Now that's a dog and pony show!
Posted on 03/21/2007 3:18:19 PM PDT by martin_fierro
World's smallest horse has tall order
By JEFF DOUGLAS, Associated Press Writer Mon Mar 19, 9:31 PM ET
ST. LOUIS - At just a hair over 17 inches tall, the miniature horse is more inclined to walk under fences than jump them. And her owners have sheltered the mare from ever gaining "circus-sideshow" or "one-trick-pony" status. As the world's smallest horse, 5-year-old Thumbelina, weighing in at 57 pounds, has a bigger mission: to raise $1 million for children's charities this year. ADVERTISEMENT
Handler Michael Goessling, son of miniature horse farmers Kay and Paul Goessling, says Thumbelina is the ideal child advocate. Her name comes from the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of a woman the size of a thumb.
"When kids meet her in person, they want to talk to her and know what she likes and dislikes," Goessling said. "It's amazing because she is so loving with people. She craves attention."
In the months after being named "World's Smallest Living Horse" by Guinness World Records last summer, Thumbelina has certainly not been short on attention.
She's been showered with praise on the television talk-show circuit. The flow of schoolchildren who visit her is constant, and many leave with coloring books dedicated to the Goessling family pet.
"I'll have her out for hours. She's so mild mannered, everything just seems to brush off her shoulders. There have been 100 kids around petting her and she'll take a nap," Goessling said.
When Thumbelina travels the country this year, she'll do so in style — in a recreational vehicle that's her converted stable on wheels. Goessling calls it the Thumby Mobile.
An upcoming "Thumbelina Children's Tour" is expected to include stops in the 48 contiguous states at children's hospitals, schools, summer camps, fairs, horse shows and charitable fundraisers.
At Goose Creek Farms, the Goesslings breed miniatures for sale and for horse show competitions, a hobby that's brought them numerous ribbons for more than a decade.
But Thumbelina's special. "We don't want to make a penny off of her," Michael Goessling said. "We never have. There will never be another Thumbelina."
Most of her days are spent playing with like-size farm dogs. She even sleeps in a dog house.
The family calls her a "miniature-miniature" and genetically she's a dwarf. Rules of nature say it's a bad idea for her to reproduce, Goessling said.
Thumbelina often avoids the company of her taller, but still unusually small counterparts. Of the 40 or so miniature horses stabled on the ranch, most are more than a foot taller than Thumbelina.
The tiny horse and her charitable foundation have helped raise about $10,000 for children's charities since she gained World record status as the smallest horse ever recorded, at 17 1/2 inches at the withers.
When a Guinness official came from London to certify the record, a photograph was taken of Thumbelina and the world's largest living horse, Radar, a Belgium Draft horse from Texas standing at 6-foot-7 — about 40 times larger than Thumbelina.
She wasn't intimidated.
"I got the impression that Thumbelina wasn't so keen on sharing the limelight with the tallest horse at all," said Michael Whitty, who's in charge of Guinness' Picture Media.
The picture will appear in the 2008 World Record book to be released this fall.
Now that's a dog and pony show!
PingPing
Thumbelina should be starting the tour from FOX and Friends, she was quite a hit there!
I am just fascinated by how apparently atavistic traits show up as the horses become smaller.
I want a miniature horse.
Too cute...and amazing.
The world's tallest horse meets the world's smallest
She may be standing in the shadows but one little horse is reaching heights of her own.
At a mere 17 inches, the miniature brown mare known as Thumbelina takes pride in the lofty title of the World's Smallest Living Horse.
Her companion, Radar, is a Belgian draught horse with his own big claim to fame - as the Worlds Tallest Living Horse.
At their get-together, the two didn't exactly see eye to eye.
But with 62 inches between them, there was plenty of catching up to do.
It was the first time the world's smallest and tallest horses had been photographed together.
Their portrait will be featured in the 2008 edition of the Guinness World Records book, which is published next week.
Thumbelina, who weighs 4st 9lb, was born on a farm in St Louis, Missouri.
Her owners breed miniature horses but Thumbelina is a further quirk of nature - a miniature of a miniature.
She eats two cups of grain and a handful of hay each day.
Radar, at 6ft 71/2in from hoof to shoulder, is from Mount Pleasant, Texas.
At 2,400lb, he has a giant appetite to match, putting away 20 gallons of water a day and 18lb of grain.
Cute pix!
I have to ask - I never understand, so I’m not even sure how to ask the question:
How is a PONY different from a HORSE, such that these TINY things can be called HORSES?
In all the time I learned about horses, I never learned there was any real difference between “ponies” and “horses” except height. So I’m always confused why these little things are called “horses” and not “ponies” if they’re all the same species, etc.
Am I crazy, or does she look a bit fat? Which also reminds me more of ponies? ;-)
I’ll see your ignorance and raise you one: isn’t a “pony” a young horse?
bump
No.
I was taught a pony was an equine shorter than 14h.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses
OK, well, I see some definition here besides height.
It still seems nebulous why they would differentiate between “horse” and “pony” based on a few key features (including that ponies tend to be greater volume/surface - fat - just like this little so-called “horse!).
Sometimes I find horse people just nuts! But not as nuts as dog people. ;-)
6000Horsepower
100 HP
Howzbout the cat people?
I don’t know about them. I just know the people in dogs big-time have the most hair-brained mindset about what’s OK and what’s not, and man do they all walk in lock-step. Goose-step, if you will. Don’t dare dissent from the PC crowd.
Horse people are more sensible. Well, 50% are, whereas only maybe 5% of dog people are.
But “pony cars” had enough “muscle”. ;-) Often more than the standard “horses”, I guess!
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