Horse Illustrated Magazine

Thanks to guidelines by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the skies are now friendlier for Miniature Horses working as service animals on planes. The agency’s recent policy statement categorizes Minis, along with dogs and cats, as commonly recognized service animals that should be accepted on board in the passenger cabin of planes by the airlines. (Snakes, reptiles, ferrets, rodents and spiders, on the other hand—not so much.)

Minis are smart and highly trainable, and at an average of 24-34 inches tall and 70-100 pounds, they’re not much bigger than a large dog. However, their longer lifespan of up to 35 years can offer many years of service. Trained Minis are also recognized as service animals by the Americans with Disabilities Act. All of this means you may start seeing more Miniature Horses with you on your next plane ride.

This article originally appeared in the November 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!