A German horse has been officially recognized as the shortest in the world. The animal, named Pumukel, was included in the Book of Guinness World Records. His height stands at 52.6 cm at the withers. He is four centimeters shorter than the previous record holder, a horse named Bombel from Poland (56.7 cm).
Pumukel lives on the farm of his owner, Carola Weidemann. She learned about the unusual animal from a friend who was involved in selecting horses for hippotherapy.
Carola said she was shocked when she first saw the horse. He came to her in October 2020. At the time, Pumukel was five months old, stood 47 cm tall, and weighed no more than 20 kg. His owner noted that the horse was not the result of selective breeding. His unusual size is simply a “quirk of nature.”
Pumukel works on a farm and regularly visits nursing homes, hospices, schools, and institutions for people with disabilities as a therapy animal. As a reward for his work, he receives treats of carrots and apples. Pumukel gets along well with children, as well as with his normal-sized counterparts, according to the Book of Guinness World Records website.
