Beauty, one of the smallest horses in the world, gave birth to her first child and nobody including owner Gerry Hourihane even knew she was pregnant.

The 29-inch tall mini Shetland Pony now has a five day old son less than half her size.

The piebald newcomer, a male dubbed Mini Me, is just a foot tall following his arrival in a field in the early hours of last Saturday.

Mini Me – the name comes from the pint-sized clone of Dr Evil in the Austin Powers films – is intended only temporarily for Beauty’s son. He will be given a more suitable name as soon as Gerry and his family think of one.

“He’s not even the size of a dog” said a surprised but delighted Gerry(34), who lives in Rock Road, Bundoran, with partner Nicola and 18-months-old daughter Yasmin.

Horses – even mini versions – have a gestation period of 11 months before they give birth.

Gerry, an unemployed construction industry worker who is also a part-time horse dealer, bought Beauty nine months ago from a man in Ballintra for €350 with the intention of selling her on within weeks.

But little Yasmin and the pony bonded immediately. Gerry decided to keep the animal rather than break the child’s heart.

He said: “Yasmin went right up to Beauty and hugged her and started petting her and the pony nuzzled her. Small horses tend to kick or bite and can be very nasty but there’s none of that with Beauty. She’s very quiet and Yasmin now sits on her and gets little rides.”

Gerry added: “Beauty was obviously pregnant when I bought her but the seller probably didn’t even realise it. I certainly didn’t.

“In recent weeks I noticed she was putting on a bit of weight but I thought nothing of it. I got the shock of my life when I went out to the field to see her last Saturday and there was this lovely little foal lying beside her.

“Beauty had delivered the wee chap without any help.”

He said: “Yasmin is mad about the foal now but when the time comes I will have to sell him on.

“We’re keeping Beauty, ‘though, and when the time comes I’ll ‘horse’ Beauty again. I have a wee mini Shetland stallion that I bought specially as a mate for her.”

(Reporter: Paddy Clancy)