Jane Greenland with Noddy, the world’s tallest horse, according to his owner. Noddy will make a special appearance at this year’s Royal Melbourne Horse Show.
STANDING at more than 20 hands and weighing in at 1.3 tonnes, Pakenham-raised Noddy is one big horse – in fact his owners claim he is the tallest in the world.
When Jane Greenman bought Noddy as a six-month-old foal, she never anticipated he would grow to be so big.
Mrs Greenman and her family live on a Pakenham farm with their shire horse.
Mrs Greenman said she uses a ladder to groom Noddy, who is three times the weight of a regular horse.
“He has never ceased to surprise us,” she said.
Shire horses are typically large but Mrs Greenman said Noddy was an exception even for the breed.
She realised Noddy was going to be tall when he was already the size of a fully grown horse at three years.
“He is more of an elephant than a horse, but I’m used to him … he is part of the family,” she said.
Noddy will make a special appearance at this year’s Royal Melbourne Horse Show at Werribee Park from Thursday 13 March.
The equine influenza outbreak prevented Noddy from meeting the public, so the show will be the first and perhaps the last opportunity for people to see him in the flesh because of a possible overseas tour.
A horse is usually fully grown at seven years. Noddy is five, so he may yet grow taller still.
