A HORSEWOMAN is campaigning for mini-equines to be given the same access rights as guide dogs to enable them to become constant companions for partially-sighted people.

Katy Smith has been guide dog training her American Miniature horse, Digby, since last summer and he has now been chosen to assist partially-sighted dog-phobic Mohammed Salim Patel once he finishes training.

Guide horses are already used in America, but it is believed that once Digby passes his training in two years’ time he will become the first in the UK.

Ms Smith, who breeds and trains miniature horses at Northallerton Equestrian Centre, already takes her tiny equines to care homes as therapy animals for residents.

And she is now calling for legislation to be changed to allow the the same access rights as their canine counterparts, a move supported by Richmondshire MP Rishi Sunak.

Ms Smith said: “I think we’re a bit ‘stiff upper lip’ in England and if something is out of the normal then people may think you can’t do it.

“But if people are willing to accept it and if it isn’t hurting anyone and is actually of benefit to people then it has got to be good and right to support it and give it a go.

“I just want to help people and make their lives easier because everyday things are easy to take for granted if you don’t have eyesight problems.

At eight-months-old, Digby is currently in the ‘puppy stage’ of his training.

He recently spent time with South Yorkshire’s mounted police section to learn about walking over obstacles and keeping calm in potentially stressful situations.

Ms Smith said: “They (American miniatures) have fantastic temperaments and they all seem to want to help and want to do a job apart from just being field ornaments.

“Don’t get me wrong, they love a good run round the field, but I think they like being important.”

Mr Sunak MP said he believed guide horses have “enormous potential”.

He added: “I have been happy to put Katy in touch with the relevant organisations such as the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and I have written to the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health to assist in her campaign to have guide ponies treated as having a similar status to guide dogs.”