The 20-inch Shetland pony Pumuckel next to his owner Carola Weidemann and a full-sized horse at a farm near Breckerfeld Weidemann carries Pumuckel out of her car to visit a nursing home in Kierspe on October 21 A 3-year-old male Shetland pony named Pumuckel has narrowly missed out on officially being named the world's smallest horse due to a technicality but he’s likely to gallop off with the title next year A diminutive pony named Pumuckel was poised to nab the Guinness World Record for the world's smallest horse — but he came up short But while this year’s celebrations have had to be reined in the tiny creature is likely to claim the official title next year Despite his size, Pumuckel the pony lives a very active life and often joins a group of slightly larger mini-horses that visit kindergartners and elderly people in homes, according to Reuters The biggest difference between him and other horses is that he rides in the passenger seat of a car instead of being towed around in a trailer "We will have to wait a little," Weidemann told Reuters Related: US Space Force hires a horse to boldly go where rockets can't. (The beach) Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox Pumuckel and Bombel are miniature horses, which are fully grown horses measuring under 34 inches (86.4 cm) tall at the withers, according to the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA). Mini-horses represent around 400 years of artificial selection in which small horses were mated with other small horses to produce potentially even smaller offspring Mini-horses were originally bred to work in tight spaces A side effect of breeding mini-horses is that offspring can occasionally be born with dwarfism, according to AMHA but most do carry some recessive dwarf genes breeding them together can result in offspring with dwarfism which can also cause some serious health problems. —1,400-year-old remains of headless horse and rider discovered in Germany —Australia plans to cull over 10,000 wild horses, but scientists say it's not enough —Longest living animals on Earth Pumuckel does display some signs of dwarfism as described by AMHA a head larger than its neck and protruding eyes Initial reports do not state whether Pumuckel has dwarfism and as there is no available information on his parents or lineage so it will likely remain a mystery unless genetic tests are carried out Pumuckel is adored by his owner and everyone else who meets him He is an "incredible friend," Weidemann said How related are dire wolves and gray wolves Secret 'drug room' full of psychedelic 'snuff tubes' discovered at pre-Inca site in Peru German professional dressage rider Victoria Suppert said goodbye to her career making Grand Prix horse Olymp wa a 1989 born Westfalian by Octavo xx out of Reless (by Renaldo x Pilatus x Filter) The grey started his show career in Germany under Hella Kuntz as a 4-year old in 1992 The pair was highly successful in the riding horse classes (material tests) that year recording three victories and several top five placings The horse was sent to the Westfalian Elite Auction in October 1992 and the late Dr Hartmut Suppert bought the horse untried for his daughter Victoria for 60,000 Deutsch marks "I remember I was on my home from the dressage show in Rulle when my father called me and told me he bought the nice grey gelding I liked from the video," Suppert reminisced At the 1995 BundeschampionateVictoria began competing him in 1993 in the L-level dressage horse tests In 1994 they moved up to M-level and achieved a string of victories at shows in Beaufort and Hagen-Tücking They finished 10th in the 6-year old Finals at the 1995 Bundeschampionate in Warendorf In 1996 they made their international show debut at small tour level at the CDI Copenhagen and went on to compete at CDI's in Les Aspres and Addington Their national Grand Prix debut followed in 1997 in Rhede their international one was in Frauenfeld (SUI) They won the Kur to Music at the 1998 CDI Saumur Victoria was one of the first riders in Germany to ride to professionally arranged music by Michael Erdmann and the investment paid off At the 1999 CDI DortmundThe pair won silver at the 1999 Westfalian Regional Championships in Vlotho-Exter They won the kur at the 2000 Münster Rolinck cup The pair's last show was on 2 - 6 August 2006 in Riesenbeck where they finised 11th in the Grand Prix Special Olymp spent a very long and pleasant retirement with Suppert Georg Vorwerk in Breckerfeld together with her son Sören who is a U21 show jumper "He was in the field the whole day in the sun," Victoria said about Olymp's last day "In the evening he got some circulation problems with colic symptoms Related LinksScores: 2000 CDI Dortmund Scores: 1999 CDI Saumur Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot he climbs into his mom's van and goes on outings to visit senior citizens That's because Pumuckel is a Shetland pony he is likely the tiniest horse in the world According to Britain's Shetland Pony Club most mini Shetland ponies should weigh about 264 pounds he is allowed into the house and eats breakfast in the kitchen Weidemann straps him into the passenger seat Related StoryWCPO: Therapy Animals Spread Joy To Health Care Workers when the authority on record-breaking achievements responded it informed Weidemann that horses and ponies must be 4 years old to be considered he'll have to wait a year for this recognition Weidemann told Reuters she hopes her cuddly little horse who is so small in stature due to "the vagaries of nature," doesn't grow any taller in the meantime "Many of the seniors we visit used to have a connection to horses or farming," Weidemann told Westfalenpost in a translated article Especially during the time when the residents were not allowed to receive visitors and could not see their families it was a nice change from the dreary everyday life The reactions and the feedback I get make up for the training and education effort by far Pumuckel is a three-year-old Shetland pony who helps with art therapy programs in Germany and hopes to be a Guinness World Record holder by next year