Altering the centuries old tradition, nine female soldiers have reportedly been posted at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle in London on Sunday, a ceremonial role that was earlier reserved exclusively for men. Five women from the Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery and four more women from the Army Air Corps reported for duty at the palace for the first time ever thus marking a breakthrough for women in the British Army.

Thumbelina, the world's smallest living horse, will reportedly raise $1 million for children's charities this year. The owners of this miniature horse plan to have her toured across various states in the Unites States in "Thumby Mobile" - a specially made vehicle for her. This 5-year-old horse, which suffers from dwarfism, stands just 17 inches tall and weighs just over 57 pounds. She is owned by farmers Kay and Paul Goessling, who claim she is great with people and loves attention.

A childhood letter written by Britain's Queen Elizabeth is going under the hammer next month. The letter was written by Her Majesty to a sick relative when she was just 12-years-old and is expected to fetch up to $785 at an auction.

A Maine farmer has almost given up his efforts to corral a donkey he bought two months ago at an auction. Tranquilizers, a luring date and even a horse whisperer have so far failed to persuade Jenny the donkey to make a comeback since she fled the corral, presumably in search for her lost love. Joe Varricchio, the co-owner of the farm called "Mary Gardens," bought Jenny from an auction thinking its presence in the farm would ward off predators like fox, coyotes and raccoons that have been snatching 50 to 60 hens a year. But his hopes were diluted when the freedom-minded equine eluded the farm just two weeks after and since then Varricchio's every effort to corral her have failed.

A New York woman has some help getting around from her seeing eye horse. Ann Edie, 58, has been using her miniature horse as a guide horse since 2003. Panda is 29 inches tall and 120 pounds. Edie's seeing eye dog died after 10 years working for her and she tried out two other dogs before she learned about guide horses. Edie owns two other horses and thought it sounded like a good idea.