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World's Smallest Horse Hits the Road for Children's Charities
by: Erin Ryder, Editorial Assistant
November 2006 Article # 8079
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A St. Louis, Mo., mare that stands at just 17.5 inches tall was recently declared the world's smallest horse by the Guinness Book of World Records. Thumbelina, a dwarf Miniature Horse, is five years old and weighs 58 pounds. She prefers a doghouse to a stall and stands eye to eye with Goose Creek Farm's resident Cocker Spaniels.
Owned by Kay and Paul Goessling, Thumbelina's application for the Guinness record was the idea of the Goesslings' son, Michael, who says he started wondering about the smallest horse record when Thumbelina was a yearling. At three years of age she leveled off at 17.5 inches tall at the withers, and he put a call in to Guinness, which granted the official record to Thumbelina in July.
Since that time, the tiny mare has hit the road, making appearances on television and in print. A photo shoot brought her face to face with Radar, the world's tallest horse for the 2008 edition of the Guinness book. She even traveled to New York City, safely ensconced in her doghouse in the back of Michael Goessling's Tahoe.
As she logs the miles, Thumbelina is also raising money for children's charities.
"With all the attention, we decided to give her a purpose-she's probably the first horse with a vocational calling," Michael Goessling says. "Now she's raising money for children's charities, which has perpetuated her celebrity status even further."
The Goesslings formed the Thumbelina Charitable Foundation, a trust that will report its fundraising on Thumbelina's web site, http://worldssmallesthorse.com.
When Thumbelina was born, some people doubted she would even survive, let alone become an equine celebrity. Even though she has average-sized Miniature Horse parents, she tipped the scales at eight pounds when she was born.
"She was so tiny that she could barely get up and reach to nurse," Michael Goessling says. "We didn't have any medical basis to think she wouldn't survive, it's just that she's so fragile and tiny."
He notes that Thumbelina remains remarkably healthy.
"As a function of her dwarfism, she tends to have a chronic runny nose, and she has stubby little legs that we put corrective fittings on to help straighten her up, but all in all, she is healthy," he says. "We're lucky that so far we haven't had to deal with any major health issues."
At home on the farm, Thumbelina rules the roost, bossing the larger Miniature Horses around.
"For some reason, the other horses bend to her will," says Michael Goessling. "She's a very healthy, happy horse
by: Erin Ryder, Editorial Assistant
November 2006 Article # 8079
Article Tools
A St. Louis, Mo., mare that stands at just 17.5 inches tall was recently declared the world's smallest horse by the Guinness Book of World Records. Thumbelina, a dwarf Miniature Horse, is five years old and weighs 58 pounds. She prefers a doghouse to a stall and stands eye to eye with Goose Creek Farm's resident Cocker Spaniels.
Owned by Kay and Paul Goessling, Thumbelina's application for the Guinness record was the idea of the Goesslings' son, Michael, who says he started wondering about the smallest horse record when Thumbelina was a yearling. At three years of age she leveled off at 17.5 inches tall at the withers, and he put a call in to Guinness, which granted the official record to Thumbelina in July.
Since that time, the tiny mare has hit the road, making appearances on television and in print. A photo shoot brought her face to face with Radar, the world's tallest horse for the 2008 edition of the Guinness book. She even traveled to New York City, safely ensconced in her doghouse in the back of Michael Goessling's Tahoe.
As she logs the miles, Thumbelina is also raising money for children's charities.
"With all the attention, we decided to give her a purpose-she's probably the first horse with a vocational calling," Michael Goessling says. "Now she's raising money for children's charities, which has perpetuated her celebrity status even further."
The Goesslings formed the Thumbelina Charitable Foundation, a trust that will report its fundraising on Thumbelina's web site, http://worldssmallesthorse.com.
When Thumbelina was born, some people doubted she would even survive, let alone become an equine celebrity. Even though she has average-sized Miniature Horse parents, she tipped the scales at eight pounds when she was born.
"She was so tiny that she could barely get up and reach to nurse," Michael Goessling says. "We didn't have any medical basis to think she wouldn't survive, it's just that she's so fragile and tiny."
He notes that Thumbelina remains remarkably healthy.
"As a function of her dwarfism, she tends to have a chronic runny nose, and she has stubby little legs that we put corrective fittings on to help straighten her up, but all in all, she is healthy," he says. "We're lucky that so far we haven't had to deal with any major health issues."
At home on the farm, Thumbelina rules the roost, bossing the larger Miniature Horses around.
"For some reason, the other horses bend to her will," says Michael Goessling. "She's a very healthy, happy horse
