# Oh Goody! My poodles can sit next to a mini-horse on the plane!



## Dogs4Life (May 27, 2018)

:argh:

Remember to watch out for the horse poop! Even if it wears a diaper, it can still leak out...


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

*Another light-hearted look*

*Got stress? Need to fly? Have an emotional support companion? No prob! 
You're in good company. 

Well, unless your companion is a peacock... 

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But money talks for hawks!

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Maybe cuteness does too:

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When pigs fly, they text in the sky! 

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Wait a minute! I thought this was United, not Canine Airlines! 
Why oh why did I wear my black pants and forget my lint roller? 

​*


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

I think the world has gone crazy.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Thanks for these real life possible, hilarious pictures. You better have splurged for noise cancelling headphones if there’s a peacock onboard. Too bad, the pony/livestock size leg room of bulkhead seating isn’t even available for purses, for safety (?) reasons. I wouldn’t mind a pig as pictured, just because of the irony if it were a short flight


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## jojogal001 (Feb 19, 2019)

The pictures are hilarious! [emoji23] I wonder what people would have thought of, when I had rats as emotional support animals, and had taken the on the plane. Even our property mgmt company said “you can’t have rats as pets”: a legal battle ensued, and I won hands downs. But I would never have taken them on a plane: people are not well versed enough about rats to expose them to one of their biggest fears. 

Mini horses? REALLY??? Is there. Size limit? Or a weight limit? Do people have to buy extra tickets? Do they put diapers on them? Do small children want to ride it up and down the aisle? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

OMG! That's hilarious!!! Makes you wonder...what next?:laugh::laugh2::lol:

:ridinghorse::spider::sheep:


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

jojogal001 said:


> Mini horses? REALLY??? Is there. Size limit? Or a weight limit? Do people have to buy extra tickets? Do they put diapers on them? Do small children want to ride it up and down the aisle?


Mini horses have been used as guides for the blind for a long time. They have phenomenal memories and live much longer than dogs. They are housebroken and have no problems living in houses or being out in public without diapers. Presumably they are treated the same as any service animal, so children would not be allowed to pet (or ride!). As far as size and weight, really many of them are no bigger than dogs; the one in the pic is pretty big for a mini horse. It isn't what I would want, but works well for some people.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

*Mini-horses are housebroken? Well I learned something new!*

*However, the airlines clearly need to redesign the restrooms to better accommodate their size and need for privacy. This way don't need to leave the door open. *

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*A comprehensive study concluded that when elephants are seated in the Dumbo Section, they find elimination quite convenient.* 

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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Miniature horses are legally a legitimate service animal unlike pigs, peacocks, rats, snakes etc. when they meet certain qualifications and are trained to perform tasks similar to dogs. I’ve never seen a service miniature horse. 

I can control myself not to run up to service dogs and pet them or gush about how cute they are, but I don’t know if I’d have the same control about keeping my distance from a working service horse, the novelty of it is so huge. 

https://usserviceanimals.org/blog/miniature-horses-as-service-animals


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

Skylar said:


> I can control myself not to run up to service dogs and pet them or gush about how cute they are, but I don’t know if I’d have the same control about keeping my distance from a working service horse, the novelty of it is so huge.


This is very true! However, I don't think it is quite the problem with horses as it is with dogs. Dogs need to understand that they can't be social while they are working. Many dogs want to approach strangers and love to be petted and paid attention to, and they have to understand that this is not allowed while they are working. Horses are different, and are not likely to approach a stranger and want to be petted, or be distracted by people who want to pet them. 

Truly there are advantages to using horses as service animals. They are much less distractable, much less reactive, and they live a lot longer. They are also sturdier for providing mobility assistance. The downside is it would be much harder to take them places, just because people don't believe that they are not fakes, and really are working service animals. And people don't think they are or can be housebroken. This is something a person would have to take into account when making the decision to get one. Like I said, not what I would want.


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## Slalom (Oct 15, 2020)

Joining this a little late. 

My adult standard poodle is on the tall end of the spectrum (72cm). He loves to go to the pet food store. On a recent visit he was getting lots of attention when a service pony came in. Because of the novelty factor the pony got all the attention. My boy was not impressed, but he too was curious. Side by side they were about the same height and length.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

The first time I ever encountered the term "clicker training" was when I read an article about a woman named Alexandra Kurland, who was training a seeing eye pony named Panda. One write-up about the start of the project is Here. A few years later I was rooting around in the back of my car in a parking lot in western Massachusetts. A well worn mini-van pulled into the space next to me. The rear hatch popped open and a little piebald pony wearing a utility harness hopped out. It was Panda herself, in the flesh! Like anyone meeting a celebrity I wanted to squee excitedly. I figured both pony and owner had been subjected to enough squeeing and politely left them alone. The owner asked Panda to go potty, scraped the mess into a plastic bag, and headed off with their driver to go about their business.


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## Dianaleez (Dec 14, 2019)

yea for the poop pick up


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## Spottytoes (Jul 28, 2020)

Well, I learned something new today!😊
Actually, Bobby’s breeder rescues horses and they are trained and used as therapy horses on theIr farm. Makes total sense that a miniature horse could be trained as a service animal. It certainly would be a shock though to see one on a plane if you didn’t know that.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

One of the most amazing uses of horses as service animals it taking them into hospitals and nursing homes. There is a U-Tube video of a horse that does hospital visits. The horse chooses which rooms he wants to enter and seems to know when someone needs him. Watching a dying patient greet that horse is such a beautiful thing to see.


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