A Dartmoor hill pony who achieved fame when he was photographed with a giant teddy bear as an orphaned foal has been put to sleep at the age of 13 following a severe bout of colic.Breeze, who was signed over to The Mare and Foal Sanctuaryas a day-old orphaned foal,captured international attention in 2013 after photographs were shared showing him as a foalsleeping alongside a giant teddy bear called Buttons.Buttons was given to Breeze by staff at the charity to give him comfort and security while he received round the clock care.Despite the sanctuarys work and more than a decade of skilled handling and training, Breezes early deprivation and hand rearing meant he was never suitable for rehoming. He experience health and behavioural challenges and spent his life under the dedicated care of the sanctuarys specialist teams, who adapted their facilities and approaches to give him the safest and happiest life possible.Breeze lived his life at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.An iconBreeze was somewhat of an icon of the Sanctuary, said Nikki Anstey, equine training lead at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.He came to us as an extremely poorly little pony. He was not able to be socialised with other horses for an extended period due to his lack of immunity and had to be hand-reared. There were many sleepless nights, bottle feeding him every hour and having to lift him up and lay him down as he was so weak. His personality started shining through at a young age and he will always remain one of the most influential ponies that I have ever encountered in my career at the Sanctuary. We always had an understanding, and he was incredibly loving and affectionate, despite his complex behavioural needs. I dont think any horse, or person, could have ever taught me as much as he did. Breeze and Buttons in 2016.Shaping equine welfareBreeze lived at several of the charitys Devon sites throughout his life and his casecontinues to inform the charitys approach to equine welfare.Breeze arrived with us as a critically vulnerable orphaned foal, said Sally Burton, head of equine expertise at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary. His lack of colostrum, isolation from other horses and need for intensive hand rearing meant he grew up with significant behavioural and health challenges. He could never be rehomed safely, so our responsibility was to give him the best quality of life we could within the Sanctuary. Our teams adapted the environment around him, used the latest evidence on behaviour and welfare, and brought in external specialists when needed. Breeze pushed us all to raise our standards, to think differently about how we support horses and ponies with complex needs, and to champion good practice across the wider equine sector. We are deeply saddened by his loss. Colic is a broad term for abdominal pain and can be caused by a range of problems in the gut, from gas and impaction to twists in the intestine. It can affect any horse, no matter how well they are cared for, and it remains one of the most serious emergencies we see. In Breezes case, despite prompt veterinary attention and intensive care, it was not possible to save him. Breeze when he first arrived at the sanctuary in 2013.Best practiceThe Sanctuary hopes that sharing Breezes story will highlight both the realities of equine welfare work and the importance of specialised lifelong care for horses and ponies that cannot be rehomed. It aims to encourage equine owners and carers to talk openly about planning for serious health issues like colic, including considering insurance, how they would transport their horse to surgery if needed, and whether that is the right decision for their horse.There is a lot of evidence to support the fact that early life stress or trauma is associated with a wide range of adverse effects on brain development and can have long lasting effects on the individual, said Anna Haines, equine behaviour lead at The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.This can alter psychological and behavioural responses to the environment, particularly any perceived environmental threats and challenges, meaning that individuals who have suffered significant early life stress such as Breeze did, are likely to find it more difficult to navigate the world than one who hasnt. This meant that Breeze required very careful behavioural and environmental management at all times, to help him to feel as safe and secure as possible and to allow him to thrive.For more information about Breezes story or to find out about the work of the charity, click here. Images The Mare and Foal Sanctuary.More from Your HorseOrphaned foal rescued at two weeks old looking for forever homeHow to tell if a horse is happy: behaviourist reveals 13 key signsHow do horses sleep? Experts explainOur pick of fly masks and veils for horsesThe post Orphaned foal who helped shape equine practice dies aged 13 appeared first on Your Horse.