A tiny Shetland foal orphaned on Christmas Day has finally been fostered by another pony after several unsuccessful attempts to unite her with a replacement family.
Ruby was taken to Redwings Ada Cole Rescue Stables, in Epping Road, Nazeing, at just two months old after losing her mother unexpectedly to an illness.
Dedicated staff at the sanctuary worked round the clock for six weeks to ensure Ruby was bottle fed and cuddled throughout the day and night, giving her some of the love she had lost when her mother died.
But the 25-inch blue and white foal was becoming too familiar with people and had forgotten how to interact with other ponies.
Centre staff were concerned she was not learning how to be like a pony and develop natural instincts.
Estate manager Ron Teague said: "You have to be careful when they spend too much time around humans and that's why it was important we introduced her to other ponies. But when we put her with a group of other Shetlands they seemed confused by Ruby's particularly small size and didn't know what to do."
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Eventually her carers tried matching her with Hamish, an 11-year-old Skewbald Shetland, who has been at the sanctuary for eight years.
The outlook was not promising because normally a new foal would bond with its mother rather than father.
But despite the age gap and the odds stacked against them, the pair instantly got on.
Mr Teague said: "The introduction worked and Hamish and Ruby are a bit like an adopted dad and daughter."
He added: "The lady who owned her really tried to look after her but it became too much and so she asked for our help. It's been very much a team effort from everyone, feeding her at 3am and again at 5am, but we can relax now knowing she has Hamish to keep her company. He has been a star."
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