Chatsworth farmyard welcomes new foal Huxley from critically endangered horse breed

Eugenie, the farmyard’s Suffolk Punch mare gave birth to a beautiful colt in April, who has been named Huxley, and the pair have now returned from the stud farm and are already charming the estate’s visitors and staff.

They typically spend their days in the bottom yard close to the entrance and evenings out in the farmyard paddocks.

Farmyard worker Rachel Kearsey said: “Eugenie was pleased to return to the farmyard - whinnying with excitement when the trailer bought her back into the yard.

“Huxley has been a huge hit with visitors. He was very shy to begin with but his cheeky personality is now showing through.”

Chatsworth is home to a number of the country’s rarest breeds of livestock and equines, also including shire horses, Albion cattle, Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, Bagot goats, cream Legbar chickens, British Landrace pigs and Eriskay ponies.

There are fewer than 500 purebred Suffolk horses registered in the UK , and Eugenie is one of only 72 females, making them more endangered than the giant panda.

Huxley is one of the finest colts born this year and is a significant addition to the breeding programme.

Accredited by national charity the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) earlier this year, Chatsworth is now one of 25 farm parks engaged in crucial conservation work.

The farmyard is open throughout the summer. For details, see chatsworth.org.