This is Panda, the mini I trained to be a guide for her blind owner.

Ann is a fiendishly good scrabble player. While she was teaching me the basics of the game, Panda had my back. She provided lots of physical and moral support. And yes – she is housebroken, just like a dog.

One of the great things about training is it creates more freedom for the individual. A horse who is easy to handle gets to go more places. It’s a lot more fun to go on a trail ride with a horse who enjoys the adventure rather than one who just wants to go home.

You might not want to bring your horse into your house. For Panda it is part of her job. And because she is house broken, time inside means more social time with her human “herd”.

This is one of my favorite photos of Panda, the mini I trained to be a guide for her blind handler. I have many more “dramatic” images showing Panda successfully negotiating challenging environments. In fact on this walk they have just gone through a construction zone in which all the sidewalks were torn up and Panda had to find a safe way past bulldozers and other construction equipment. I may share some of those images, but this is my favorite because it shows such harmony between Panda and Ann. There’s no tension in either of them. Panda guides without pulling so there’s no strain on either her body or Ann’s.

Balance and the clear communication this photo represents is a central pillar of Modern Horse Training.

June marks the 20th Anniversary of Panda going into full work as her guide. Panda still loves her job. Think about that. How many people can say that after twenty years they still love going to work. Panda can!

To learn more visit my web site: theclickercenter.com

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