A man bought a mare, unbeknownst to him, she was pregnant—and delivered a little foal.
The user, u/No_Type_9898, shared on Reddit how they had purchased the mare 10 months ago and had no idea she was expecting. Then, one day, she gave birth. The post has since garnered more than 54,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments from animal lovers delighted by the unexpected news.
“We bought this mare without knowing she was pregnant … and today we met her little surprise,” the poster wrote, alongside a picture of the newborn foal standing beside its proud mother.
A mare’s pregnancy usually lasts around 11 months—approximately 340 days—although some mares can foal a few weeks earlier or later depending on individual factors. Because the gestation period is so long, it is not uncommon for horse owners to be unaware of a pregnancy, especially if the mare doesn’t show obvious physical signs. In some cases, weight gain or subtle behavior changes may be the only hints before the foal arrives.
Once a foal is born, proper care in the first few hours is essential. Experts at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine say that newborn foals should attempt to stand within an hour of birth and start nursing within two hours.
Ensuring that the foals receive their mother’s first milk, known as colostrum, is critical, as it contains antibodies that protect them from disease. Foals also need a clean, dry environment, careful monitoring, and a veterinary exam within 12 to 24 hours to confirm they are healthy and strong.
Reddit users were quick to flood the post with excitement and jokes.
“Free horse,” quipped one user.
“Baby horses are so cute with their stick legs and wobbliness,” shared another user.
“And knobby knees! Such knobby knees,” said a third viewer.
“Literal trojan horse,” posted one viewer.
“Emergency backup horse,” commented another.
“She’s gorgeous and her baby is, too. Are you going to raise the foal?” asked a third user.
“Of course it is, it’s wonderful,” the original poster responded.
“Wonderfoal,” one comment read.
Newsweek reached out to u/No_Type_9898 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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