If you’re wondering what is the tallest horse in the world, then please meet one of them.
His name is Phantom, and he’s 7 feet tall to his withers. Adding the head, he sits around 8 feet. The massive horse weighs around 2,000 lbs, and he is quite intimidating to look at.
And, while someone would expect such a huge animal to be quite scary to have around, Phantom is nothing like that. In fact, his carers at the Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, where he resides, call him a “puppy.” They actually compare him to the Great Dane — affectionate, friendly, and playful.
“He has so much power but with his laid-back personality he prefers to take things slow and easy which makes the ride even nicer,” Courtney Garner, a horse trainer at the rescue farm, says. “He is the definition of a gentle giant – goofy, loveable, wants all the attention. He comes to the fence line to greet guests and volunteers and is a pleasure to be around.”
And, on top of everything, the 7-year-old gigantic horse has a heart of gold. He always tries to help more vulnerable horses, just like he did with a newcomer.
“One day we had a new horse come into the rescue. He was really sore. He couldn’t walk too far.”
The rescue horse, Teton, is in his early 30s. When he arrived at the farm, it was obvious that he had suffered a lot in his life. He was neglected, and his hooves were full of holes, deformed, and aching.
Poor Teton couldn’t walk long distances. He was also shy, and he didn’t approach other horses. But Phantom knew that he could find a friend in him.
“Phantom, being the big, puppy dog that he is, would encourage Teton to get out, walk a little further.”
So, the two horses soon became close, and when the trainers and volunteers realized that, they started taking them to the creek together.
Phantom has always loved the water, and he’s enjoyed splashing around, so they were wondering if Teton would follow his example.
Indeed, although the newcomer was shy at first and hesitated to get into the water, when he finally did, he had so much fun alongside his new best friend.
And while usually younger horses imitate and follow the example of the older ones, in this case, older Teton follows young Phantom in his adventures, which has helped him in the healing process.
“While the Gentle Giants staff was handling the medical care for Teton, Phantom was helping from more of a mental and emotional side,” Garner said.
Today, Teton has fully recovered, and he has regained his strength and confidence. He’s become one of the alpha horses in the herd, and he’s gone from shy to a strong, healthy, and happy horse.
It is amazing how Phantom helped his friend stand on his feet again.
Watch their story in the video below.
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