Meet the man who is best friends with a HORSE - who roams freely around his house and loves to cuddle.<br /><br />Santiago Barbera, 32, has had mixed breed Miuccia since birth.<br /><br />And the pair have since become inseparable - with the now three-year-old animal even welcomed at dinner parties.<br /><br />Santiago, the CEO of an investment management company, says Miuccia is like a big, friendly dog.<br /><br />And, having grown up around horses, he wouldn't have it any other way.<br /><br />Santiago, from Mendoza, Argentina, said: "She's just a regular horse who likes being around people.<br /><br />"Whenever she hears I'm doing something she will come to check what's going on.<br /><br />"If she's bored, she comes inside to check if I want to play with her or pet her."<br /><br />Miuccia was born in 2020, and had deformed hooves.<br /><br />She had to be operated on three times, once at six months old, once at a year-and-a-half and once at two years old.<br /><br />Santiago, who works for Grupo Broda, nursed her through the operations and the two become best pals.<br /><br />He said: "Her tendons were too short, she would almost walk on her tiptoes.<br /><br />"We didn't have any other foals so she would always be hanging around me.<br /><br />"I had to look after her through her recovery, so we became very close."<br /><br />Now, Miuccia roams freely in Santiago's house.<br /><br />And she is often among the guests at dinner parties - and even acts as a bouncer.<br /><br />Santiago said: "There are some people who are scared of her.<br /><br />"She even gets right up to check what's going on when we have dinner.<br /><br />"She gets angry when people try to kick her out, you can tell she's like: This is my house, what are you doing?'.<br /><br />"I can tell by her expression she is not happy when someone tries to boss her around the house.<br /><br />"Usually, if someone wants to take her out, she stands still blocking the way.<br /><br />"If guests are cool with her, she will be just checking what they are doing.<br /><br />"If they are cooking, sniffing and maybe take a small bite of a salad, that's all. <br /><br />"If we are sitting on the couch, she likes to put at least one leg on the couch and stand there."<br /><br />Despite her size, Miuccia has learnt to get around the house without causing any damage.<br /><br />Santiago said: "She has gotten bigger and learned how to get around the house without breaking anything. She's so good.<br /><br />"Sometimes she can't turn around in corridors because she's too long.<br /><br />"But she knows how to get around the house without getting stuck.<br /><br />"She is super careful - but unlike a dog she can reach everything.<br /><br />"So even when I leave a glass of wine on the table, I know she will sniff it and now she almost never knocks over the glass."<br /><br />Having a needy adult horse around the house has its difficulties, Santiago said.<br /><br />But he said it's worth the trouble.<br /><br />Santiago added: "It's only annoying when she is demanding attention and I'm working or reading. I guess like most dogs or cats. <br /><br />"When I have lunch alone or with friends, she's almost always around the table and if there's salad she tries to reach it.<br /><br />"If I'm by the pool and wet, she tries to lick me till I'm dry, that's annoying a little bit.
