These pictures show an unlikely animal bonding – after a pony adopted three orphaned LAMBS.
Ten-year-old Heidi took on the care of the young trio following the death of their own mother – and even feeds them.
The maternal mare is on loan to Becky Popham, who keeps her in a field in Somerset.
She bought the baby sheep – Prince, Dewdrop and George, all four-week-olds – from a farmer and put them in with Heidi.
She said the Welsh Mountain Pony soon became concerned about the lambs and began lying with them.
The mum-of-three added that she had checked the unusual feeding arrangements with a vet – who said it was “absolutely fine”.
Becky, 33, said: “I put them in with her because she wasn’t worried about them.
“Heidi started by lying down with them and from there they started standing under her. She then started licking them and she’s producing a little bit of milk to feed them.
“I ran it past the vet and he said it’s absolutely fine, and it’s just one of those random things of nature.
“Her maternal instincts have just kicked in.”
Heidi, who had a foal about five years ago, has been staying with Becky and her daughters – aged ten, nine and five – for about three months.
She added: “What she’s doing with the lambs is so rare. I’ve only heard of it happening once before.”
Becky added that she also bottle feeds the lambs three times a day.