A Grade A showjumping mare has adopted an orphaned foal.
Edward Royale, of MX Sport Horses, had returned his mare Skyline, with a foal at foot, to Meadow Stud in Birdwood, Glos, for AI.
Sadly, the mare, by Caretino, suffered from colic and had to be put down on Tuesday, leaving behind her six-week-old foal Del Boy.
However, first-time mum Loughnatousa Raven, who was in the field with her own filly, took pity on the motherless colt and adopted him as her own.
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Edward said they went out to catch Del Boy, who is by Cornetto King, the following morning and he was inseparable from the pair.
They brought the trio inside and went to fetch a mare they had in mind as a foster mare, only to find the orphan suckling from his chosen foster mum.
“It is a bit rare for a mare and an orphan foal to take,” Edward told H&H.
The 17-year-old black mare now has her hooves full with her own seven-week-old filly by Cash Point and her adopted colt.
The trio are doing well and Loughnatousa Raven’s owner Sharon Baldwin, who runs the stud, said the foals look like twins walking round the field.
“They are doing absolutely brilliantly,” said Sharon.
“She has been doing fantastically considering she has her first foal at foot.
“Mother nature is a wonderful thing.”
Before retiring to stud, Loughnatousa Raven, by Coille Mor Hill, was ridden by Fiona Beecher, John Crippen and Geoff Luckett.
During her career, she competed in the Hickstead Derby, puissance at Hartpury and notched up numerous wins and placings.
These include a win in the 1.30m at the Royal International at Hickstead in 2010, second in a 1.40m class at Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2008 and fourth in the Foxhunter Final at Horse of the Year Show in 2006.
