Blind man's miniature guide horse will do laundry, mop floors

A blind man will become the first in the UK to receive a guide horse to help him get around - because he's scared of dogs.

Mohammed Salim Patel, from Blackburn, is set to receive an American miniature horse named Digby to help him in his day-to-day-life.

The 23-year-old has a degenerative eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which breaks down cells in the tissue at the back of the eye.

Patel will be helped by the 60cm tall Digby, an 8-month-old miniature horse.

Patel told the Lancashire Telegraph: "I have a condition where I lost my vision and I have come across lots of people who have guide dogs.

"But I have a big phobia of dogs that I was not able to work out and it was good when I heard about horses being trained.

"I have always loved horses but it is good to see the benefits to people who are visually impaired.

"It will be a couple of years before he will be coming to live with me as he has training to do. He needs to get used to being out and about Blackburn.

"I also think I will have to give myself an extra hour to try to get around my daily routine as people will all want to come and see it and touch it."

Digby, who lives in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, with trainer Katy Smith, will eventually be trained to take washing from the machine and mop the kitchen. Yesterday Digby visited Blackburn to check out the town where he will live.

A blind man from Blackburn who is scared of dogs is set to be the first person in the UK to receive an officially recognised guide horse. pic.twitter.com/xBgqqbJRi6

— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) February 5, 2018

Smith, who runs K L Pony Therapy and is training eight tiny horses, says Digby will be great for Patel.

She said: "There are about 14 [horses] training in America to help visually impaired people and they have a long life-span as they can live until 45 or 50 years old.

"You may have to have two or three guide dogs and then you have to think about the emotional bond to them."

Luckily for Patel, the horse will be fully toilet trained before he comes to live with him.

Horses began being used for guiding roles as an experimental programme in the early 2000s in the US.

Other unusual support animals

• Last week a female traveller was banned from taking an emotional support peacock onto a United Airlines flight. Dexter the peacock belongs to a Brooklyn-based artist called Ventiko. She said her feathered friend "really changed my life in a positive way".

• In 2015, Jodie Smalley managed to take her emotional support turkey on a pre-Christmas flight. Speaking of the turkey, called Easter, she said: "Having Easter with me was a source of positive presence. She was someone to focus on if my emotions became too much."

• In 2016 Carla Fitzgerald took her emotional support duck called Daniel Turducken Stinkerbutt on a flight to Asheville in North Caroline. The PTSD-sufferer says the duck has a calming effect and climbs over her when he senses she is distressed.