Yesterday was yet another busy day. Dr. Julia came out to run blood work on Peaches, Addi, JoJo, Jazzy, Valley Girl, Danni, Mo, Skye, and Walker, whilst some of the boys had their sheaths cleaned. JoJo and Jazzy were not at all happy about their procedures and were still pouting about it last night!
And now for some not so good news. Jo was kicked late last week and the next day, the area where she was injured was swollen. We monitored her temperature and appetite, both of which have been normal, but as the swelling continued to worsen, we opted to proceed on the side of caution and have her tested, and when the results came back, our fears were confirmed – Jo had Pigeon Fever.
“Pigeon fever in horses is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, commonly causing large, painful abscesses in the pectoral muscles (chest), abdomen, or inguinal area, often peaking in warm/dry seasons. Transmitted via flies and contaminated soil/wounds, it requires isolation, careful drainage of abscesses, and prompt veterinary care to prevent severe, long-term complications.”
Pigeon Fever does not pose a danger exclusively to horses however, as other animals including cows, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, etc. are also susceptible to this insidious disease.
Since we have had no horses enter of leave the farm for several months, the extremely dry conditions have most assuredly, contributed to Pigeon Fever resurfacing from beneath the ground once again this year. The vet will be back this evening to lance and drain the injury on Jo’s chest and fluids will be collected. Our bio-security protocol has been activated, with foot baths, gloves and fly-control measures in place.
Jo lives with Valley Girl, another senior mare. Valley Girl was the first horse who was stricken with Pigeon Fever in January 2025 and the last to recover from it in June 2025. She, thankfully, has not presented with symptoms at this time.
Lastly, if you would like to contribute toward our beloved little herd’s ongoing medical expenses, it would be so greatly appreciated. Just click on the ’Donate’ button below. If you are unable to contribute at this time, however, we ask that you please send prayers for rain, Jo to quickly recover (she’s almost 40 years old!), and no spread of Pigeon Fever.
OH NO. IT’S BACK!
Yesterday was yet another busy day. Dr. Julia came out to run blood work on Peaches, Addi, JoJo, Jazzy, Valley Girl, Danni, Mo, Skye, and Walker, whilst some of the boys had their sheaths cleaned. JoJo and Jazzy were not at all happy about their procedures and were still pouting about it last night!
And now for some not so good news. Jo was kicked late last week and the next day, the area where she was injured was swollen. We monitored her temperature and appetite, both of which have been normal, but as the swelling continued to worsen, we opted to proceed on the side of caution and have her tested, and when the results came back, our fears were confirmed – Jo had Pigeon Fever.
Pigeon Fever does not pose a danger exclusively to horses however, as other animals including cows, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, etc. are also susceptible to this insidious disease.
Since we have had no horses enter of leave the farm for several months, the extremely dry conditions have most assuredly, contributed to Pigeon Fever resurfacing from beneath the ground once again this year. The vet will be back this evening to lance and drain the injury on Jo’s chest and fluids will be collected. Our bio-security protocol has been activated, with foot baths, gloves and fly-control measures in place.
Jo lives with Valley Girl, another senior mare. Valley Girl was the first horse who was stricken with Pigeon Fever in January 2025 and the last to recover from it in June 2025. She, thankfully, has not presented with symptoms at this time.
Lastly, if you would like to contribute toward our beloved little herd’s ongoing medical expenses, it would be so greatly appreciated. Just click on the ’Donate’ button below. If you are unable to contribute at this time, however, we ask that you please send prayers for rain, Jo to quickly recover (she’s almost 40 years old!), and no spread of Pigeon Fever.
Fire and Rain
As per the Levy County Sheriff’s office: “Even though fire activity has thankfully decreased in the last 24 hours, smoky conditions still exist in the area, especially in the overnight and early morning hours and especially on CR326 which remains closed. It is not safe to visit the fire area. In addition to the poor visibility and health concerns of smoky conditions, trees that ignited are randomly falling throughout the forest. There are also hot pockets in the ground and stepping in one of these could result in severe burns.”
On Thursday, we had a very productive day prior to the arrival of today’s badly needed rain, with horses being groomed, several gates/fencing being fixed, shade cloth put up for the littles, Spring cleaning at the barn, heat lamps collected, cleaned and stored away until next year, and much more! Many thanks to our volunteers – we appreciate them all, so very much!
The average cost per hooficure is $45, so if you could help these sweet horses and/or donkey have “Pretty Feet,” it would make us all so very happy indeed! Just click on the donation 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 need amongst family and friends.
Thank you all, for your love and support!
Springtime at Beauty’s Haven
I’d like to share a few images of some recent happenings at Beauty’s Haven Farm over the course of the past week. Pictured above:
Upper Left ~ When the driveway camera went off, I went to check out what was happening, only to discover that a big ole Tom Turkey appeared to be reading the ‘Visitors by Appointment Only’ sign, while his friend was strutting about, attempting to get Peaches’ attention. Peaches paid him no mind and continued to graze.
Upper Right ~ Magic loved sharing a special few minutes with Joan and Steve, volunteers who come on Tuesdays. I am so proud of Magic – he has come such a very long way. He is a proud Arabian stallion that was used in the barbaric ‘sport’ of horse tripping before we rescued him many, many years ago. He is now twenty-six years old.
Lower Left ~ Some of you may remember Captain’s Skywalker, aka Skye. He has returned from an adoption, but he continues to be the sweetest boy ever.
Lower Right ~ Bae and Walker, aka the ‘cleanup crew’ after a rainy morning at the farm.
Center ~ Cowboy announcing the first ‘Farrier Friday’ of Spring, hoping to get “hooficure” sponsors for his friends, Lucy, Ebony, Lily, Sassy, Jazzy and Dani. The average cost per trim is $45, so if you would like to help your favorite Beauty’s Haven horse have ‘Pretty Feet,’ we would be forever grateful. All contributions are tax deductible and please be assured, no amount is ever too small. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below.
Thank you, as always, for your love and support!
This Easter, Give Hope
Hoppin’ Down the Bunny Trail!
Hey Everyone!
JoJo and Jazzy here, hopping down the Bunny Trail, to help our friend Beau with our fundraiser for a pallet of Purina Equine Senior Grain. Since Easter is next Sunday, we are hoping that each of our baskets will contain some of this delicious grain, so if you could help fulfill our Easter wish, we would all be so forever grateful.
As always, donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you are not in a position to donate at this time, no worries, as you can still assist us by sharing this amongst family and friends.
Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far!
Happy Easter!
Dollar-for-Dollar Match added to Feed Fundraiser!
Beau has asked that I post an exciting new message on his behalf ~
Hey Everyone!
Beau here to let you all know that our fundraiser, “A Bag of Grain Friday” for one pallet of Purina Equine Senior Grain is, once again, at a standstill. The good news is that two wonderful friends have offered to match all donations up to $700, which means for every bag of grain donated, it will automatically, morph into two! And since we are more than halfway there to meeting our goal of $1280, we are confident that with your help, we can do this!
As always, donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the “Donate” button below. If you are not in a position to donate at this time, no worries, as you can still assist us by sharing this amongst family and friends.
Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far!
Love,
Beau
Theresa’s Birthday Wish
My birthday wish this year, is to raise enough contributions to replace four gates for various paddocks at a cost of $920. We have made repairs to many gates throughout the years, but some have become so rusted that they pose a safety risk, not only to our beloved little herd, but to volunteers and visitors alike. Although many more gates need to be replaced, this is a start.
I would be forever grateful for any contribution to help make my Birthday Wish come true but if you are not in a position to donate at this time, I ask that you please share this post amongst family and friends in hope that they may be able to assist in any way.
Thank you, all, for your love and support.
A Bag of Grain Friday
Beau has asked that I post a message on his behalf regarding a new campaign ~
Hey Everyone!
Beau here, to let you all know that our social media fundraiser for one pallet of Purina Equine Senior Grain is currently at a standstill, so we have decided to launch a new campaign, “A Bag of Grain Friday!” Since one pallet consists of forty bags of grain, we are hoping that we can secure enough aunties and uncles who will help sponsor one bag of grain at a cost of $32 per bag.
As always, donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the “Donate” button below. If you are not in a position to donate at this time, no worries, as you can still assist us by sharing this amongst family and friends.
Thank you to everyone who has donated thus far!
Love,
Beau
What a Wonderful Day!
What a wonderful day – even with a little rain. We enjoyed a great ride followed by a delicious lunch, along with plenty of raffles and many happy winners throughout the day. This is truly one of my favorite days of the year. I cherish the opportunity to ride, spend time with friends, and meet new ones. It means a great deal to me.
I am incredibly grateful to Kathy Scarallo and her team for organizing such a wonderful event, and a special thank you to Jenny and Diane for the fantastic job they did with the food. We are also very thankful to everyone who sponsored raffle prizes and other items.
I would also like to extend my appreciation to Kathy Edgell for helping Bob manage the farm on Saturday morning, together with Hailey’s assistance. We are so fortunate to have such amazing volunteers, and we simply could not do what we do without them.
Many thanks to Jessica Schabert for working with Tobias at her place for a few days in order to prepare him for the ride, and for hauling Tobias, Walker, and me, to the event. Tobias did wonderfully and he will, one day, make someone a truly fantastic horse. I rode Walker and I’m so incredibly proud of him as this was his first time off the farm, and he handled it beautifully.
Thank you, as well, to Lynn Lawrence for arranging this event once again this year, and many thanks to everyone who participated. All in all, it was a truly blessed day.
Annual Trail Ride for the Horses
Our Annual Trail Ride for the Horses will take place on Saturday, March 14th, 2026, at Goethe State Forest-Tidewater Trail. This annual trail ride always proves to be a great way in which to have fun & meet new people (and horses) while supporting the horses here at the rescue!
*Please click on the image above to register.*