Koda - The Tiny Horse

Koda was always meant to be a small horse - After all he is an 'American Miniature'. However, thanks to a rare health condition, he has turned out even tinier than the rest of his clan - but everyone agrees that Australia's smallest horse is as cute as a button!

Koda, who weighs only 70lbs and stands less than 2ft (59cm) tall was born with not only a rare condition of dwarfism, but was also plagued with a number of other health conditions. In fact the veterinarian was considering putting him down, when a nurse fell in love with the spunky little baby and decided to adopt and save him.

Over the last thirteen months Koda, who sports a mohawk hairdo, has been through a number of surgeries, including one to correct his small stumpy legs - And he is not done. He still has to undergo one major one to remove his adult teeth, which are too big for his tiny jaw.

However, this cutie, that could easily be mistaken for a stuffed toy, is a resilient little fella. According to his vet, he rebounds easily from every surgery and is one of the friendliest horses around. Of course it does help that Koda has a loving owner and now leads the life of a pampered pet.

Miniature horses, which come in many breeds, normally grow between 86-97cm in height. They make great pets because of their friendly and easy-going demeanor . Similar to dogs, they can be trained as service animals to assist the disabled. While Koda is tiny, he is by no means the tiniest horse in the world.

That honor goes to a miniature horse called 'Thumbelina' who also suffers from the dwarfism. The tiny horse is just 17 1/2 inches tall and lives on a farm in St. Louis . The five-year old is quite famous and even has her own website - worldssmallesthorse.com where you can read about her and even buy 'Thumbelina' branded merchandise.

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, telegraph.co.uk., nation.com.wikipedia.com