Horse on a Plane Shocks Passengers

by Luke Jones on

Passengers on a recent flight were left stunned when they were joined on the plane by a horse. Certainly, it’s not every day you see a horse on a plane, and even dogs are rare.

It is worth noting it was a miniature horse, but still, this was a shock for passengers. Service animals that help people are allowed onto flights, but the video of the horse sparked a debate. Some think such an animal should not be allowed on a plane.

A video of the horse settling in for a flight was posted on the popular Instagram account Passenger Shaming.

Image: Passenger Shaming

Horse on a Plane

While the account explained horses are used as “highly trained” service animals, it is “not an emotional support animal”. Horses can even be used to help guide people who are blind.

Animal Related Posts

Despite this, responders to the post were torn on this horse on a plane. One person said the flying was probably not for the passenger if they need a horse.

“Yes, but if you need to have a miniature horse by your side in order to fly on a commercial airline, perhaps another mode of travel will better suit you – not to mention the rest of the community of people your needs impact.”

Another argued the concept of a support animal “is getting out of hand”. The same poster said the price of flying has skyrocketed and he may pay for a seat only to be put next to a horse.

However, one person defended the horse on a plane:

“Miniature horses and dogs are the two types of animals protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

Miniature Horses are legal service animals. Image: Pixabay

Legal for a Horse to Fly

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are those that are “individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability”.

Earlier this year, the US Department of Transportation confirmed miniature horses were allowed to fly in the capacity of a service animal. While airlines are not bound by law to allow horses onboard, there are penalties for not allowing service animals on flights.

Let us know, what would you have done if you saw this horse on a plane?

Written by: Luke Jones

Luke is a professional writer who is always on the lookout for fun stories all around the world, including all the latest in the world of celebrities. You can contact Luke at [email protected]