Big Jake (March 2001 – June 2021) was an exceptionally tall American Belgian gelding horse.[1] From 2010 he was the Guinness World Records "tallest living horse", and also the second-tallest horse on record.

Big Jake
BreedBelgian
SexGelding
FoaledMarch 2001
Nebraska
DiedJune 2021 (aged 20)
Smokey Hollow Farm
Poynette, Wisconsin
CountryUnited States
ColorRed
OwnerJerry Gilbert
Honors
Guinness World Records: Tallest horse living

Life

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Big Jake was born in 2001 in Nebraska, weighing approximately 240 pounds (110 kg), which is about 100 pounds (45 kg) heavier than is typical for his breed.[2][3] His parents were normal-sized, and he was not unusually tall as a foal.[4] He was bought as a three-year-old by the Gilbert family[5] of Smokey Hollow Farm, near Poynette, Wisconsin.[6][7][3] He ate two buckets of grain and about a bale of hay every day.[4][2] His stall was almost twice the normal size and he was transported in a semi-trailer.[4]

He became the Guinness World Records "tallest living horse" when he was measured in 2010 at 20.2 34 hands (82.75 inches, 210 cm).[A][8][4] He also became the second-tallest horse on record, after Sampson at 21.25 hands (86.5 inches, 220 cm) (foaled 1846, in Toddington Mills, Bedfordshire, England).[4]

He competed in draft horse showing competitions and was shown at the Wisconsin State Fair.[9]

He died in June 2021; his owners did not give an exact date.[10][11][5]

Explanatory notes

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  1. ^ Horse heights are measured at the withers

References

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  1. ^ G, Kashmira; EDT, er On 7/6/21 at 8:01 AM (July 6, 2021). "Owners of Big Jake, the world's tallest horse, pay tribute after he dies aged 20". Newsweek. Retrieved July 16, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b Britton, Bianca (May 23, 2018). "The tallest and smallest horse in the world". CNN. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "World's tallest horse Big Jake dies in Wisconsin at age 20". The Independent. July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e "On this day in 2010: Big Jake, the world's tallest horse, is measured". Guinness World Records. January 19, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Elliott, Tim (July 5, 2021). "Wisconsin family mourns the loss of 'Big Jake'—the world's tallest horse". KCBD. Archived from the original on July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  6. ^ Glenday, Craig (April 30, 2013). Guinness World Records 2013. Bantam Books. pp. 89. ISBN 978-0-345-54711-8.
  7. ^ "Meet Big Jake, world's tallest horse". TODAY. April 29, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  8. ^ "Meet Big Jake – the World's Tallest Horse". EQUINE Ink. June 6, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  9. ^ "RIP Big Jake: World's tallest horse dies at age 20, tributes pour in". Times Now. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  10. ^ "World's tallest horse dies on Town of Dekorra family's farm". Lodi Enterprise. July 12, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  11. ^ "Big Jake, the world's tallest horse, dies in Wisconsin". The Guardian. London. Associated Press. July 5, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2021.