PENNY

We first met Penny in 2021 during the height of COVID while managing a paddock paradise horse boarding facility we built in Oregon. One of our boarders approached us, desperate to find a home for a horse who was scheduled to be euthanized in just five days. Penny had spent years living in filth and mud, confined to a stall except when being used in a children’s riding program. At 26 years old, she was visibly lame, her medical needs ignored. When the pain became too much and she finally refused to endure another ride—bucking a child in protest—the facility owner chose euthanasia rather than providing the care she desperately needed.

Rewild Refuge stepped in just in time. When Penny arrived at our barn, a veterinary exam confirmed she had DSLD (Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis), a progressive and incurable condition that deteriorates the suspensory ligaments, causing pain, lameness, and loss of mobility. Both our vet and hoof trimmer recommended euthanasia, believing her quality of life would be too poor to manage.

But Penny wasn’t ready to give up, and neither were we. We committed to a careful pain management plan, ensuring she had the space and protection she needed within the herd.

Today, at 30 years old, Penny is thriving. She receives quarterly steroid injections, daily anti-inflammatories, and medication for Cushing’s disease. While her condition prevents her from lying down to sleep, she has found peace and happiness at the sanctuary. She spends her days basking in the sun with her best friend, Charlie, and on her good days, she even kicks up her heels in the pasture—proof that, despite everything, Penny still finds joy in life.