Black Beauty (born June 6, 1996) was formerly listed in Guinness World Records as the smallest living horse, a record she held from 2001 to 2006, when the record was taken by Thumbelina. Black Beauty was a dwarf minuature horse from her birth, and was too small to receive nursing from her mother, who would have to get down on her knees to be able to nurse Black Beauty at all. At birth, it was apparent that she was the smallest living and even possibly the smallest ever horse in the world. Being so small at birth, she was able to fit in a standard coat pocket, because she was less than both 12 inches in height and 10 lbs in weight. Black Beauty had to be taken to a veterinarian to be measured with careful precision to be able to qualify for the Guinness World Records entry for Worlds Smallest Horse. At five years old, she was 18.5 inches tall at her withers, but is now only 17 inches tall. Her owners are Donald Burleson and Janet Burleson.
