Scotland's moonwalking pony in 'paternity battle'

LERWICK, Scotland, June 10 (UPI) -- The owner of Scotland's famous moonwalking Shetland pony said the animal is engaged in a "paternity battle" to see if a foal is his progeny.

Mari Williamson, 42, who runs the Benston stud farm on Shetland, said Socks, the pony famous for moonwalking in YouTube videos and on a commercial for broadband provider Three, may be the father of foal Scamp and she is spending thousands on a DNA test to determine paternity, Scotsman.com reported Monday.

"He most definitely has a real eye for the ladies. He doesn't need any encouragement. But there is a bit of paternity battle involving him at the moment," Williamson said of Socks.

Williamson said she put Socks together with three potential mates, but he instead chose to swim across a loch to mate with a female named Kimberly, who had been paired together with a different stud.

Williamson said she is now trying to determine whether Kimberly's foal, Scamp, is Socks' son. She said the young pony would be worth a lot more money if he was fathered by the celebrity animal.