when he was spotted by concerned walkers

Wild Exmoor foal was within days of death from hunger and


Starving, bedraggled and all alone — this wild Exmoor foal was within days of death from hunger and pneumonia.

Just four months old, he was stranded in a steep, wooded valley, so weak he struggled even to stand up. The sodden ground was so mossy that the grass he needed to eat couldn't grow.

Ironically, his very weakness would save his life. Ponies from the ancient and endangered Exmoor breed are notoriously tricky to handle, but the orphaned foal lacked the strength to flee when local 'pony whisperer' Dawn Westcott came to his rescue.

Mrs Westcott, an expert on Exmoors who tries to create a bond of trust with the wild ponies, had been alerted by a walker to the malnourished foal.

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Starving, bedraggled and alone, this wild Exmoor foal was within days of death from hunger and pneumonia when he was spotted

Starving and with a bloated stomach, the Exmoor foal could barely stand when he was finally rescued by the Pony Whisperer

Walkers alerted 'pony whisperer' Dawn Westcott, who came to the foal's aid. Here, she guides him to the safety of her trailer

As Monsieur Chapeau, who is close to death, is rescued Mrs Westcott begins to gain his trust by reassuring and comforting him

Mrs Westcott and two helpers guide the starving pony him to the safety of their trailer after being tipped off about his condition

The foal is gently guided to the waiting trailer in order to be taken for medical treatment from a vet and care from Mrs Westcott

Mrs Westcott, a pony whisperer, is pictured sniffing noses with the foal Monsieur Chapeau to convey reassurance that all will be well

She duly led him to her trailer, kneeling down to comfort him as he collapsed eight times on the short journey. Her vet warned her that they might already be too late.

Yet thanks to the extraordinary bond she forged with the foal, he survived. Now the picture of glossy health, he often sleeps on her lap, and has made his home in a herd of 25 other Exmoor ponies on her farm.

She called the animal 'Monsieur Chapeau', inspired by a message from a French friend who used the phrase 'Chapeau!' — meaning 'Hats off!' — to congratulate both rescuer and foal on the astonishing turnaround.

Mrs Westcott, who runs the Moorland Exmoor Foal Project, which safeguards the breed, credits 'pony whispering' techniques — involving patient, kind handling — with helping Monsieur Chapeau adjust to his new life off the moor.

She called the animal 'Monsieur Chapeau', inspired by a message from a French friend who used the phrase 'Chapeau!' — meaning 'Hats off!' — to congratulate both rescuer and foal on the astonishing turnaround

A fully recovered Monsieur Chapeau, complete with a glossy coat and bright eyes, accepts a cuddle from Mrs Westcott

A very content-looking Monsieur Chapeau loves to sleep in her lap while his coat ís being brushed by Mrs Westcott

Mrs Westcott (pictured hugging Monsieur Chapeau and near Pumpkin) said: 'Kindness and patience results in happy and relaxed ponies'

Mrs Westcott, who runs the Moorland Exmoor Foal Project, which safeguards the breed, credits 'pony whispering' techniques — involving patient, kind handling — with helping Monsieur Chapeau adjust to his new life off the moor

Monsieur Chapeau appears to be happy and 'laughing' after recovering from his ordeal. Here, he has started to shed his winter coat

It is frequently a difficult transition for the intelligent and independent ponies, which have run free for generations but struggle to exist on the limited grazing available on the moorland.

Mrs Westcott, 50, is now helping other wild ponies move off the moor and into ownership. But she has a particular bond with Monsieur Chapeau. 'On that first day, he sniffed up my nose,' she remembers. 'Ponies greet each other by putting their nostrils close to each other, gently breathing and exchanging air, and can tell if other ponies are friendly or not. He wanted that connection with me.

'I try to listen to the ponies and have a two-way communication, not just tame ponies by telling them what to do. It's all about 'going softer' — listening to each other and having mutual understanding. A suppression of human ego, and striving to empathise with the horse.'

As Monsieur Chapeau recovered at her farm near Minehead, Somerset, on the edge of Exmoor, the trust between wild pony and human became so strong she could hug the pony when it lay down, and tickle its tummy during grooming. How different from the pitiful state in which she found him with a coat a mass of dreadlocks and 'rainscald' areas, where scabs had formed on the skin around the hair follicles.

He remained rather weak and needed help to stand up for the first ten days, but each day brought improvement.

Mrs Westcott has now written a book telling of her remarkable relationship with Monsieur Chapeau, who was rescued in January 2014 and is now aged two.

Exmoor ponies, which have grazed the moor for hundreds, if not thousands, of years are listed as 'endangered' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. There are 500 running free on the moor, with a further 3,500 domestically owned and breeding in the UK, Europe, Canada and America.

Wild Pony Whispering: The Real Life Story of How An Orphaned Exmoor Pony Foal Helped Us To Tame And Understand The Wild Ponies of Exmoor by Dawn Westcott. Published by Halsgrove, priced £14.99. Photos by Tricia Gibson and Julia Proctor.

Since his rescue, orphan Monsieur Chapeau now enjoys a close bond with Mrs Westcott who

A delighted Monsieur Chapeau gallops out into the pasture, looking the very picture of good health and happiness following his ordeal

Now the picture of glossy health, Monsieur Chapeau has made his home in a herd of 25 other Exmoor ponies on Mrs Westcott's farm