Tag Along #13256

The Story

This quarterhorse mare grazes through the high Spring grass while her young foal follows along by her side. Unless it is frolicking about as the little ones will do with all their youthful energy, the baby will stay close to the mother’s side. The yellow buttercups are everywhere throughout the green field on this beautiful idyllic day. As time moves on, summer isn’t too far away and the land has ripened into full green. Here it is shown spotted with daubs of yellow flowers.

The same color as its mother, the wide-eyed foal also has an asymmetrical white patch on its head with white socks like the mother mare. All classic quarterhorse stuff.

But for horses, buttercups are dangerous and toxic to eat. They can cause mouth sores, gastric problems, and possible colic in horses. The quarterhorse mare mother shows the baby not to eat them by example, but buttercup flowers taste bitter to a horse which is often enough to keep them away. Like other young horses, this quarterhorse baby will learn quickly.

Other interesting views of horse mothers and their babies can be seen in the Mares and Foals section of this website.

Location: rural Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Picture and story © Andrew Dierks