'It's created one happy ending' - thoroughbred filly foals continue to thrive under Sammy the Shire's excellent care

It turns out happy endings can occur in our somewhat troubled world - look no further than the tale of Sammy the Shire horse and her heroic raising of the thoroughbred filly foals Mouse and Tracey. 

Former trainer and jockey Jess Westwood had her work cut out when the two foals were sadly left without mothers earlier this year, but the Molland Ridge Stud owner found she could kill two birds with one rather large stone. 

Step forward Sammy, who had lost a foal but has gone on to do sterling service with her two adopted youngsters, one by Dink called Mouse and the other a Havana Gold filly named Tracey.

Updating on the touching and unusual story that came to light in the spring, Westwood said: "They've done really well; the smaller foal needed treatment for ulcers for a little bit of stress, more because of how she was brought up. She was never fully developed when she was born, so she was always a bit susceptible to getting a bit poorly, but from as soon as she was on ulcer meds she's been absolutely fine. 

"They're both growing, one's 152kg and the other is just under 200kg now, so both are doing really well on Sammy the Shire. She looks in great condition considering she's feeding two foals, they're not taking too much off her, but enough so they grow well themselves."

The next stage of the journey is a familiar one for all breeders - weaning. 

Westwood said: "We're going to wean them after our open day in the second week of September, more to give the smaller foal Mouse a bit more time on the mare. 

"They'll be weaned here and we'll take Sammy back up home and then when they've settled down, Tracey, the Havana Gold filly, will go back to her owner in Taunton."

Westwood hopes the occurrence can be an example for others to follow, should the need ever arise, reasoning that heavy-horse broodmares can provide plenty of nutrition and nurturing to thoroughbred foals. 

"At the end of the day it helped three disasters and created one happy ending," she said. "If the opportunity came up with another foster Shire mare, I'd always jump to it because we know they've got such good, placid attitudes to life. They're gentle giants who are good and suitable and have lots of milk!

"Sammy's looked after them so well; you do worry if she might reject one at a later stage as there are two of them and they are growing at different rates, but she's been super with both of them. 

"She'll be the one upset when it comes to weaning time, not the kids! Hopefully it might have opened people's eyes as to what could materialise if they do lose a Shire or Clydesdale foal."

Sammy the Shire horse has overseen the care of the two foals with aplombCredit: Jess Westwood

The Devon stud also consigns alongside its nursery and maternity duties, with its most recent draft having headed to Doncaster for the Goffs UK August Sale.

Westwood reported: "We didn't have our strongest sale as we sold only one of three; that said, you can't push the market and the horses went really well. Potentially two of them are going to go into training with their breeders, so that's good, and we had an easy day too."

As autumn approaches, the youngest equine inhabitants of Molland Ridge Stud continue to develop, and it is the foal sales that are next on the agenda for the team, who are in the midst of working out who will be heading where. 

Westwood said: "We've not got anything for the yearling sales but we've got foals to sell, so the next sale is the Goffs UK National Hunt Select Foal Sale back at Doncaster on November 3. We're in the process of weaning and choosing which foals will go there and which will go to Ireland. 

"The yard has had its turnaround as the mares have gone home and we've got breakers and pre-trainers in at the moment."

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