Miniature horses are welcome on Alaska Airlines (but no snakes, please)

With a new policy that went into effect this week at Alaska Airlines, miniature horses have joined dogs and cats as one of the 3 animals expressly allowed on board as service animals, which are trained to assist someone with a disability. A miniature horse — usually between 2 and 3 feet tall and weighing between 70 and 100 pounds — would most likely be able to stand only in front of passengers seated in the front row of the cabin, Ray Prentice, the airline’s director of customer advocacy, said. While the use of miniature horses as service animals is thought to be quite rare, some people may prefer them to other animals. The horses are sturdy, have longer life spans, can help those with mobility problems and have been known to guide people who are blind. Others have horses because they have religious objections to using dogs. <br/>