I generally steer clear of that whole Guinness Book of Records crowd. "Most Overrated Celebrity" (Paris Hilton) and the "World's Longest Hot Dog" (104 feet 9 inches) alone is a volatile combination, but add that dude with the beard of irritable bees and I'm not sure anyone in a 50 foot radius would survive with their innocence intact.
Like so many animal heroines before her, Thumbelina came into this world only to be faced with depressing odds.
Michael Goessling, son of Thumbelina's breeders:
'She weighed eight pounds when she came out and she looked very ill. We feared the worst.
'Because her legs are proportionally smaller than her body and her head, she has to wear orthopaedic fittings to straighten them a lot of the time.'
Thankfully, the problems caused by Thumbelina's tiny body proved to be no match for the pluck and determination caused by her giant heart. Now, at five years old, the lovable horse has a full, stimulating life (by horse standards and my own) and, like all Guinness World Record holders, enjoys a great deal of respect for her solid contribution to the planet as a whole.
But what does the future hold for little Thumbelina? Thankfully, not television commercials or the glue factory!
'She is too precious to us to sell,' he added. 'I think my parents would sell me before they part with Thumbelina.
'She has that special Wow factor, which you only get when you physically see how small she really is.'
Good news for the horse, and bad news for the son with no "Wow".
But don't give up, average male! If the precious story of Thumbelina has taught us anything, it's that anything (being really small) is possible (if you're a horse).
Hooraydiation
Boston, MA
October 2005
OCT 11, 2006 01:51 PM