CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — A Chincoteague foal who was found without a mother this week has been taken in by a nurturing mare.
The foal was born on Assateague last Monday night, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company shared.
Last Tuesday morning, a cowboy cruise company discovered the foal with a mare named Marsh Mallow, according to the fire company. However, Captain Hunter Leonard, a Saltwater Cowboy, realized that the newborn did not belong to Marsh Mallow or any other mares in that band.
A vet determined that Marsh Mallow did not have any milk for the foal, so they recommended that she be taken to a mare with milk available if the real mother was not found, the fire company said.
The foal was taken to Leonard Farm, where she was adopted by a nurturing mare named EJ, who took to the newborn immediately.
"Within ten seconds [EJ] smelled the foal, spun around and let her nurse right away. We were blown away, how could this go so well again, it defied common sense," the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company wrote in a Facebook post.
On Sept. 2, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company said they are "leaning toward" Fancy Free being the mother of "Foal 102." Because Fancy Free is a maiden mare, meaning she has no prior experience as a mother, the fire company said she is "more apt to 'forget' about a foal."
The mystery foal was taken to a veterinarian, who confirmed she had borderline levels of immunoglobulin, according to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. This indicates that she did receive some of her mother's milk, but not enough to acquire the proper amount of antibodies. The foal was also treated for a joint that was slightly inflamed and infected.
"What started as a day full of mystery has certainly turned to optimism."
The foal is #102, the fire company says.
