Shetland mare Zena has risen to the challenge of being foster mother to hunter foal Annie, even though she has to stand on a mounting block to let the youngster feed.
On 5 June, Lancashire horse owner Emma Green unexpectedly lost her hunter mare Tara, who had a foal at foot, and a Shetland foal, within an hour of each other.
Despite help from her vet and advice from the National Foaling Bank, five-day-old Annie would not drink from a bottle or bucket after her mother’s death.
As a last-ditch attempt, Emma decided to try to put the foal on to 10hh Zena with the assistance of a mounting block. The mare needed some persuading, but after a while she allowed the foal to drink.
“Twelve weeks on and they are happy in their routine. Annie, now towering over Zena, is still drinking from her morning and night,” said Emma.
Zena, 10, had a number of different homes before being bought by Emma at auction in May, but now she has a home for life.
www.nationalfoalingbank.com
