Thumbelina, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s
smallest living horse, came to Aromas on Wednesday.
Aromas – Arms outstretched, ready to pet, 7-year-old Hannah Higgins and 4-year-old Isabelle Van Dyke couldn’t decide what Thumbelina – the world’s smallest horse – most resembles.
“I think she’s the size of a dog,” Isabelle said.
“Or a cat,” interjects Hannah.
At 17.5 inches tall, they both agreed that she’s “cute” and by far the smallest horse they’ve ever seen.
Thumbelina, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s smallest living horse, came to Aromas on Wednesday. There, she was visited by wide-eyed children anxious to pet the tiny animal and amused adults curious to see a horse measuring less than two-feet tall.
Her visit to the Aromas Bible Church in the small rural town marked just one stop in her tour of the continental United States.
Mark Goessling, one of her owners, said he wanted to take her on the tour so kids around the nation would have a chance to see her. Many of his stops have been to children’s hospitals or homes for abused or neglected children. Goessling said along with visiting children, he also hopes to raise money for the Thumbelina Charitable Foundation, which donates money to children’s charities.
“Once Thumbelina was certified as the world’s smallest horse, next thing we knew she’s a global sensation,” Goessling said. “We wanted to try to redirect some of that attention and enthusiasm to needy kids and children’s charities.”
Through the tour and other money raised from Thumbelina paraphernalia, Goessling plans to raise $1 million for children’s charities, he said.
He said it was initially his mother’s idea to donate money raised with her visits to children’s charities. Goessling said it was fitting the money would go back to children, because it is usually children she affects most.
“It’s always been kids who have been her biggest fans,” Goessling said. “She’s got this crazy connection with kids because they tend to live in this partial imaginary world – and then they see Thumbelina and she makes anything seem possible. If there can be this 17-inch horse, then there could be fairies or unicorns.”
Five-year-old Joseph Bocanegra said his family has horses but he had never seen one that small.
“She’s small and cute,” he said, before asking if she would ever grow as big as his horses, Honey or Princess.
At 6 years old, Thumbelina is full grown for her size. She is a miniature horse, but she also is a dwarf. Goessling refers to her as a “mini mini.”
He said while his family raises miniature horses, it was pure chance she ended up so small.
“It was a fluke, she was bred to be twice her size,” he said.
While children such as Joseph were, perhaps, most enchanted by the small horse, many of the adults were surprised she was that small.
Seeing Thumbelina, Watsonville resident Kathleen Dias, 74, immediately called her friend to tell her about it.
“You gotta see this miniature horse! It’s something else!” she said into her cell phone.
While Dias grew up in Watsonville and had been around horses her whole life – and had even seen miniature horses – she had never seen a horse as small as Thumbelina.
“It’s pretty unique,” Dias said. “This is something I’ve never seen before, and I probably never will again.”
Alice Joy covers education and health for the Free Lance. She can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 336 or at [email protected].
