This week Guinness World's Records announced their newest world record holders with one in particular catching my eye. ''Oklahoma Sam", a mule from California was crowned the ''Tallest Living Donkey' standing at 15.3hh, a full 11 inches taller then her breed standard. At only 4 years old it makes me wonder if she will even manage to reach that full 16 hands! His owner, Linda, said that even though Sam is much bigger then his stable mates he's not any more expensive to maintain. "He doesn't eat more," she told Guinness. " In fact, if I give him more bales of hay. he'll just use it to make his bedding more comfortable." Awww he sounds so cute ... I just can't resist a cute donkey with those big, long ears :)
I ended up spending a few hours online (story of my life!) and found out some of the other equine related world records. Here are just a few of the more interesting ones :
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| Thumbelina |
World's Smallest Living Horse - Thumbelina
For the past six uyears Thumbelina has retained the record as the smallest living horse, standing at a tiny 17.5 inches at the wither. She is actually a miniature horse who has a case of dwarfism and weighs just 26 kilograms (57 pounds). She is owned by Kay and Paul Goessling from Missouri, USA :)
World's Oldest Horse Twins - Taff and Griff
These identical cremello geldings were born in 1982 (making them 30 years old!) and stand at 11.2 hands. They are owned by the Veteran Horse Society in North Pembrokeshire, U.K. They were retired together after giving pony rides at the London Zoo.
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| The Green Monkey |
World's Most Expensive Horse Sold at Auction - The Green Monkey
In February 2006 a 2 year old bay Thoroughbred colt by Forestry, named The Green Monkeuy, was sold at Calder Race Course in Florida for $16 million!! Not a bad turn around considering a year earlier he was purchased for $425,000.
However he didn't materialise into much and was retired at only 4 years old to a farm in Ocala, Florida. He was raced three times, with his best effort coming in third. His stud fee was $5,000 in 2012.
Outrageously expensive ... but isn't he an absolute beauty!
Longest Tail on a Horse - JJS Summer Breeze
This 15 year old paint mare has a super long tail which measured at 12 feet 6 inches when she was measured in 2007. She is owned by Crystal Socha in Kansas, USA.
She was originally trained as a reining horse but now competes in local American Paint Horse Association shows in western pleasure and horsemanship - all while keeping her tail wrapped up.
Crystal keep's Summer's tail platied and folded up in a regular tube sock. She takes it out and washes it every few months but never uses any conditioner because it makes the hair too slippery. Then she plaits the tail, starting at the end of the dock, and folds it over itself, wraps it in vetwrap and covers it in a sock! And I thought pulling tails could be time consuming ... I'll never complain about doing it again!
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| JJS Summer Breeze |
Longest Distance Walked by a Horse on Hind Legs - Doc
Owner Gregory Ancelotti of Italy rode Doc to the record of 30 metres (95 feet 5 inches) in April 2009. It kills me that I can't find any videos of this! :(
Highest Jump by a Horse - Huaso ex-Faithful
The official FEI record for the high jump is 2.47 metres (8u foot 1.25 inches) by Huaso ex-Faithful. He was ridden by Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales at Santiago, Chile on 5th of February 1949.
The committee stated that in order for it to be beaten, 2.49 metres must be cleared! :)
Most Numbers Identified by a Horse - Lucas
Lucas, a 17 year old thoroughbred gelding managed to correctly identify 19 numbers in under one minute. He was assisted by his owner and trainer Karen Murdock of California, USA in 2010.
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