Thumbelina and Lucy: The World’s Smallest Horses

Wed, Nov 19, 2008

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Image of Thumbelina by Phil Konstantin

A couple of years ago the UK’s Daily Mail reported on the world’s smallest horse, Thumbelina, who entered the Guinness Book of Records measuring just 17 inches tall.

Born in a farm in America where the owners specialise in breeding miniature horses, the couple realised that Thumbelina was different as soon as she was born because she weighed a mere 8lbs, the average weight of a new born human baby.

The breeders, Kay and Paul Goessling, although under scrutiny from a sceptical public who questioned their breeding practices, claimed that the tiny horse suffers from dwarfism, something they will be certain doesn’t carry through the gene pool.

Now, in Britain, another tiny trotter has hit the headlines. Four-year-old Lucy, a Shetland pony weighing around 100 Ibs and measuring 19.5 inches has claimed the title of Britain’s smallest horse. Only this time she’s a true miniature mare.

Lucy, Britains Smallest Horse
Image of Lucy via the Telegraph

Lucy is owned by veterinary surgeon Sandra Power, who is unclear why the pony didn’t grow much bigger – she stopped growing when she reached the age of two.

Ms Power told the Telegraph newspaper: “I wasn’t expecting Lucy to be so small. She was about 15 inches when I got her at three months – that’s a normal size for a Shetland foal.”

According to her owner, Lucy is perfectly proportioned, apart from her mane and tail, which grow at an alarming rate.

Lucy lives in custom-made stables with a door that is only 21 inches high – something that would put a kid’s Wendy house to shame.

Source 1, 2

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guinness book records, smallest animals, smallest horse, thumbelina, worlds smallest horse

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This post was written by:

Linda McCormick - who has written 175 posts on Environmental Graffiti.

Linda is a writer and editor, currently based in London. Growing up in N Ireland, she craved sunnier climes so set off around the world, forever chasing the sun. On her travels she discovered she was much more passionate about the environment than she realised – although never quite got the whole tree-hugging thing – and has always had a penchant for the unconventional and creative side of life, so working at Environmental Graffiti suits her just fine.

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