Service Miniature Horses Welcomed Everywhere

The University of Florida allows the use of trained service animals by individuals with disabilities in all public areas at the university.

In addition to dogs, the ADA now has separate regulations about miniature horses that have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The regulations set forth for miniature horses are as follow:

• 24-34 inches high and generally between 70-100 lbs.
• Miniature horse is housebroken
• Miniature horse in under the owner’s control
• Whether the facility can accommodate the miniature horse type, size, and weight
• Whether the miniature horse’s presence will not compromise legitimate safety requirements necessary for the safe operation of the facility.

Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair or equipment for someone with a mobility disability, alerting or protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medicine, calming a person with PTSD, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. An animal whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

The ADA requires that service animals be under the control of the handler at all times and be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless these devices interfere with the services animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents them from using these devices.