Guide Horse - Suitability Issues

Suitability Issues

Horses normally live to be 25 - 35 years old, and horse ages translate into human ages almost linearly, but with major differences in age equivalents when young, as horses mature at a rate far faster than humans, reaching puberty by age two. On average, miniature horses may live one-third longer than large horses. This size-longevity relationship is the same for dog breeds. Miniature horses chosen for Guide Horse training weigh approximately 55-100 pounds Their sight is very important, because they are the blind people’s eyes. Horses generally possess excellent vision. With eyes placed on the sides of their heads, they possess nearly 350 degree vision, are sensitive to motion in their field of vision, and often detect a potential hazard before their sighted trainers. Horses also have excellent night vision and can see clearly in almost total darkness.