Big Jake, the world’s tallest horse, dies in Wisconsin

The world’s tallest horse has died in Wisconsin.

Big Jake, a 20-year-old Belgian, lived on Smokey Hollow Farm in Poynette. Valicia Gilbert, wife of the farm’s owner, Jerry Gilbert, said Big Jake had died two weeks ago but declined to give the exact date of death when the Associated Press reached her Monday via Facebook.

“We would rather not remember him by a date – it’s been a traumatic event for our family,” she said.

Big Jake was 6ft 10in (nearly 2.1 meters) and weighed 2,500lb (1,136kg). The Guinness Book of World Records certified him as the world’s tallest living horse in 2010.

Jerry Gilbert told WMTV that Big Jake was a “superstar” and a “truly magnificent animal”. He said Big Jake had been born in Nebraska and weighed 240lb (109 kg) at birth, about 100lb (45kg) heavier at birth than a typical Belgian foal.

He said he planned to memorialize Big Jake by keeping his stall empty and inserting a brick on the outside of it with his picture and name.

“It’s very quiet [at the farm],” Jerry Gilbert said. “The other horses know. I think they have their own grieving time because Jake was the center of attention around here. There is a huge void. It feels like he’s still here, but he’s not.”