MOTHER-love comes naturally to one New Forest horse - even when the baby is not really hers.
The ten year-old mare, who lives at Longdown near Ashurst, has adopted orphaned foal Hooch.
The little colt was only a few days old when his New Forest pony mother, Alcopop, was found dead. Other Forest mares rejected him but Zanagay took to the orphan at once. Owner Sharon Hutley is stunned by her mare's maternal instinct. She said: "Zanagay knew something was wrong the night before the foal was found. She was screaming and making a fuss. Next day Hooch was found alone in the nearby inclosure," said Sharon.
"She has only had one foal before and he was sold as a yearling a month ago. Zanagay still had a little bit of milk from feeding him, and we were advised to give her cocoa to make her milk flow again for the foal. It worked. Little Hooch is feeding well and follows Zanagay everywhere. She's his mother now."
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