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Hooves, Hay & a Wonderful Day

On Friday, Stephanie, one of our awesome farriers, came out to trim Peaches, Danni, Magic, and Jazzy. Of course, CaryLou made sure to oversee Jazzy’s hooficure – he’s a hoot! Laura, another of our amazing farriers, came on Sunday afternoon to give Frodo and Bouie their hooficures. As several other members of our herd are scheduled for farrier care this week, we would be forever grateful to anyone who wishes to help sponsor ‘Happy Feet’ for their favorite Beauty’s Haven horse, mule or donkey.

We were blessed on Saturday, to welcome members from the GFWC Williston Woman’s Club who visited the farm to meet the horses, together with new volunteers, Tara and Melissa and her husband, TJ. Pam, another of our wonderful volunteers, was also here as she is on every Saturday. We were also so very blessed to receive a most generous donation from the WWC.

On Sunday morning, we awoke to one of the worst sudden storms we’ve had in quite a while – it almost seemed like a microburst. We are grateful that Cindy and Kristi came out to help with the morning chores, once the rains temporarily stopped. Temperatures continued to plummet throughout the day and night on Sunday bringing extremely cold weather, so blankets will likely stay on for the next couple of days. Thankfully, we do have a blanket for each and every member of our little herd. The porch on the storage building where the feral cats visit is also all set up with heat lamps, which I am certain they truly appreciate. As the terrible rains continued throughout Tuesday, while it was still light, we took Mishka and Willow up to a paddock on higher ground as the big guy’s feet would not do well on wet ground for very long.

Flint continues to do very well and he appears to have a renewed sense of purpose as he carries himself with greater confidence. His eyes are brighter and he’s holding his head higher. He is such a precious and very kind soul. He truly enjoyed meeting our visitors on Saturday and he was literally basking in all the love and attention he received! We are deeply grateful for the support he has received. He still has a ways to go, but his future is looking more promising!

Lastly, during the winter months, we go through many tons of hay on a weekly basis so if anyone would like to contribute to this most important need, it would be so greatly appreciated. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below.

Thank you, all, for your love and support and please stay safe and warm!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Update on Flint

Dr. Valle came out last week to do a follow-up examination on Flint as well as perform another round of blood tests. He was very pleased with Flint’s progress. Flint seems to have a renewed sense of purpose and is carrying himself with greater confidence. His eyes are brighter and he’s holding his head higher. He is, truly, a precious and kind soul.

We are deeply grateful for the support he has received. He still has a ways to go, but his future is looking more promising!

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Shai is Forever Home!

Shai is a mare who came to us from a Citrus County seizure a few years ago and was adopted out to a really nice family. In early 2024, her adoptive family had some life changes and Shai came back to us. She lived in a paddock with Amira and they got along fine. Once the grass became dormant, however, and we had to put out hay, we sadly, had to separate Shai from Amira. Amira cannot have hay due to chronic choke – she has to have many smaller soft meals a day. We tried placing Shai with different horses but nothing seemed to work – she just wasn’t happy and we want all of our horses to be happy!

We reached out to Paul of Retirement Home for Horses Inc in Alachua and explained the situation. He was happy to welcome Shai into their program. What a blessing! Shai was transported to RHH yesterday and received a warm welcome from everyone. The door is always open, however, for Shai to return to Beauty’s Haven, but we think she will be much happier in her new environment.

Much gratitude to RHH! We hope and pray that Shai will be happy and content in her new home. And we truly appreciate Chris for taking such good care of Shai during her transport.

Pictured Clockwise from Top Right:

  • RHH Team Member, Dakota Bell, takes Shai’s official portrait!
  • RHH Volunteers Ann Carey (L) and Amy Sweeney welcome Shai
  • Chris who safely transported Shai to her “Forever Home”
  • Shai’s new best friends come out to greet her!
  • Ann, along with RHH Team Member, Brad, walk Shai over the creek to the Arrival Paddock
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Critical weeks ahead for severely malnourished rescue Flint

While we were encouraged by new rescue Flint’s excellent demeanor for his vet exam on Monday, being much more alert and vocal, Flint’s body condition was scored just below a 1 on the Body Condition Scoring Scale by the veterinarian. In this scoring system, which ranges from 1 to 9, a lower score indicates a more difficult rehabilitation process. Sadly, beneath Flint’s fluffy coat, there are only bones.

The majority of horses with a BCS of 1 and below usually don’t make it, as starvation takes a toll. We have had several cases of this nature, and while the majority have pulled through, there have been a few that we have sadly lost. The next couple of weeks are critical. We use the UC Davis protocol in our rehabilitation/refeeding process.

Although the vet assessed him to be 25-plus years of age, I truly believe that he wants to be around for many more years. He has a great mental attitude, which is very important in the healing process and his eyes are bright with hope.

During the process of starvation, the body depletes fat and muscle, causing a slowdown in metabolism and resulting in weakness. The horse struggles to regulate its temperature, and the immune system becomes compromised. The body first utilizes fat for energy, and once that is exhausted, it turns to muscle tissue, including the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and heart. This depletion of muscle leads to a loss of electrolytes and proteins, causing a deterioration of the digestive system and reduced nutrient absorption. Flint’s gastrointestinal function has been significantly affected, and restoring his ability to digest and absorb feed will take time.

We are committed to supporting him through this, with patience, a proper refeeding plan, and plenty of tender loving care. He truly deserves it.

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On Tuesday, we received Flint’s bloodwork results, which reflected those commonly seen in a starved horse. While there are some highs and lows, it’s encouraging that there are no signs of infection, but his fecal exam did reveal that he was positive for parasites. Flint’s stool has become more formed, his appetite remains strong as you can see by clicking on the image above, and he is drinking well.

He was slightly less active on Tuesday, and that is okay – we don’t want him burning much needed calories. He remains very vocal and engaged with everything happening around him. We will repeat the blood tests in about a week.

While I can’t guarantee Flint’s recovery, his determination to overcome is apparent. We will do everything we can to improve his chances.

Last night, with the cold temperatures rolling in, we had Flint all tucked in with a cozy blanket which I’m sure he truly appreciated. It’s a bit large on him but we ordered a new one that should be a better fit. Hopefully, it will be here within the next few days.

Lastly, the farrier came out today to take care of Flint’s neglected feet which made him quite happy.

We will schedule our equine dentist once he is stable and gains a bit more weight.

Please keep Flint in your thoughts and prayers. Your positive support is greatly appreciated. Here, we firmly believe in the power of prayer and in miracles.

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