Koda the Dwarf Miniature Horse

Koda the Dwarf Miniature Horse

Nope, that's not a stuffed toy you're looking at. Koda the miniature horse was the size of a cat when he was born a year ago near Melbourne, Australia, reports Australia's ABC News Online. Today the pint-sized horse stands 23.2 inches tall, and weighs a mere 77 pounds.

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Miniature horses are usually the size of a small pony. Koda's parents were typical miniature horses, according to ABC News Online. But Koda was born with dwarfism, making the tiny equine even tinier. He's not the smallest horse on record, though. The Guinness Book of Records gives that prize to Thumbelina, an American miniature horse just 17.5 inches tall, reports the Diamond Valley Leader.

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Koda had a rough start in life. His dwarfism has caused a number of health problems, reports the Diamond Valley Leader. He was born with leg abnormalities that caused his stumpy legs to buckle and bend. He's already undergone surgery to repair a joint in his front leg that dislocated when he walked. The surgery was a success, and Koda now trots around much more easily. Next he'll need dental work to remove some of the large adult teeth that don't fit in his miniature mouth.

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Koda's owner, veterinary nurse Karen Stephenson, was smitten with Koda from the start. "I fell in love with him straight away," she told ABC News Online. For now, Koda is living at the Yarrambat Veterinary Hospital, where Stephenson works. After he recovers from additional surgeries, he'll move back to Stephenson's farm, where he'll have a chance to romp with her normal-sized horses.

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Koda's surgeries have cost $10,000 so far, and the bill is expected to top $30,000 before all is said and done. "But he's well worth it," Yarrambat Veterinary Hospital vet Andy Lynch told ABC News Online. Despite his early health problems, Lynch said he's hopeful that Koda will live at least a decade, if not longer. "He's very brave and he responds very well to pain relief," he told ABC News Online.

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Koda reportedly loves the attention he gets. It's a good thing. School kids and vanloads of elderly visitors have traveled to the Yarrambat Veterinary Hospital to lay eyes on the diminutive horse, reports ABC News Online. We don't blame them. Really, have you ever seen a cuter critter?

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