I recently received an email that made me squeal with delight – two gorgeous foals had been born at one of our outlying farms near Sidmouth. As we have a no-breeding policy here at The Donkey Sanctuary, the birth of a single foal is a very exciting event, but two healthy young foals is a major cause for celebration.
I recently received an email that made me squeal with delight – two gorgeous foals had been born at one of our outlying farms near Sidmouth. As we have a no-breeding policy here at The Donkey Sanctuary, the birth of a single foal is a very exciting event, but two healthy young foals is a major cause for celebration.
The two foals – both handsome little boys – were born within 24 hours of each other over the Easter weekend to two donkeys who were already ‘expecting’ when they came into our care. First-time mum Honey gave birth to a stunning white and brown coloured foal at 6:45pm on Easter Sunday, and 11-year-old Rosie gave birth to a handsome chocolate brown foal at 11:30pm the following day. They haven’t been given names yet, but both foals are fit and healthy and growing in size and confidence every day.
As I am sure any of my colleagues and friends will testify, no one goes more gooey over a donkey foal than me, so I eagerly arranged to go and meet the fluffy new arrivals. The day that I visited was the first time the foals and their mums had been let out on the grass, and from their enthusiastic munching, rolling and gambolling, I think it is safe to say that they enjoyed the experience!
Honey’s foal in particular seemed to have great fun stretching his legs, and literally ran rings around his mum, making her and me a bit dizzy!
At The Donkey Sanctuary we often have to deal with sad and difficult situations in which donkeys have been neglected or mistreated, so it was lovely to share in the simple joy of this little foal as he felt the grass on his little hooves and the wind ruffling his fluffy coat for the first time.
I hope the following video clip makes you smile as much as it does me – I think my silly grin is going to stick around for quite some time yet!
