
A photographer witnessed a dramatic fight between two wild stallions as they battled over a female.

Rare and dramatic pictures show a wild stallion in the Shropshire hills trying to bite his male rival in the head.

The brown stallion is pictured squaring up to his opponent as the two were seen rearing up on their hind legs.

He then attacked his rival stallion but was beaten off as he was hit in the head with a hoof.

The white stallion then chased him off and attempted to bite him in the bottom in retaliation for the melee.

Landscape photographer John Hayward, 33, captured the battle while out with his camera in Shropshire.

He watched on as he took pictures of their heads 'flying back' as the stallions resorted to kicking each other in the head.

He said: 'There was a group of about six wild ponies up on Long Mynd and the brown stallion was on his own.

'They just roam about over the hills. I have photographed them many times but this is the first time I've seen them fight.

'The brown stallion kept getting closer to the others, maybe he was interested in the females.

'Then the white one chased him off. I got my camera ready. I waited for about half an hour and it happened again.

'When they approached each other they immediately reared up onto their hind legs. The scuffle lasted for about ten seconds the first time, then about five. The white one won both times.

'There was a bit of kicking going on so I think both were hurt. They managed to kick each other in the head and their heads were flying back. There was some attempted biting.

'It's a great place for taking pictures. These are very dramatic ones and I'm happy with them'.

Hoooof! The wild stallion defended himself by hitting his opponent in the head with a hoof. Landscape photographer John Hayward, 33, captured the battle while out with his camera in Shropshire

Kung Fu biting: The brown stallion is pictured squaring up to his opponent as the two were seen rearing up on their hind legs. Rare and dramatic pictures show a wild stallion in the Shropshire hills trying to bite his male rival in the head

Get back here: The white stallion then chased him off and attempted to bite him in the bottom in retaliation for the melee. Photographer John Hayward witnessed the dramatic fight between the two wild stallions as they battled over a female