Paramo

Paramo’s Second Chance 🐴💔 Today’s story is about Paramo… Though his real name is Parmesan. Paramo came to us at Hearts Animal Sanctuary about three years ago. By then, life had already taken its toll on him. When he was younger, he had an accident that damaged his leg. The injury never truly healed properly, and over time arthritis set in. The previous owners had been told clearly: he must be worked every single day. If not, the arthritis would worsen, his joints would stiffen, and eventually his leg would seize up completely. For a short while, they followed that advice. Then Paramo was put in a stable… And left there. For 18 long months he stood, barely moving. No daily walks. No careful exercise. When we took him in, he was walking on three legs. Our vet examined him and confirmed what we feared — the bone spurs from the arthritis had increased. His leg was deteriorating. We were told the truth, straight: > “You must walk him every day. Start with 10 minutes. It will hurt him. He will be in pain. But if you don’t do it… he will need to be euthanised.” There is nothing easy about watching an animal you love struggle. We were given strong pain relief and began the slow, heartbreaking process. Every day we walked him. Every day he struggled. Some days he looked at us as if asking why. And we questioned ourselves too. But giving up wasn’t an option. Weeks turned into months. Months of careful steps. Months of quiet encouragement. Months of hoping we were doing the right thing. Slowly… something changed. He began to bear weight properly. His stride improved. The pain episodes lessened. And today? Today Paramo runs around the paddock like a complete and utter loony. Tail high. Head proud. Full of life. Yes, on cold nights he still limps. Arthritis doesn’t disappear. It never will. But we manage it. We medicate him when he needs it. We keep him moving. We keep him comfortable. He has dignity. He has freedom. He has love. But rehabilitation like this is not cheap. Daily medication, regular veterinary checks, specialist pain relief, bedding to keep his joints warm — it all adds up. At Hearts Animal Sanctuary, we fight for animals that others have given up on. Paramo could so easily have been another statistic. Another “too expensive” case. Instead, he runs. If you would like to help us continue giving second chances to horses like Paramo, please consider donating. Every euro truly does make a difference. Because sometimes… Ten painful minutes a day can mean the difference between goodbye and a lifetime of sunsets. 🌅