A NEW pair of tiny foals arrived at the Dartmoor Miniature Pony Centre and Animal Farm, Moretonhampstead, on Saturday .
They are Miniature Shetland ponies and, at just 20 inches high, have been named Tinkerbell and Casper. The names were suggested by visitors to follow this year's theme at the pony centre of children's literature for new arrivals.
Tinkerbell was an unexpected early birth and was born first early on Saturday morning unaccompanied in the paddock. A single-coloured dun pony, both Tinkerbell and her mother Bracken are doing well.
Casper was born in the stables late on Saturday night attended by the centre's stud manager Suzanne Dufty. Like his mother Jasmine, Casper has skewbald colouring and both are also doing well.
The tiny new ponies and their equally diminutive mothers can now be seen by visitors to the pony centre and are expected to be a big hit with children of all ages.
With 10 other pregnant mares, Tinkerbell and Casper, will soon be joined by a number of new foals in the coming weeks. Since taking over the reins at the end of the 2003 season, Kevin and Lisa Ginsberg, their children and staff have invested a great deal of time and effort enhancing the centre with new facilities, attractions and a programme of daily events. Mr Ginsberg said: 'We were all delighted by the early arrivals of Tinkerbell and Casper on Saturday just in time for Easter. 'Our own children are pony-mad and have already fallen in love with the tiny new foals, so we expect visitors will find them adorable too.'