Remi, our baby donkey, came to me several days ago with a special request from Hope. At some point either Freckles or Jerry the Giraffe told Remi and Hope about our precious baby calf, also named Hope, who arrived at Beauty’s Haven in April, 2019. Everyone adored Baby Hope, a spirited little calf who had an incredible will to live. A link to Chapter One of her story can be found by clicking HERE.

When Hope, our little mini filly, arrived this past December it took me quite some time to call her by her name without thinking about our little calf, Baby Hope. At times it made me very sad as precious Baby Hope meant the world to us and we miss her so very much to this very day. She was so truly loved.

Hope the mini’s personality began to shine as she was recovering from her colic surgery and I couldn’t help but think how incredibly spirited, bold, carefree, and independent she is.

Volunteers oftentimes comment about how sassy she is. I frequently tell her that she’s our “Little Sassy Pants!”

Back to Remi’s special request from Hope. Hope wants to know if we can just call her “Sassy.” It works for the rest of us and it truly fits her perfectly. So Sassy it is, and she already responds to her new name!

If you click on Miss Sassy Pants’s image above, you will see a video which perfectly captures her amazing spirit, made possible by each and every one of you, who helped grant her a second chance at life. Sassy is yet another Beauty’s Haven miracle!


A New Match Game

A wonderful friend and supporter has come forth to assist with our farrier and hay needs. We are so very thankful, as due to these precarious times, donations have been down for quite some time. The good news is that all donations up to $500 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, so if you wish to help sponsor a “hooficure” or contribute toward our hay needs, it would be so very much appreciated by horses, donkeys and humans alike. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below and note that your donation is for our “Hooficures” and/or “Hay Match Game.”

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Thank you, all, so very much!

Sincerely,
Theresa

I can’t tell you how grateful we are for our amazing team of volunteers. I don’t know what we would have done without them yesterday. The little one had a pretty good day on Thursday. She’s latching onto her bottle really well now, but she still has a long way to go. Please keep her in your prayers.

This little one is going to make it. She just is.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Theresa

Hi Everyone,

The baby had a quiet night. Her temperature is down, but not as yet within normal limits. Her blood test results indicate she’s a very sick (septic) little girl. The vet was here earlier and the baby’s medications were adjusted/changed accordingly.

We truly need a miracle.

Please keep this precious baby girl in your prayers and if you would like to assist with her sizable veterinary fees, you may do so via the ‘Donate’ button below. Please designate your donation to ‘Baby Donkey.’

Thank you, all, for your love and support.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Guess what everyone? Yesterday, after breakfast, Mommy Theresa surprised me with three different halters and said I could pick out which one I wanted to wear, so I picked the red one! After the sun came out, and the winds went away, it warmed up and guess what happened? I got to take off my blankie and wear my birthday suit!! I rolled all around and got to get just a little bit dirty and it felt great!

But wait – it gets better! I was watching the minis that live way over there on the other side of the big horse paddock and then it happened – Mommy Theresa put my new halter on me and said we were going on an adventure! We walked around the big horse paddock and wandered over to the other side so I could meet the minis! I met Bouie, Lily, Ebony, Lucy, and CaryLou. I met the two mini donkeys too – Jazzy and JoJo – they’re a hoot! Did you know that they are all bigger than me? It was fun to meet them and one day, maybe, I’ll get to play with them. I still have to be “confined” for a few more weeks because my tummy needs to heal really good. But I’ve decided that I like to go on adventures! Hopefully we’ll go on another one soon.

Well, that’s my story for today.

Love,
Hope



Recent Rescue Settles In

We have named our precious new arrival “MacGyver,” an 18-20 year old Warmblood cross who is such a love. Dr. Templeton came out on Thursday to examine Mac and perform bloodwork, and on Saturday we gave him a much needed bath. Mac is quite thin under his shaggy coat and he has horrible dander from head to tail, but I am most certain that he is feeling so much better following his bath! The farrier was here on Sunday to assess his feet.

Mac has settled in really well and he reminds me so much of Doc, another of our wise old souls, who sadly went to Rainbow Bridge many years ago. 

Mac does need sponsors to help with his initial and ongoing needs. If you would like to sign up to become a monthly sponsor for this precious boy, you may do so for as little as five dollars a month, simply click here. If you prefer, you may also make a one time donation. Please remember that all donations are always so greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small.



Aries & Raz Adopted!

While Dr. Templeton was here, she also checked on Raz and Aries and was beyond thrilled to see their improvements. They both have gained a substantial amount of weight and their rain rot is much better. They have spunk and the light in their eyes is much brighter.

The year started out in a great way for them – they were adopted to a wonderful forever home where they will want for nothing and will be so very loved.

We’re so grateful, it was truly a blessing. We wouldn’t have separated them, they are full sisters and are very bonded to one another. Thank you all, for helping these very special mares!

Sincerely,
Theresa

As we began our Year-End Campaign (YEC) we were in the midst of helping three senior Thoroughbred mares, Aries, Raz and Nicky, who were part of a Thanksgiving Day rescue effort. Their needs are many and their long and winding road to recovery is quite extensive, but thanks to the generosity of each and every one of you, they are all now happy, proud and much healthier horses. We are thrilled to announce that Aries and Raz will soon be adopted together into a loving home. Nicky, who is blind and has diminished hearing, will permanently remain at Beauty’s Haven as a member of our beloved sanctuary herd as a special needs horse.

Since this campaign began, our precious mini mare, Hope, has also become a member of our little herd. As you all know, her needs have been significant and will continue to be for quite some time. Thanks to our amazing little village of supporters, Hope was granted the opportunity to have her life-saving surgery, proving once more that Beauty’s Haven is indeed a place “Where life begins, again!”

And just yesterday we informed you about our newest arrival, a very thin and neglected boy whose needs, like many who came before him, are quite extensive. But we promised this wise old soul, as we promised all who arrived before him, that all of his tomorrows will be better than his past should have been.

Despite the toll that Covid-19 has taken upon all of us, you have rallied to our cause to help our wonderful little herd, and for that, we remain eternally grateful!

Our YEC campaign is winding down with just $4,790 needed to attain our goal of $15,000, so if you would like to make a last minute tax deductible donation to help the horses and donkeys at Beauty’s Haven, you may do so by merely clicking on the “Donate” button below. If donating via PayPal, please select the tab, “Send Money to Friends or Family” and no fees will be deducted from your contribution. Please also note that your donation is for, “#YEC.” If you are unable to contribute at this time, we truly understand, but you can still help by sharing this email amongst friends and family.

Wishing you Peace, Happiness & Love in the New Year.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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As you all know, Hope had colic surgery in early December. During surgery, they had to do an enterotomy into the small colon (fecalith) as well as one into the large colon (sand). The day she returned from the hospital, almost two weeks later, she had a great appetite but we were seeing more input than output, and she simply wasn’t interested in drinking her water. We tried adding different flavorings to it (molasses, peppermint, etc.), we even tried different buckets and water with varying temperatures, but still, she simply wasn’t interested in drinking. That evening she showed signs of potential colic – stretching and parking out but she wasn’t having bowel movements.

After treating her per her vet’s instructions with no luck, we took her back to the hospital the very next day. Wouldn’t you know it – she had a good BM on the way to the hospital!

But we decided to continue to the hospital as planned. There are just too many things that can occur following colic surgery (endotoxemia, adhesions, salmonella, laminitis, etc.) and we simply did not want to take a chance.

Hope received fluids at the hospital and she did quite well the first night. The next evening, she was given hay, but soon, started to park out and stretch again. She wasn’t passing manure like she should and she had a temperature. Over the course of the next couple of days, she had another colic episode which thankfully resolved, and additional tests and x-rays as well as an ultrasound were performed. To say it was a a roller coaster ride for us would truly be an understatement!

It was believed that adhesions may be the issue so hay was removed from Hope’s diet and she thankfully improved. On the following day, however, her temperature was high once again.

More tests were done and it was determined that Hope had an infection at the surgical incision site, so she was started on antibiotics.

By this time, she was passing “normal” BMs, but then, the poor little one got diarrhea, likely from the antibiotics. If she stayed at the hospital, she would have gone into isolation due to her diarrhea so the vet thought it would be in her best interest to return home.

Once back at the rescue, we watched Hope like a hawk around the clock for the first few days (we had to administer her meds and take her temperature often). She’s receiving mushy meals, but she still isn’t interested in drinking, but it does make me happy knowing that she is, at least, getting adequate water from her meals. Since Hope has done fine thus far, we gradually reintroduced hay (soaked) to her diet which makes her so very happy. She also gets hand walked which enables her to graze a few times a day.

We’re also happy to report that we now get to sleep through the night (but Hope is under a camera 24/7). She is still on stall rest for another couple of weeks. After that, she will be able to go out into a small confined area where she will be unable to run around and possibly hurt herself – her tummy needs to heal and her muscles need to strengthen. After ninety days, if all is well, she will be able to become a little horse once again!

Hope’s diet and BMs will always have to be monitored and any issues that may arise, must of course, be dealt with swiftly. She’s a smart little girl who really enjoys life, although I’m sure she will be happier once she is able to be turned out again!

We truly appreciate everyone’s support throughout Hope’s incredible journey. We’re still a bit short for her veterinary fees, but we have faith that the need will be met. We’re thankful and so very blessed that we have been able to help this precious little one and that she’s doing so well on her road to recovery. We’re looking forward to leaving 2020 behind and plan to enter 2021 with a hope for a better tomorrow!

Sincerely,
Theresa

Hope wanted to be the first to let everyone know that she’s back at the rescue! I’ll provide an update about her progress in the forthcoming days. We are praying for continued healing and no more bumps along the way. Thank you all!

Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful Holiday Season!

Sincerely,
Theresa

On her first day home Hope had a good day with the exception of not having a substantial bowel movement. She did have a BM on the way home on Thursday, once more in the evening, and then again sometime during the night. On Friday morning, she made a tiny BM but her temperature, heart and respiration rates were all normal. She had a great appetite all day and munched on soaked hay but didn’t care to drink. Late morning, she walked in a circle and stretched out – not at all good signs.

I tried different concoctions to get her to drink but she simply wasn’t interested. Last evening she circled and stretched out again so I contacted her vet at UF and was instructed on what to do.

Hope seemed fine but she just would not drink. By late evening, she did more stretching so I called the vet once again and we decided taking her back to UF was in her best interest.

The vet said with the drastic change of weather, many horses are having issues regarding not wanting to drink which can lead to colic.

When we took Hope to UF on December 4th, she weighed only 88 lbs. and scored a 2 on the Body Condition Scale. When they operated on her that day they removed a lot of sand and a fecalith – she was truly lucky to be alive. Hope is only three years old and deserved a chance. She has come too far to go backwards so taking her back to the hospital was, in our opinion, the right thing to do. Upon arrival at the hospital last night, she did have a good BM so we are optimistic. Please say a prayer for our little girl.

Sincerely,
Theresa

Our little girl is finally home and she has settled in nicely, surrounded by all her new friends at the rescue! She was absolutely perfect during her ride home from the University of Florida! Because of her extended stay at the hospital, however, her bills continued to mount which is quite understandable, so if anyone would like to assist with her additional medical fees, it would be so greatly appreciated. You can donate via various means by simply clicking on the ‘Donate’ button below.

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Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to help our special little Angel. We could not do what we do without your love and support. Thank you, too, to Hope’s amazing care team at UF. You truly lessened our worries knowing that our little mini girl was in the very best of hands. We are truly, so very blessed!

Sincerely,
Theresa