A tiny filly foal who was taken in this summer by The Mare and Foal Sanctuary after concerns were raised about her living environment has been diagnosed with a heart murmur.
Mika moved to Beech Trees, one of the Sanctuary’s specialist sites near Newton Abbot a few weeks ago, after she was found living in an unsafe environment and was not receiving the essential milk she needed to grow and stay healthy.
The team at Beech Trees has been providing Mika with specialist care including one 200ml bottle of supplementary milk each day, alongside close monitoring and extra nutritional support. Since arriving, she has shown a steady and encouraging increase in weight and promising signs of healthy development.
As part of her routine health checks, the Sanctuary’s veterinary team identified a heart murmur, which is caused by abnormal blood flow through the heart. Further assessments are planned when she is three and six months old to better understand the cause and any significance it may have.
Heart murmurs are relatively common in young foals, and many innocent murmurs disappear naturally within the first few weeks of life. In the meantime, Mika is happy, comfortable and enjoying life.
‘Coming out of her shell’
“Mika is so calm and sweet. She was very shy when she arrived, but she’s now coming out of her shell, being inquisitive and running around her field and exploring things,” said Beech Trees horse care team member, Jade.
“Mika spends her days with her new foal friend, Luna. The pair love running, playing and exploring together and can often be seen stretched out in the long grass for a nap on warm days.”
Hope for the future
Mika will remain with her new herd until she reaches the natural weaning age of equines, at around one year old. If her heart murmur resolves as she grows, she may be suitable for rehoming in future with one of the Sanctuary’s Sanctuary at Home carers.
There may also be opportunities, when she is older, for her to spend time with the Sanctuary’s equine assisted services team, supporting children or adults who may be struggling. The charity describes its therapeutic horses and ponies as equine partners, carefully selected so they can enjoy and feel comfortable taking part in this kind of activity.
“I’m glad we’ve been able to help Mika. She was so young and vulnerable when she arrived, and it’s great to feel we‘ve been able to give her a good, positive start in life,” said Georgina, another member of the Beech Trees horse care team.
Finding happiness
“We feel that Mika’s story is a powerful reminder of why the Sanctuary exists. It reveals the reality for some ponies living in difficult conditions and shows how, with the right care and support, they can leave those challenges behind and go on to live safe, happy lives.
“We’re getting a really good bond with Mika now. She loves cuddles, enjoys interacting with people and is always happy to stop for a scratch. She’s absolutely adorable. There’s really no other way to describe her!”
Images © The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.
