A little boy has become best friends with a foal after discovering that they both share similar disabilities.
Judd, a miniature horse born less than two months ago, has a condition that inhibits his ability to walk. Laxity in the tendons of his two front legs means he can't support his weight without the help of splints.
His caretakers at Grantville, Pa.'s nonprofit Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association are accustomed to providing therapeutic horse riding for people with disabilities, but they made a special exception or Judd.
"We were offered an opportunity to offer therapy to a horse. The horse has been giving the therapy; it's our turn to give therapy back," CATRA's Ben Nolt told WHTM. Judd now gets regular physical therapy and and requires leg support.
They also found a companion for Judd in Tyler Cribbs, a local boy who needs assistance to walk. His mother, Heather Cribbs, told the news source that he and the foal are now best of friends.
"For Tyler to have an animal that is akin to him, it helps him want to do better because he sees the animal strengthened by the braces," she told WHTM.
CATRA is now raising money for Judd's ongoing treatment in the hopes that he may recover from his condition.
Tyler and Judd's story is not unlike that of Cieran Kelso, an 8-year-old amputee who formed a special bond with a dolphin with a prosthetic tail.
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