A horse in England has been crowned the world’s largest living horse by Guinness World Records, and he is absolutely massive.
Say hello to Hugo, the four-year-old gentle giant who has made headlines for his huge 6.5ft (199cm) height. The hefty horsey towers above his owners and has become a local celebrity in Towcester, Northamptonshire.
While Hugo’s current size has given him a new record-breaking title, his owner has revealed that the young horse is still growing. This means he could even end up beating the tallest and heaviest horse ever recorded, which stood at 7ft 2.5in and was documented in 1850.
Meet Hugo the world’s tallest living horse
“He’s still got three years of growing left, he won’t stop until he’s about eight and a half, he’s only a baby,” said owner Brett Masters via the BBC.
Guinness World Records reportedly contacted Hugo’s owners after hearing about a “locally famous horse” whose striking size has led him to being a popular sight. Well, he is rather hard to miss!
Despite his rather intimidating appearance, Masters described him as “the kindest, most gentle kind of horse,” while fellow owner Lisa Masters called him “a big softie, like an oversized dog.”
His extraordinary height has also led to him being treated like a pro athlete, as the four-legged animal receives a “five-star lifestyle” to keep him fit and healthy.
“He has a chiropractor, has regular massages, the dentist visits every six months, and the vet checks him all the time as his growing plates are hyperactive. He has lots of supplements and a careful feeding regimen. He lives a five-star lifestyle, he wants for nothing,” explained Masters.
As for why Hugo is so, well, BIG, it’s all down to his Shire horse lineage, with the breed famously being incredibly muscular and strong. Historically, Shire horses were used to pull farming equipment, transport goods, and tow canal boats before modern machinery largely replaced them.
If only Hugo could flex his record-breaking size in Umamusume or maybe take on the role of the giant horse in The Legend of Zelda movie, he’d be able to gorge on all the carrots he could ever dream of.
Guinness World Record horses aside, it’s been a good year for our four-legged friends (apt for the Year of the Horse, I know). CD Projekt Red has announced that they’ve fixed Roach’s “buggy” behavior, but have given fans a choice between her silly and serious side.
Then there’s the ever-growing popularity of the viral horse girl game Umamusume, which is now bringing life-size horse girls to a prestigious $5.8 million race in Paris this October.
