Sweetie the miniature horse just broke a record with her glorious tail! 🤩
The tiny trotter officially has the longest tail on a miniature horse which measures in at 181.02 cm (5 ft 11.26 in) – that’s longer than the height of the average person...
Sweetie, who lives in South Carolina, USA, with her owner Risa, is just 96 cm (3 ft 1 in) tall from her hooves to her withers (highest part of her back), meaning her tail trails behind her as she walks!
And even though she's tiny, she plays a HUGE role in Risa’s home… as an emotional support animal to her 2 horse friends! ❤️
But what does that mean exactly?
Risa brought Sweetie home in 2012 to soothe Ricki and Oakley after the sudden death of their best friend Stormy... 🐎
“If I had to take Oakley somewhere, Ricki suffers from severe separation anxiety and would stress until Oakley returned,” Risa explained.
But when a friend told her about Sweetie, and how her owner was looking to find a new home for her, everything changed.
Risa said: “I went to his barn, trailer in tow, and picked up Sweetie! She hopped right in the trailer and the rest is history.
My geldings, Ricki and Oakley, pretend they don’t notice her but adore her and are very appreciative of her presence when one or the other is gone for the day.
Sweetie turned 36 in March! 🎂
“She is kind of a loner for the most part and tolerates attention but deep down I’m pretty sure she eats it all up… kisses and all,” Risa said.
🔎 Did you know...
Horses use their tails to swat away flies and insects that might bite them? 🐜
Risa washes and conditions Sweetie’s tail twice a year and combs it very delicately - using hair detangler gel and hair oils - to reduce the risk of pulling any hairs out.
Her fabulous tail is wrapped up daily to protect it from dragging on the ground and getting damaged.
The only downside to having such a beautiful, record-breaking tail, is that she’s less able to swat away those pesky critters, so unfortunately, Risa is planning to cut it to a more manageable length soon.
Well, at least she'll have countless pictures and a world record certificate to remember the good old times! ✨
It was when Risa was washing Sweetie’s tail during one of her bi-annual pamper sessions that she decided to see if a record for the longest tail on a miniature horse existed.
“My veterinarian has called her my personal My Little Pony,” Risa joked.
So what's her advice to other animal owners, and especially animals with unique features?
“Take care of your animals’ mental and physical health and don’t over exploit their unique attributes as they will burn out.”
To celebrate her record title, Sweetie was treated to a photoshoot and a special treat. Her favourite snacks are raw fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and apples. 🤤
Neigh wonder she's such a happy girl!
Congratulations, Sweetie, you are Officially Amazing. 🥳
