Tender Moment Nurse Mare Adopts Orphaned Foal As Her Own Has Us in Tears

Tender Moment Nurse Mare Adopts Orphaned Foal As Her Own Has Us in Tears originally appeared on PetHelpful.

Welcoming a new baby into the world can be one of life’s greatest gifts, but sadly, birth doesn’t always go to plan. Utah hairstylist and horse owner @shelbylockhart witnessed this tragedy firsthand after her new foal’s mama sadly passed away shortly after bringing her little one Earthside.

The orphaned foal refused milk replacer, but Shelby had another plan. She found a nurse mare, or a lactating female horse with no foal to feed, and hoped that the two would connect despite suffering devastating losses.

What happened next brought Shelby and thousands of viewers to tears. This mom and baby couldn’t be more perfect for one another!

These two were meant to be family! This mama horse accepted the new foal with no hesitation or stress, and once the little one latched, she was just as content. It’s hard to believe that both of these beautiful horses suffered massive losses just days before they met one another.

Related: Community Comes Together to Help Rescue Foal Who Was Abandoned by Her Herd

“So how does it work with a nurse mare?” a commenter asked. “She has to have a baby in order to produce milk. Where is her baby? Are they weaned, and you just keep using her to foster other foals?”

Baby horses only nurse for the first 4-6 months of life, so producing milk for even longer could be exhausting to a mare. Sadly, this mama horse lost her foal as well, so she’s producing milk to feed a baby who’s no longer around. That’s why these two are a perfect match despite suffering immense heartbreak.

It’s such a gift to see this moment unfold, but I can only imagine how Shelby and the other equestrians in this video were feeling. This was the silver lining after two tragedies, but it’s also the beginning of a beautiful relationship between this adopted mom and daughter.

It’s heartwarming to see how quickly and naturally these horses have bonded, even if it wasn’t Plan A. Nurse mares like this new mom are an absolute gift to the equine world, though she never would have met her foal if it weren’t for selfless horse owners like Shelby.

We can’t wait to see what’s in store for these two!

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos.

Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.

Tender Moment Nurse Mare Adopts Orphaned Foal As Her Own Has Us in Tears first appeared on PetHelpful on Jun 4, 2025

This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.