Blind woman uses miniature horse instead of guide dog

Mona, 28, used three years of savings to pay for a miniature horse to be trained to act as her eyes.

Cali, who is about 2ft 6in, helps her mistress out of vehicles, guides her through crowds and has been taught to stand still indoors.

Mona lives with her strict Muslim parents and they would not allow a dog in the house because they consider the animal unclean.

But three-year-old Cali has been welcomed with open arms and  Mona said: “She is an awesome horse. What I really want is to be able to take her places neither of us would’ve been to without each other.”

Mona lost her sight shortly after birth. The Braille proofreader and university student, from Detroit in the USA, is believed to be one of just five people in the UK who has a guide horse.

“Before Cali, I gave up. I got to a point where I thought, ‘I’m going to get nothing out of my life’. Cali has given me back the confidence I used to have as a kid.”