:. you learn something new every day .:

So, Benny and I found ourselves somewhere in the vicinity of Snookies last night. (You heard me.) We were stopped at a stoplight, and on the sidewalk next to us a woman was walking her pet. After doing a classic double-take, I rolled down my window and asked her what the animal's name was.
"This is Pippin . . . but I call her Pipsqueak." Pipsqueak looked something like this:Yes, Pippin was a horse. A miniature horse. I said, "So, it's okay to keep her in the city?"
To which she replied, "Yes. She's a service animal in-training."
Who knew?
Here's the official text from the Guide Horse Foundation:

The Guide Horse Foundation was founded in 1999 as an experimental program to access the abilities of miniature horses as assistance animals. There is a critical shortage of guide animals for the blind and guide horses are an appropriate assistance animal for thousands of visually impaired people in the USA.

In early experiments, Guide Horses have shown great promise as a mobility option, and people who have tried Guide Horses report that the Guide Horses perform exceptionally well at keeping their person safe. These friendly horses provide an experimental alternative mobility option for blind people. People who have tried Guide Horses report that the horses demonstrate excellent judgment and are not easily distracted by crowds and people.

Guide horses are not for everyone, but there is a strong demand for Guide Horses among blind horse lovers, those who are allergic to dogs, and those who want a guide animal with a longer lifespan.

Cool.