Help Elpida walk on four legs again!

OCTOBER'S UPDATE: the leg is now here and, if things are never fully easy when it comes to Elpida, we can already see a HUGE difference in her posture when she wears it! I usually put it on in the morning and remove it at night, because any prolonged period of time wearing it increases the risk of skin irritation or even new wounds opening. She still spends many hours a day lying down as she has always done, but as soon as the bionic leg is on - well, often BEFORE it is even fully on haha - she takes off to go explore her field, look for yummy grasses, or open doors and eat my newly planted salads... :D :D On the whole, this is an amazing victory and absolutely increasing her quality of life so THANK YOU to all those who have already helped and hopefully we can reach our target by Christmas, so that we can go on taking the best possible care of her and making better and better prosthetics as she grows up <3 <3 <3

Dear friends,

most of you probably know Elpida personally or have already heard the story of this little Skyrian mare born in 2011, who lost part of her hind left leg just a few weeks after being born. Since the very first months of her life, Elpida has beaten the odds and survived where everyone thought she wouldn't.

In the summer of 2013, the amazing Dr. Perikles Nikopoulos made a first prosthetic for her, allowing her to walk like a normal horse for the following years and enjoy life like any other horse: in a field with a friend, surrounded by people who loved and cared for her. Unfortunately, Elpida is now 10 years old and her old prosthetic no longer fits her. She is back on three legs, and this is really taking a toll on her other rear leg and back.

This is why I am asking for your help to pay for her very new bionic leg, custom-made in the US and currently on its way to being readjusted after a first fit a few weeks ago. This new prosthetic will hopefully allow her to live many more happy years by our side, walking around with her friend and enjoying the new olive grove with the big oak tree that she now calls her home.

The new prosthetic limb has been designed and made by Derrick Campana, "The Wizard of Paws", an American who goes around the world fitting prosthetic limbs and braces for all sorts of animals, from our beloved cats and dogs to sheep, goats, elephants and of course, horses (https://bionicpets.org/). After several contacts with him and his team at the end of last year, I finally ordered Elpida's new bionic leg a few months ago, sent a cast of her amputated leg, received a first prosthetic, sent it back for adjustments, and I am now waiting to receive her final prosthetic limb, which will hopefully grant her many more years of freedom and happiness.

The price of the prosthetic is $2115 (1860 euros), plus 128 euros for shipping the cast and 536 euros of taxes in order to import it to Greece. I have been extremely lucky to have people loan me the money so that I could order the leg, but I now need to reimburse them and I would be so extremely grateful for any help any of you could send my way. I am conscious that we live through difficult times and that many people don't have that kind of money to spare, but all together, I am confident that we can offer Elpida another ten years of life lived to the fullest!