A fundraiser has been launched after a young North Yorkshire girl lost her first pony and its foal within weeks of each other.
Eight-year-old Tula got her pony Florence at the end of last year - but what she didn’t realise was she was carrying a foal.
Buttons was born this summer leaving Tula with two animals to love and care for.
She spent much of her time caring for the pair at her mother’s yard in North Yorkshire, but tragedy struck as both Florence and Buttons died from sycamore poisoning.
Donate to the fundraiser here
It has left Tula and her family heartbroken, and with expensive veterinary bills to pay for.
Tula isn’t yet aware of Florence’s death, and her aunt, Ashleigh Hambling, is fundraising so the family can get her another pony in time for her return from her father’s at the end of the month.
Miss Hambling said: “It’s been tough. We lost Buttons about three weeks ago and it wasn’t great. Tula has been super sad and very teary.
“She has lost lots of animals in the past and lost people in the family too, so whenever anything gets ill she thinks they’re going to die. It’s almost like she has grief anxiety, although she’s probably a bit young for that.
“We haven’t told her about Florence yet as she’s away at her dad’s, so we’re hoping to raise the money so we can get a pony back in the yard for when she gets back. I know it’s not the same, but hopefully it will help.
“Tula is such a high-energy social kid and that pony was her little best mate. She did all the work. She would always be down at the yard mucking out, feeding them, pulling the ragwort out the fields, and that is her happy place.
“Florence was her first pony and it’s hard to articulate what it means to you.”
Miss Hambling is hoping to raise £1,400 to help pay for the new pony and vet bills, and is already almost halfway there.
She thanked those who have already donated and urged people to donate as well as raise awareness of sycamore poisoning, which horses contract by ingesting toxins in leaves and seeds.
She added: “A lot of people think having horses is only for rich people and that’s not the case. We’re very lucky to have had horses in our family and it’s such a lovely thing, but they do cost a lot of money.
“Florence and Buttons will always have their own place in our family. We hope that, when the right pony is found, Tula can have some happy moments at the yard again, while taking the financial pressure off her mum.”