Miniature Service Horse Travels With Companion on Flight to Omaha

Even more than service dogs, miniature service horses have approximately three times the work lifespan. So, it stands to reason that Abrea Hensley’s companion, aptly named Flirty The Mini Service Horse, has become more than just a pretty face. This includes having been recently witnessed boarding an American Airlines flight headed for Omaha, Nebraska, from Chicago, Illinois.

Passengers witnessed the cute creature traveling with Hensley on Friday, August 30, 2019. Hensley also took to Twitter with respect to her journey to visit her aunt. Flirty assists with mobility and medical alerts for Hensley. The seven-year-old miniature horse has been her service animal since 2017. Hensley began documenting their travels under the Twitter account entitled @FlirtyTheSH. “Flirty and I took to the skies, yesterday!” Hensley tweeted that day. “It was a great experience and I learned a lot. Flirty was FANTASTIC and handled it all like a pro. That being said, I’m going to keep traveling by car, it’s just easier on Flirty. Flying will be reserved for emergencies and such.”

Photo: Twitter/Flirty the Mini Service Horse

Hensley updated on Flirty’s travels by continuing: “Once we got up to cruising altitude, she took a nap and was very quiet. But she had to rebalance quite a bit while ascending and descending and kept bumping the back of their seat through the curtain ‘bulkhead.’ She did such a good job of handling everything, though, I’m so proud of her!” Despite some rude comments and many people posting their own opinions on social media, Hensley continues to state that, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, miniature service horses are allowed to accompany their human counterparts in the cabin of an airplane. Hensley also works to clarify the lines between what an emotional support animal is versus that of a service animal, the latter of which has to undergo strict training for its specific services to the disabled. Now that you know such a creature exists, what’s the likelihood that this will soon become a Texas trend as opposed to dogs? Have you seen a miniature service horse in action?