animal records
Pumuckel from Sauerland: the smallest horse in the world?
Shetland Pony Pumuckel stands between the hooves of gelding Ron-Sheer. photo
© Bernd Thissen/dpa
Its size makes the Shetland Pony Pumuckel unique. But that’s not the only reason young and old are enthusiastic about the horse in miniature – it also has a very special task.
A little Shetland pony named Pumuckel lives in Sauerland, is probably the tiniest horse in the world and still achieves great things.
The three-year-old animal with a shoulder height of only 50 centimeters trained her to be a therapy horse, riding instructor Carola Weidemann from Breckerfeld in Sauerland told the German Press Agency. Pumuckel is a dear little horse and makes many children and seniors happy.
An acquaintance did not want the little guy after he was born. She took him over as a foal three years ago, as the long-time trainer from the Weidemann riding stables explained. “When I saw him for the first time, I was shocked. I had never seen such a small horse.”
animal visit
Pumuckel has been going to retirement homes or day-care centers for about a year now. “He is trained to accompany people on a wheelchair and walker and can climb into the car via a ramp.” The residents of the retirement homes are “completely over the moon” when the mini pony comes to visit.
In day-care centers, boys and girls are brought closer to the world of animals with the help of Pumuckel. For therapy purposes, children from the age of three could brush the horse in the yard or take it for a walk. “He’s the star with the kids.”
genetic defect
The reason for the dwarfism is a genetic defect. “It’s not an illness, it’s a whim of nature,” explained Weidemann. Normally, Shetland ponies grow to about twice the size of Pumuckel. “Bild.de” had also reported on the animal.
The riding instructor from the Märkisch district wants to have her XS horse entered in the Guinness Book of Records. She had already made a start for that. “But it’s only possible when he’s four years old, I was told.” Then horses are considered fully grown. Weidemann is certain that her Pumuckel is the smallest horse in the world: so far there is a horse in the Guinness Book that has a shoulder height of at least 56.7 centimetres. Your therapy animal is therefore significantly smaller.