A Little Horse With Big Goals

She stands a mere 17.5” tall and weighs 57 pounds. Her brown-and-white coat feels like velvet and her enormous brown eyes suggest a quiet wisdom. They also belie a mischievous side…..She likes to untie shoe laces when you’re not looking and wiggle under fences to reach grassy fields. When she’s not playing with her best friend, Cassie, an Estrella Mountain Dog (I hadn’t heard of this breed either; they’re very rare), she can be found napping in an Igloo doghouse.

Her name is Thumbelina and she is the world’s smallest horse.

Born six years ago at Goose Creek Farms in Missouri, Thumbelina has been turning heads from the moment of her birth, according to her handler Michael Goessling.

“It was early morning of May 1, 2001 and my mom said there was something in the barn that I had to see,” Goessling remembers.

“At first I thought it was a possum but as I got closer, I realized it was a tiny foal.”

Thumbelina was born to two miniature horses and she is extra tiny because she is also a dwarf, making her a “mini-mini.” While she is perfectly healthy in most respects, she does have a few orthopedic issues. If you look closely, you can see that her right rear leg turns slightly inward and she wears special shoes to help compensate for the deformity. And because of her petite physique, she can’t carry a rider on her back.

“She’s never been ridden and never will,” stresses Goessling. “She has other things to do!”

Goessling is referring to the Thumbelina Children’s Tour, whose goal is to raise $1 million this year to help sick and needy children. Since May, Thumbelina and Goessling have been, um, hoofin’ it around the country in a specially-equipped 30-foot RV dubbed the “Thumby Mobile.” This dynamic duo are making stops in the 48 contiguous states and delivering smiles and hope at children’s hospitals, schools, summer camps, fairs, horse shows and charitable fundraisers. They will wrap up the tour in November at the Macy’s Day Parade in New York City.

On Sunday, Thumbelina trotted into town to visit the HEARTS Adaptive Riding Program (www.heartsadaptiveriding.org). This non-profit organization is dedicated to providing empowering, educational and enjoyable therapeutic horseback riding to physically and mentally disabled children and adults throughout Santa Barbara.

Thumbelina posed for the paparazzi and munched on hay as hundreds of outstretched hands gently stroked her stout body (yes, she’s a tad chubby; no she’s not pregnant, Goessling tells the curious crowd). She seemed un-fazed by all the hoopla; that is, until a young girl with leg braces and crutches slowly approached the pony’s pen. Thumbelina whinnied, trotted over and nuzzled close. For a brief moment, the girl and horse gazed at each other and seemed to share a deep understanding—two different species with two different handicaps—but kindred spirits nonetheless.

Thumbelina is the perfect children’s advocate. After all, her name comes from the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of a woman the size of a thumb.

“The children we visit often have never known a day without illness or pain,” Goessling says. “Then they meet Thumbelina and for a few minutes, they can forget their worries and just be a kid. I can’t tell you how many times a child’s parent will come up to me and say, ‘This is the happiest day of my child’s life.’”

Thumbelina may be small in stature, but she is big on personality. Goessling admits that she’s fiery, “definitely an alpha mare!” But he’s quick to add, “She the most pampered and loved horse on the planet.”

And at the end of the day, that’s the “mane” thing.

 

When Karen’s not horsing around at HEARTS, she’s busy answering email. Send her a message at: karenleestevens@cox.net. To learn more about Thumbelina and the Thumbelina Children’s Foundation, visit www.worldssmallesthorse.com.

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By Karen Lee Stevens,
Founder & President, ALL FOR ANIMALS, Inc.
Copyright © 2008. All Rights Reserved.

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