Horses are such majestic animals, born to gallop and run free. But sadly, not all of them can — like one miniature horse who was born with a disability that prevented him from using his rear legs.
But all that changed after some kind humans got this horse a custom wheelchair, allowing him to run on his own for the first time.
Turbo is a miniature horse who has struggled with mobility issues since birth. According to Walkin’ Pets, he was born with two luxating patellas, meaning his kneecaps were stuck at incorrect angles, leaving him unable to support weight on his hind legs.
He was taken in by Road to Refuge Farm Sanctuary in North Haven, Connecticut. Co-founder Megan Pereira is a mixed animal vet tech who was inspired to start the sanctuary to save farm animals from being euthanized.
“I lean towards the special needs ones, the broken ones, the really medical intensive cases,” Megan said.
So when she heard Turbo’s story, she knew she had to take in the two-month-old mini horse and give him a chance to thrive.
She said that despite the horse’s disabilities, Turbo was otherwise a normal, playful foal. After taking care of his medical needs, she began searching for a way to allow Turbo to walk on his own.
Walkin’ Pets, an organization dedicated to supplying mobility devices to injured and disabled animals, heard about Turbo’s story and stepped in to help.
They traveled to the farm and fitted Turbo with a customized wheelchair, hoping it would help the young horse walk again. In an instant, Turbo’s life transformed.
“The minute we buckled him into his cart, he took off running!! He did amazing,” Megan said.
“Seeing Turbo ‘walk’ before any assistance and dragging his legs to being in his cart – I almost started crying. I am not a crier, but I almost started crying. He was running, bucking – it was all very exciting.”
It’s clear that Turbo’s new wheels have given him a new lease on life. It’s truly inspiring to see him galloping around on his own for the first time.
In addition to helping Turbo, Walkin’ Pets has done wonders for all kinds of creatures, creating custom mobility solutions for animals like tortoises and possums.
What an inspiring story. All animals deserve to be able to move on their own, and we know having his own wheels will change Turbo’s life forever.
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