Bria suffered a knee injury when she was only a few months old. For months she could not stand, gain access to food or water, and was in pain. The owners denied Bria medical attention, but when a delivery person noticed her condition and asked questions, they released Bria to the delivery person who brought her to The Gentle Barn, saving her life. Bria was emaciated, malnourished, afraid of humans, and could not walk. Upon arrival, we gave Bria immediate veterinary attention and care and embarked on a long journey to help Bria stand, walk, trust, forgive, heal, and flourish.

In order to stretch the tendons in Bria's legs and build muscles we put her front legs in splints. At first, we had to assist her with a sling to stand or walk, but slowly Bria was able to walk on her own with the splints and even jump and play. After several months, her right leg was completely straight and able to maneuver well. The left knee where she sustained the original injury seemed unstable, popping out of place when she walked, so we switched her to a brace that is easy to put on and take off and supports that left knee.

Bria can now stand and walk on her own. When she arrived at The Gentle Barn, she was only 20 pounds, as her body didn't grow in order to conserve energy. Now that she is thriving, can walk, and is no longer in pain, Bria has gained almost 40 pounds. Her hair is soft, her eyes are bright, and her body is full of energy. Bria was shut down, depressed, and suffering when we met her, but now, she has become the queen of the barnyard, and as she matures, she will undoubtedly become our goats' matriarch. Bria is very vocal and can often be heard talking to us humans or the other goats. She has let her past go, is now full of life, and can be found climbing on our goat play structures playing queen of the hill with her best friend, Tina.

Every day, Bria models resilience to our guests, inspiring them to recover from physical challenges of their own. Visitors in wheelchairs, crutches, or braces light up when they see her, are strengthened by her story, and leave hopeful after seeing how happy she is now. Bria has come a long way and is the perfect example of the restorative work we do at The Gentle Barn and the full circle of healing that transpires between animals and humans in our barnyard.