Olive and Pickle

While L was out riding I had a longer walk across the Chase before meeting up with her at the stables at lunchtime.

We took our time, doing all sorts of jobs before grabbing a 'buttie' from the cafe for lunch.  Just as we were leaving we noticed this foal, just 11 weeks old at an adjacent stable.  Chatting to the owner, we soon realised they had been rescued.  The mare, just over two years old is very young to have foaled.  When she was rescued she was in very poor condition and photographs we were shown attested to how thin she was.  The foal, a Clydesdale cross, was very inquisitive, but the mare was quite wary of people, probably no surprise given her condition.  The new owner had recently lost her own horse to colic, so finding these two couldn't have happened at a better time.  It'll be interesting to see how big the foal becomes as it grows up.  He is already much bigger than the other foal I've photographed on the yard in recent weeks.  They are about the same age.