We’ve all heard of unusual cases of individuals with 15-inch-long nails or 18-foot-long hair. However, have you ever heard of a 6’11” horse? That’s right, a 6’11” horse. That would describe Big Jake perfectly.
If you aren’t already acquainted with Big Jake, the horse, you’ll be blown away. This guy was deemed the World’s Tallest Horse according to the Guinness World Records 2013. Even today, the Belgian horse is still considered the tallest, living animal of his kind. This incredible horse weighed a whopping 240 pounds when he was born. (Poor mom) However, the average foal weighs approximately 100 pounds — we both know Big Jake isn’t average.
Today, the horse weighs over 2,600 pounds despite most adult horses weighing a merely 1,000 pounds. How amazing is that?!
You might be thinking that with his taller and heftier figure, Big Jake would have a personality reflecting his physical characteristics. However, he is a gentle giant. Jake’s owner, Jerry Gilbert of Smokey Hollow Farm in Ostego, Michigan, describes his horse as playful and “a big jokester” with a good temperament. Who would have thought?
Interestingly, his owner also says that when people spot Big Jake for the very first time, there’s a moment where they keep silent in an attempt to process the situation. I would too if I unexpectedly came across an oversized horse!
As for Jake’s diet, the owner says that he consumes a whopping bale and a half, a day, while most horses don’t even consume a whole bale of hay on a daily basis. Watching the viral footage of Big Jake, which by the way earned over 3 million views and counting on Youtube, I am stunned at the difference in the size of the horse and his owner.
However, Big Jake’s size is not quite the largest for his species when compared to the tallest horse in history. In 1846, Sampson the Shire horse from Toddington Mills, Bedfordshire, England, stood 7’2.5″ tall. Regardless, Big Jake is enormous and is the tallest and heaviest horse currently alive. Surely anyone, animal or human, would be afraid to make that horse angry!
What’s the craziest world record you’ve ever heard of? If you could break any world record, what would it be?
If you don’t believe us that Big Jake is currently the tallest horse on the planet, check out the video at the end of this article!
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