than my last dog (guide horses must be less than 26″ tall). They still look weird. That said, if it’s stupid, but it works, it ain’t stupid.
What if the horse is blind – will a dog be permitted to lead the horse?
This is being done because ogs are unclean to muslims.They wont use seeing eye dogs.
Next stop: “survival sex.”