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.
A Wish for Willow
Care team members gathered again last Thursday to reassess Willow. The abscess in her right front hoof had resolved, but unfortunately, she was now dealing with an issue in her left front foot. Both of Willow’s soles are quite thin, which makes her feet especially sensitive.
The abscess in her left front was opened and protective pads and wraps were applied. Afterward, she walked off with her best friend, Elka, looking much more comfortable. For the next couple of days, she continued to do better, which was very encouraging but with the heavy rains returning this past weekend and everything becoming wet and soggy once again, Willow is noticeably more tender-footed. And unfortunately, heavy rains have been predicted throughout this week.
Willow is twenty-nine years young and has Cushing’s disease, so we know this isn’t something that will resolve overnight. Our hope is to keep her comfortable and protected while giving those thin soles the opportunity to grow stronger and thicker. It will take time, patience, and continued veterinary and farrier care.
We will continue taking it one day at a time, doing everything we can to keep Willow comfortable and moving in the right direction.
Please keep Willow in your thoughts and prayers, and if you are able to become one of her sponsors, we would be incredibly grateful. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below.
A BIG Announcement!
We are incredibly honored to share that Beauty’s Haven Farm & Equine Rescue has been named a 2026 Best of Florida WINNER! More than 600 organizations competed in the “Pets & Animals” category, which makes this recognition especially meaningful to us. To everyone who voted, shared our posts, supported our mission, prayed for us, and most importantly, BELIEVED in us – THANK YOU! We could not do what we do without you!
Every equine and animal that comes through our gates has a story. Some arrive broken in body, some broken in spirit, and many have been given up on. But here, we give them the chance they deserve. We believe and we never give up.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in Beauty’s Haven and in the lives we fight for every single day. It truly takes a village – and we are so blessed to have ours.
Beauty would be so proud. Her spirit, and mission to help others, lives on!
Willow, Another “Wise Old Soul”
Willow, another of our sweet “Wise Old Souls,” was seen by the vet last week as she had been having some issues which we believed was due to a bad abscess in her front right foot. A poultice was applied in hope that it would drain the abscess and the vet was subsequently, scheduled to return this week to perform x-rays. When the vet returned yesterday, an abscess was indeed discovered, and the x-rays gave us a much better idea regarding the thickness of Willow’s soles. After being poulticed once again to further drain the abscess, Willow thankfully appeared to be feeling much better with her dear friend, Elka, remaining by her side throughout most of the day.
In addition, we are forever grateful to our wonderful little village of friends and supporters who have come forth to ensure that sweet Amira’s final expenses are covered. While her burial fees are complete, there is still $180 remaining to complete her final veterinary expenses. If anyone would like to assist us with this expense, in loving memory of Amira, we would, as always, be forever grateful.
Thank you all for your continued love and support.
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!