Yesterday, one of the gentlest souls to ever grace Beauty’s Haven spread her wings. With hearts shattered beyond words, we released our beloved Arabian mare, Amira, to transition to Rainbow Bridge.
For just over two years, Amira called Beauty’s Haven home. Love isn’t measured by the time we have together – it is measured by trust, by quiet moments, by soft eyes that slowly learn they are finally safe, and by the memories that become part of our hearts forever.
When Amira arrived, she was little more than skin and bones, covered in open sores and carrying wounds far deeper than anyone could see. She also had severe scarring in her esophagus. Despite specialized care, endless love, and every effort to keep her comfortable, her condition progressed until she could no longer swallow. This was the very same issue which caused us to lose Betsy Rose.
Yesterday, we honored the greatest promise we can make to those we love.
Sometimes love isn’t fighting for one more day. Sometimes love is finding the strength to let go when there is nothing left to fix. It is choosing their peace over our own broken hearts.
As Amira took her final breath, I held her close and prayed she knew what she had always deserved to hear…
You are safe.
You are loved.
You matter.
You are enough.
And you will never be alone.
We like to believe that when she reached Rainbow Bridge, Beauty, Valley Girl, Betsy Rose, and so many other beloved souls came running to welcome her home – healthy, whole, and free once again.
Last night, the farm was quieter. There was one less gentle nicker, one less sweet face waiting to greet us.
But there will never be one less place for Amira in our hearts.
Thank you, sweet girl, for trusting us with the final chapter of your life. It was filled with dignity, compassion, and unconditional love. Being entrusted with your final journey was a great privilege.
Run free, beautiful Amira. Until we meet again.
1994-2026
Please click on the image above to view a tribute to our beautiful Amira.
Amira Now at Rest on Frosty’s Knoll
It is now a little over a week since we lost our beloved Amira and we are still adjusting to life without our sweet, wise old soul. Amira was such a treasured presence here at the rescue and now, the farm is quieter as there is one less sweet face and gentle nicker awaiting to greet us with the arrival of each new day.
Amira is now at rest on Frosty’s Knoll, with all her beloved friends who have gone before her, and it gives me great comfort to visit her daily. However, we are now faced with the reality of Amira’s end of life expenses which include her final veterinary care and euthanasia, coupled with her burial fees, the total of which is $921.
If anyone would like to assist us with these expenses in Loving Memory of Amira, we would be forever grateful. If you are not in a position to do so, however, we truly understand, but you can still help by sharing our message amongst family and friends in hope that they may be able to contribute to this present need.
Thank you all, for your continued love and support.
Run Free, Beautiful Amira
Yesterday, one of the gentlest souls to ever grace Beauty’s Haven spread her wings. With hearts shattered beyond words, we released our beloved Arabian mare, Amira, to transition to Rainbow Bridge.
For just over two years, Amira called Beauty’s Haven home. Love isn’t measured by the time we have together – it is measured by trust, by quiet moments, by soft eyes that slowly learn they are finally safe, and by the memories that become part of our hearts forever.
When Amira arrived, she was little more than skin and bones, covered in open sores and carrying wounds far deeper than anyone could see. She also had severe scarring in her esophagus. Despite specialized care, endless love, and every effort to keep her comfortable, her condition progressed until she could no longer swallow. This was the very same issue which caused us to lose Betsy Rose.
Yesterday, we honored the greatest promise we can make to those we love.
As Amira took her final breath, I held her close and prayed she knew what she had always deserved to hear…
You are safe.
You are loved.
You matter.
You are enough.
And you will never be alone.
We like to believe that when she reached Rainbow Bridge, Beauty, Valley Girl, Betsy Rose, and so many other beloved souls came running to welcome her home – healthy, whole, and free once again.
Last night, the farm was quieter. There was one less gentle nicker, one less sweet face waiting to greet us.
But there will never be one less place for Amira in our hearts.
Thank you, sweet girl, for trusting us with the final chapter of your life. It was filled with dignity, compassion, and unconditional love. Being entrusted with your final journey was a great privilege.
Run free, beautiful Amira. Until we meet again.
1994-2026
Please click on the image above to view a tribute to our beautiful Amira.
Rain, Rain & MORE RAIN!
We have had so much rain during the past several days! The ground is saturated and everyone here at Beauty’s Haven is constantly soaked! The saving grace is that the temperatures have been about ten degrees cooler so that is a very good thing! The air conditioning at the barn died last evening together with the large swamp cooler; hopefully this was not due to a lightning strike. We will have to assess the situation later today.
Amira just wasn’t herself last evening albeit her vital signs were fine and she had good gut sounds. She’s up there in age and like Jo, who is forty years old and has very short teeth, she is at risk of choking on long grass. Amira was swallowing okay but out of an abundance of caution, the vet is scheduled to see her today so please keep her in your prayers. Thankfully, the paddocks were mowed yesterday and we will be forever grateful to everyone who contributed to our lawnmower fundraiser. We are so very happy to finally have the mower back!
Pictured above, top row left to right: Mo, so very handsome; Amira, a precious “Old One”; and Tobias, who always makes me laugh!
Middle row left to right: CaryLou, still looking for that last drop of grain; Oreo, who turned twenty years old on July 31st; and Aaleyah Belle, the Queen of Slimes.
Bottom row left to right: Danni and Beau helping with sandbags; Elka and Willow, always so sweet; and Jo, another of our precious “Wise Old Souls.”
Horses’ Critical Need Item on Sale!
As every member of the Beauty’s Haven herd wears a fly mask daily, this is an incredible opportunity to take advantage of Cashel Crusader’s 50% OFF limited time sale. Some members of our beloved herd wear their fly mask 24/7, and for those that do, we usually need to change their mask each night, especially after it rains and/or they roll.
We hope to place an order for ten Arabian fly masks without ears, two Arabian masks with ears, two Arabian long without ears, six foal without ears, two Draft long without ears and six weanling without ears for a total of $440. The order will be placed accordingly, as funds permit. Shipping is thankfully free.
We would be forever grateful for any help with this need, so if you are in a position to do so, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you are unable to assist at this time, you can still help by sharing our request amongst family and friends.
A Summertime Visit
We enjoyed meeting new people and sharing the horses, and their stories, with visitors from the Levy County Horse Club yesterday. We truly appreciate these wonderful ladies for taking the time to visit Beauty’s Haven!
Top Row Left to Right
Peaches was in her element as she absolutely loves meeting new people.
The littles are always ready to entertain.
Middle Row Left to Right
The Levy County Horse Club Members.
Magic was a bit shy but also enjoyed seeing new faces.
Bottom Row Left to Right
Walker had to insert himself into the middle of everything. He’s a hoot!
Jo looks great for her age and enjoyed making new friends.
Even Bae appreciated extra scratches.
Thank you, Levy County Horse Club, for a wonderful Summertime visit!
Sometimes it’s not the dramatic emergencies…
Sometimes it’s not the dramatic emergencies that bring a rescue to its knees – it’s the equipment we depend upon every single day. This morning, our zero-turn mower suffered a catastrophic engine failure. The engine seized up without warning. This mower isn’t a luxury for us. It is one of the hardest-working and most valuable tools at Beauty’s Haven. We purchased it in 2021, and it has been meticulously maintained and cared for. Unfortunately, even with proper maintenance, mechanical failures can still happen. The cost to replace the engine is $3,500, and will take 7-10 days. Sadly, the grass won’t stop growing while we wait.
For many of our horses, tall grass is a serious health risk. Amira, Peaches, Jo, and many others can choke while grazing. Because of age, dental issues, or medical conditions, they cannot safely eat long grass. Their paddocks must be kept mowed to protect them from another choking episode, which can quickly become a life-threatening emergency.
Until our mower is repaired, we have no choice but to rent one.
Our Immediate Needs:
Zero-turn mower rental: $350
Replacement engine: $3,500
Total urgent need: $3,850
We know that you have already stepped up to help with our ongoing veterinary fundraiser and Match Game, and we cannot thank you enough. Those funds are desperately needed for the horses’ medical care and cannot simply be redirected to cover this unexpected expense. This mower crisis is a separate and urgent need that we never anticipated. As a nonprofit, unexpected expenses like this hit us incredibly hard. We do all we can to maintain our equipment because every dollar is precious. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, things simply break.
Whether you can give $5, $10, $25, $100, or more, every gift brings us closer to renting a mower immediately and getting ours repaired. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this message may help to reach someone who can.
From all of us at Beauty’s Haven, and especially from Amira, Peaches, Jo, and the many horses who depend upon us every day – thank you for believing in our mission and standing beside us through every unexpected challenge. Together, we can get through this – just as we always have.
Special Visitors, Volunteers & a Misbehaving Donkey!
A Veteran’s group from Meadowbrook Church in Ocala visited on Saturday morning thanks to Kathy Edgell – a volunteer who has been with us for many years. Kathy gave the group a very nice tour albeit JoJo did not exhibit his best behavior with the visitors. Afterward, he did tell me he was sorry for not being a good boy!
Laura Ritonia, one of our awesome farriers who has been a part of our care team for more that fifteen years, also arrived on Saturday morning to perform a number of hooficures, while Kim, one of our amazing volunteers, assisted by holding the horses for their trims. Tara Knuth, another wonderful volunteer, was also here at the time to feed and groom the horses on the north end of the property – thanks Tara! As we are always seeking new volunteers to join our Beauty’s Haven team, please fill out a Volunteer Inquiry Form if you are interested in doing so. We truly appreciate our volunteers – it takes a village!
Lastly, thanks to our wonderful supporters, our first Summer Fundraiser Match Game is now complete and we are almost halfway there in achieving our goal of $10,000!
Our beloved herd would be forever grateful if you could help us raise the thermometer which would allow us to begin Autumn with a clean slate. All contributions are greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you are unable to assist at this time, no worries, as you can still help by sharing this newsletter amongst family and friends.
Wishing you a wonderful day and thank you all, for your love and support!
Happy Birthday, America!
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Wishing you a wonderful July 4th, and thank you all for your love and support!
Sincerely,
Theresa
With Gentle Gratitude
We are very sorry to have to share the news that Valley Girl went to Rainbow Bridge on Thursday. We just could not fix the issues in her front feet nor keep her comfortable. It was time, even though we were not ready. She was a proud, grand old mare who was full of zest, kindness, and love.
Valley Girl was loved and will always remain in our hearts. Actually, she took a piece of my heart with her. But, I know we will meet up again someday. Our heavenly herd, sadly, just keeps getting bigger. Valley Girl now runs whole and pain free with her beloved Mishka and all her friends who have gone before her. I’m eternally grateful for the time she was with us.
Summertime Blues
As we approach the summer months, which is generally, the time in which to reevaluate our facility and maintenance needs, as well as to get caught up on our outstanding veterinary bills, we are reaching out to you in hope to garner your support as we launch our summer fundraiser with a goal of $10,000, in order to address these pressing needs:
One of our two horse trailers is currently in the shop for important repairs and maintenance which include:
We also had to replace the rear door protective cover on this trailer recently, as the old one was badly deteriorated, allowing the stored hay to get wet.
The total maintenance cost of this trailer is $3,110.
Once this trailer returns, our larger gooseneck hay storage trailer (we can also use this trailer to haul up to three horses) will need similar maintenance and repairs. Plus, each of our three trailers require an application of “Kool Seal” reflective roof coating at $1,000 each. This protective coating will extend the life of the roofs on the trailers, prevent future leaks which will keep stored hay dry, and keep the interior significantly cooler – a benefit greatly appreciated by our team when they’re working inside filling hay bags during the hot summer months as well as by horses when being transported.
While we realize that helping us maintain our trailers may not seem as exciting or adrenalin inducing as rescuing a horse, it is an essential tool in the actual act of SAVING a horse; to transport a horse in distress to and from the hospital at a moment’s notice, oftentimes in the middle of the night, or simply to bring a horse home from a dire situation in hope of saving a precious life as we did with Aaleyah Belle and Momma Sue so many years ago. By assisting with this need, you are making a difference by actually helping us save another precious life in the future, whether it be in days, months or years. Think of it as a win win situation! In addition, we unfortunately do not have a barn in which to store our hay, so our trailers are priceless when it comes to keeping our hay dry and free from mold, making it safe for consumption by our beloved equines.
On the veterinary side, our recent bills are just over $3,000. These cover treatment for:
As we are hoping to start Autumn with a clean slate, any help with our veterinary bills as well as with the maintenance and/or repair of our trailers will be so greatly appreciated. Please remember that all donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you are unable to help at this time, we truly understand, but we would be forever grateful if you could share this most important fundraiser amongst family and friends.