Horses are noble creatures who love adventure and excitement. They love to gallop and play, and more than anything they love to explore the world around them. These magnificent animals have wild hearts, and it is in their nature to want to roam free.
In America we are fortunate that so many people respect horses as the majestic beings that they are. We know that these creatures need room to exercise and play, even when we domesticate them. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, horses are not treated with the respect they deserve.
In parts of Romania, for example, it is a common practice to keep horses chained. Owners will chain either the front or the hind legs of a horse in order to keep him from running away. As you can imagine, the consequences for the animals are disastrous.
No one wants to be imprisoned. This is a universal truth; it doesn’t matter whether you are a human, a horse, or a bird – you are designed to want the freedom to make choices for yourself.
Chaining a horse, however, goes beyond simply preventing him from escaping. It deprives the horse of the ability to use his own muscles. In addition, the chains can cause severe damage to the horse’s legs. People who are willing to keep horses chained aren’t exactly the type to check that the chains aren’t too tight.
This horrific practice might be prevalent right now, but there are groups who are determined to put it to an end. One such organization is Four Paws, an international non-profit that works to help animals in need.
Four Paws describes itself on its website as “a strong, global and independent voice for animals under direct human influence. Our vision is a world where people treat animals with respect, empathy, and understanding.”
Four Paws helps all kinds of animals, and they have extensive staff to give these creatures the care they need in order to recover from their previous situations. It is an international organization which helps hopeless souls all over the world.
One day Ovidiu Rosu, a vet for Four Paws, was traveling through Letea when he stumbled upon two chained horses. The horses stood near each other in an open field, but even without seeing their chains Ovidiu could tell they weren’t going anywhere.
The horses jumped up as if they were about to spring forward – only to crash back to the ground. These poor animals just wanted to be free.
Ovidiu was disgusted that someone would do this, but he knew exactly how to fix it. He quickly started to work on freeing the horses.
By the time the vet was ready to cut into the chains, one of the horses had become exhausted. He lay on the ground, desperate and hopeless. The horse didn’t know what Ovidiu wanted, but as the stranger approached he must have guessed that the man was a friend. The horse never tried to struggle away from Ovidiu, even after the man took out a his tools.
The kind-hearted veterinarian quickly cut away the chains, but the poor horses had other problems as well. The chains had cut into their legs, leaving big, bloody wounds.
Once the chains were off, Ovidiu faced his next task: getting one of the horses to stand up. This devastated animal was still laying on the ground – even though nothing was holding him back anymore. Clearly his spirit had been broken.
When the vet realized how depressed the horse was, he decided to help him regain his confidence. Ovidiu rolled the horse from his side onto his stomach. Next he picked up one hoof and placed it against the ground.
He repeated the process with the other hoof, but the horse still wouldn’t budge. Ovidiu had to prod him a bit to get him going, but finally the horse was standing upright. Best of all, he was free.
Ovidiu thought his work was complete, but the grateful horse had a big surprise. He stepped up to the compassionate vet and gave him a big kiss! This sweet encounter shows just how much the horse appreciated his newfound freedom.
At long last, it was time to take off. The horses could finally follow their wild hearts again, and they didn’t want to waste a moment.
People like Ovidiu make the world a better place. His kindness and compassion are an inspiration to all of us.
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