Hearts are melting for Harry, the diminutivebut adorable miniature pony. It’s not hard to see why onlookers do a double-take when Jack Russell dog Bob plays chase with his new best buddy Harry.
But Harry, who lives on a farm near Tauranga, isn’t one of Bob’s canine mates. This little creature, no bigger than Bob, is actually a baby miniature horse. Harry was born seven weeks premature, making him much smaller than usual. Standing just 34cm tall and covered in fluff, Harry is often mistaken for a cute puppy especially when he plays in the paddock with pint-sized Bob.
“Harry is going through that really adorable stage,” says proud owner and miniature horse breeder, Tony Hawkins. “He loves to play with people, just like a puppy. It’s very cute when he comes up to me, nuzzles me and jumps on my lap for a cuddle. Normally horses don’t do that, but of course, Harry is no ordinary horse.”
It’s amazing that Harry survived at all, being born so early. “oost miniatures born premature, especially more than four weeks early, have a slim chance of survival,” says Tony. “So Harry has defied the odds and is lucky to be alive. He’s still developing but he doesn’t let his small size hold him back, and he loves playing in the paddock with Bob.”
Tony expects Harry to reach about 50cm in height when he’s fully grown.
Harry has been the centre of attention for much of his young life, with many admirers visiting the tiny wonder since his birth. “It’s easy to see why people’s hearts melt when they see Harry. Sometimes I feel I should be checking their bags when they leave after visiting him, because he’s small enough to fit in one.”
Tony says miniature horses are known to be extremely lovable and Harry clearly has that trait in bucket-loads. Although Tony and wife Lynda normally breed the horses to sell, they insist that Harry is staying put.
“Harry is very unique and we would find it hard to give him away,” says Tony. “It’s like a mother bonding with a new baby it’s that type of emotion with a special horse like Harry, so he’s here to stay.”
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