clipped from: www.cnn.com BETHLEHEM, New York (AP) -- Panda is everything you would want in a pet and guide animal for the blind -- protective, alert, house-trained, and she loves to play fetch. And at 29 inches tall and 120 pounds, she's a darn small horse.
Panda, named for her black-and-white coat, is a miniature guide horse that has helped 58-year-old Ann Edie navigate the world of city streets and country lanes since 2003.
"Panda loves her work," said Edie, a special education teacher. "She knows what she's supposed to do. When I pick up the harness, I get the feeling from her of, 'I'm ready for anything. Let's go have fun."'
When Edie's chocolate Labrador helper Bailey died after 10 years on the job, she tried out two other dogs before learning about guide horses in 2000.
Although she appreciates the attributes that dogs bring to guide work, Edie said she is sold on the mini-horses.
"I've found that horse intelligence lends itself well to guide work," she said.
Because they are herd animals, they can predict where a moving object is heading and help adjust, said Edie.
At home, where she's not working, Panda snuggles, naps on a carpet or plays with toys. If she needs to go out, she rings a small bell that hangs from a doorknob.
The partnership with Panda is an experiment, Edie said, but it's going well and, with an expected life span of 30 to 40 years, Panda should be around for quite a while.