April 26, 2009: Seehorse

Tabitha Darling is not blind, but she is legally blind, which means Federal Law allows her ride her "service animal" into Target.

Seehorse

"Fresh muffins on aisle 12" takes on a whole new meaning.

They are on their way to the cough drop aisle because....

(drumroll)

he's a little horse!!!!

(I'm killin' myself here!)

What's not clear from the article is how well the horse is actually trained. If it's trained as well as a seeing-eye dog, then it doesn't bite, shit, kick or step on people either. And if it doesn't, then that horse is totally fine in my book. In fact, in many ways it is a better solution than the dog, because the horse offers physical protection from harm - by being large, and by being faster than an attacker.

Protection shouldn't be an issue inside the store.
That Target store is in Texas but I've never seen any store in the northeast with aisles that wide. Up here you can screw things up with one shopping cart.

Never heard of a horse being trained not to drop a load, solid or liquid, where- and whenever it feels the need. But this should take care of that issue. No need to stoop or scoop. Doesn't appear she's got one on that horse though...

Tabitha Darling = Dipwad

Yeah...I don't think horses belong in stores.

Assistance/Service horse?

Actually, they've been training miniature horses as service animals for quite a while now. They can do a lot for folks with disabilities.

http://www.guidehorse.org/

(Be sure to read the part about their shoes!)

The biggest advantage to them over a dog is that they live a lot longer. Training a licensed service animal is a big investment of time and money. So service training agency can offer a lot more with a trained horse.

But this seems - well - a little over the top...

Like most everything else in America, a great idea goes to shit because everybody wants to jump the bandwagon. A line has to be drawn somewhere.
"If he can have a dog in a store, why can't I have a pony?"
"If he can take his pony in the store, why can't I take my horse?"
"If he can take his horse, why can't I take a bull?"

Who will have the right of way, the horses or the lazy, fat motherfuckers on those goddam scooters?

How do you define handicapped? Maybe stupidity is an illness.

It is. Just not a terminal one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pie It is. Just not a terminal one.

I'm glad the horse can take her to and from the stores, but it does not belong inside a store, out of concern for the other shoppers and especially the rider. The link shows a photo of her on horseback going through the doors. No helmet. I'd like to introduce her to a former coworker who is seriously brain damaged from thunking her head in the barn while astride her beloved, longtime, calm, well-trained horse. Except for that one time, you know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnhowdy Like most everything else in America, a great idea goes to shit because everybody wants to jump the bandwagon. A line has to be drawn somewhere. "If he can have a dog in a store, why can't I have a pony?" "If he can take his pony in the store, why can't I take my horse?" "If he can take his horse, why can't I take a bull?" Who will have the right of way, the horses or the lazy, fat motherfuckers on those goddam scooters?

I am, of course, all for anything that helps the disabled live a more normal life. However, I will say that *anything* that is subject to interpretation in any way will inevitably be taken to the maximum extreme every time.

I never figured out why SOME of the folks that use the 'instore scooters' can walk right up from across the parking lot into the store, get up and down to reach the upper shelf items, leave the scooter right in the way, and stroll back to their car. What if everyone was that lazy? Talk about a serious traffic jam.....
NEWSFLASH
This is my missive. Not the gospel of St. Right.

Are you kidding me??? People get scooters to go around the shops in over there??????!!!! I can't believe the laziness of some people.

I know you can hire wheelchairs at large shopping malls here and I did this a number of times when my Mum was sick but wanted to get out of the house, and another time when she had a broken leg, but seriously, to get a scooter just because you're either lazy or fat or both is unbelievable.

Seriously

They have 4-5 of them at the store entrance. Almost all your bigger stores. Wal Mart, Kroger, etc.

I mean, it's not like someone's there checking for handicapped papers... you see 'em and want one, grab it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha Are you kidding me??? People get scooters to go around the shops in over there??????!!!!

Yup - just like this one

Quote:

Originally Posted by corydodt If it's trained as well as a seeing-eye dog, then it doesn't bite, shit, kick or step on people either. .

No one else thinks it seems dangerous to ride bareback when you're blind? Blindness does mess with your balance, right?

It's an attention whore riding an attention horse.

(snip)Who will have the right of way, the horses or the lazy, fat motherfuckers on those goddam scooters?(snip)
You insensitive bastard. I was a lazy, fat motherfucker on 9/11.

You also don't have to turn sideways to inch past another customer in the same aisle.

In a target near here you cannot get your cart through the end of a few aisles as there is a post in the way. It is absolutely insane.

I know that they can train racehorses to pee on command for doping testing, not sure if you can make them poop when you want them too.

Horses are not renowned for their intelligence.

The Target isles over here are very close together. Most of the time it's not even worth trying to get the trolley down the side isle. Leave it in the main isle to block up passage for the other trolley users.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolf Horses are not renowned for their intelligence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetwater I'm glad the horse can take her to and from the stores, but it does not belong inside a store, out of concern for the other shoppers and especially the rider.

Ahem... I believe you mean they are "a horse of a different color." Geez, do I have to do all the work around here?