Cholla, a horse from Reno, Nevada, paints canvases holding a brush between his teeth. The mustang’s work has been so acclaimed that an exclusive art exhibition is being held in Venice in the Spring.

Some of Cholla’s paintings have sold for over £2000 and are coveted by celebrity collectors including Martha Stewart.

The horse’s owner, Renne Chambers, passes Cholla a paintbrush which he takes between his teeth and daubs onto a canvas mounted on an easel in his paddock. She admits she squeezes out the paint onto the brush, but says that he does all the rest. She never moves the easel or canvas while he is painting.

She first noticed his interest in art when she noticed him watching intently and following her as she painted her fence.

Said 51 year-old Renne: "[Cholla] seemed really interested in what I was doing, then one day my husband Robert joked to me that I should give him a brush. … he hasn’t looked back since. "

"Art is an expression of intelligence and animals are capable of thought and creative intention, so why should God give the gift of creation to humans only? God loves us all, great and small."