October 25, 2007

When Patty Cooper's dog Tippy died, she was so distraught that she decided to seek out a new breed of service pet – particularly one with a longer life span.

So she chose an animal that may seem out of the ordinary – a miniature horse, named Earl.

Cooper is confined to a wheel chair. She has celiac disease, a disorder that has weakened her bones.

Today for mobility, she relies on a wheel chair and plans to attach a device to Earl's harness - which will allow her to be pulled along.

The 50 year old lives in Warren, Vermont, in an apartment complex whose owners have a small issue with a horse living in the building - but Cooper says negotiations on the subject are going smoothly.

She's working on accommodating the apartment to her pet's needs. And since he's about the size of a large dog, it may just work out.

In the meantime, Earl is staying at a nearby farm, where he's recovering from a recent neutering. Cooper visits him there daily.

Cooper says she and her horse have become very close. And with an average life span of 50 years, the one-year old horse has a lot of life to live.