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Louie Bartlett bathes Tina, a Shire horse owned by Jim Williams, on Tuesday in Niota, Tenn. At only 3 years old, Tina still has some room to grow — but her Tennessee owners are hoping she can break records. Tina now measures 81 inches at the withers, the equestrian term for the top of the shoulders. She weighs 1,600 pounds. 5 N' U, a2 q- e* A. L! X+ Q% P. k z, [
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Tall Horse Takes Shot at World Record$ h! O! w4 v3 L; M
# E. \. T6 @& V* ^0 dNIOTA, Tenn. -- At only 3 years old, an English shire horse named Tina still has some room to grow. But the draft horse is already so big, her Tennessee owners are hoping she can break records. Officially named Jenson Diplomat Tina, she is still a teenager in horse years, said owner Jim Williams. , j) e; R: l+ s" o5 B4 G9 I9 X " \& K4 N( y. x( Z# W# M# {/ J+ `$ V" gTina now measures 81 inches at the withers, the equestrian term for the top of the shoulder. She weighs 1,600 pounds. 5 C" R$ Z8 E0 Z. E- v! N& {6 K. R8 _- ^
"But she is beginning to put on muscle and weight on her back as she grows," Williams said. "She still has at least two years of growth and could reach 21 hands." ' {: Q3 @3 u! ?0 o# h1 E. J6 g$ @" M/ m! J) s, l) R
That's 7 feet, or 84 inches, measured at the withers, he said. 0 k2 m( f4 u5 x# E: i % K9 G! m* G* D, O+ D% _) @The current Guinness World Record holder for tallest living horse is a Belgian draft horse named Radar. According to his Web site, he 19 hands, 3 1/2 inches tall, or 79 1/2 inches.3 O# O6 z5 i5 N$ V- X ^7 o+ f
\2 t$ u0 @5 d. h. C" VTina will be measured later this month at her owner's bed and breakfast in Niota, about 65 miles northeast of Chattanooga. : ]7 p5 D" x" e+ M0 ] 1 q/ X' L2 k& o. p5 G, d- j. {4 {The event is open to the public and proceeds from refreshments will go to the "Tina carrot fund," said Jaime Barnett, the horse's trainer. She eats about 5 pounds of carrots a week. 9 s$ Y0 p" W6 f2 A, y5 s$ x $ W# q. W) ?8 V8 _Official measurement will be from the ground up, straight up her front leg to a T-square on her withers. Several witnesses will be on hand. : ^6 n4 J# S: P" u( T4 n$ B ! U1 U9 Z2 B6 Q8 i- n) AThe documentation will then be sent to Guinness, based in London.8 d3 k1 h; M5 R; I* g
6 _3 F: o9 \) b. b( g) XTina may get as much fame as Radar, who travels from his home in Mount Pleasant, Texas, to personal appearances across the country. 4 F3 b `5 N5 v3 n2 p2 ?" }! H; u4 z" M# h: a" [: H
But all she'll get at first is a new pair of shoes because the measurement requires the horse not to be shod. : F, ^2 h' A8 [2 b8 {$ l, I8 h& J, J4 d9 E; T4 _ t
Williams isn't sure what size shoe Tina wears, though. * n- p3 U+ P4 q5 M# K- m0 d& t/ G, u- s) P1 [2 p8 R
"The biggest they make," he said.
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