I apologize for being remiss in keeping everyone informed about the latest happenings at Beauty’s Haven, but as you know, we have been dealing with Pigeon Fever here at the rescue, which, unfortunately, has affected our donations significantly. The extra biosecurity measures and daily care required a great deal of time, making it difficult for me to stay active online. Thankfully, things are getting back to normal, but now, we have a lot of catching up to do. We are, thereby, reaching out to share some of our current needs, hoping for your support as we move forward. As of today, we are, therefore, launching a fundraiser with a goal of $5,000 which will help cover these pressing needs:
With the rainy season upon us, horses with thin soles, like Mishka, who carries two thousand pounds on his feet, need extra attention. It’s essential that Mishka has soft sand upon which to stand, but the rain has washed away much of this soft footing. To fix this, we plan to add fabric at the front and side of his shelter to help keep the sand in place. This is a big job which requires a tractor, but the tractor currently, needs repairs – a parking brake, hydraulic actuator seal, hood latch, 4-wheel drive shift lever and seat replacement. The repairs are estimated to be $1,800, and a regular maintenance will not be needed for another fifteen hours of run time, so that is, most fortunately, not an immediate expense.
As the seasons change, our fence boards expand and contract, oftentimes breaking. This creates a safety risk for our horses. We therefore, need to replace at least 20 fence boards and keep 5 spares on hand. The 1”x6”x16” pressure-treated boards cost about $19 each, and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will sponsor a board (or part of one) to help us maintain a safe environment for our herd.
The Beauty’s Haven truck, essential for our daily work, needs to have its annual maintenance done in order to keep it running smoothly. We’ve received an estimate of $2,400 from the dealership to perform this work, as well as an additional estimate of $1,700, for the installation of five new tires with sensors. We plan to get the installation of the tires and sensors completed at Sam’s Club at a lower cost.
In preparation for hurricane season, we’ve had the generators serviced for $440. We also still have veterinary bills ($3,000+), farrier expenses, hay, fuel, as well as many additional ongoing needs.
While these needs might not be as exciting as rescuing a horse, they are crucial in ensuring our mission of rescuing and rehabilitating horses in need, so if you are in a position to donate, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you’re unable to help financially at this time, we completely understand, but you can still assist by sharing our needs amongst family, friends and social media.
Special Thanks!
We were blessed to receive a $1,000 donation from the Pine Ridge Equestrian Association, which helped cover our most recent hay run. We are so deeply grateful for their generosity! We have also received a most generous Match Game offer whereby, all donations up to $250 will be matched dollar for dollar.
Freedom at Last!
This is what freedom looks like! Valley Girl is back out with her friends and she is so very happy! I am happy to say, we are, at least for today, free of Pigeon Fever! It’s still in the surrounding area so we will continue to take precautions. But we are thrilled that Valley Girl is finally out and about once again. Please click on the image to view Valley Girl’s joyous return to freedom.
$1000 Match Game & Summer Fundraiser Update!
A dear friend and supporter has recently come forth to offer a Match Game whereby all donations up to $1000 will be matched dollar for dollar. Once the Match has been met, our Summer Fundraiser goal of $5000 will be complete! This is a wonderful opportunity in which to not only double your contribution, but to make an incredible difference in the life of each and every member of our beloved little herd.
The Tractor & Mishka’s Paddock – Covered!
With the rainy season upon us, horses with thin soles, like Mishka (who carries 2,000 lbs. on his feet), need extra attention. It’s essential that he has soft sand upon which to stand, but the rain has washed away much of this footing material. We plan to fix this issue by adding an additional load of sand ($250) which will be kept in place by adding fabric at the front and side of his shelter. This is a big job that requires a tractor, but the tractor needs repairs – a parking brake, hydraulic actuator seal, hood latch, 4-wheel drive shift lever, and seat replacement. The estimated repairs are $1,800, but we will not have to schedule the next regular maintenance check until we have utilized fifteen hours of run time.
Fence Boards Still Needed
As the seasons change, our fence boards expand and contract, oftentimes breaking. This creates a safety risk for our horses. We need to replace at least 20 fence boards and keep 5 spares on hand. The 1”x6”x16” pressure-treated boards cost about $19 each, and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will help sponsor a board to assist us in maintaining a hazard free environment for our little herd. And, with the Match Game, each donation for one board, will automatically, translate into two!
Beauty’s Haven Truck
The BH truck, essential for our daily work, needs its annual maintenance to keep running smoothly. We’ve received an estimate of $2,400 from the dealership which does not include 5 new tires with sensors, which would add another $1,700. We plan to get the tires done at Sam’s Club for a lower cost.
Miscellaneous Expenses
In preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, we’ve had the generators serviced for $440. We also still have veterinary bills ($3,000+), farrier and hay expenses, as well as additional ongoing needs.
If you’re able to participate in the Match Game, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you’re unable to help financially, we completely understand, but you can still assist us by sharing our fundraiser amongst family and friends.
More than HALFWAY THERE!
We are more than halfway there in our Summer Fundraiser thanks to the generosity and love of our wonderful little village of supporters! As we still have a ways to go, we would be forever grateful for your assistance with any of the much needed items listed below.
The Tractor & Mishka’s Paddock – Covered!
With the rainy season upon us, horses with thin soles, like Mishka (who carries 2,000 lbs. on his feet), need extra attention. It’s essential that he has soft sand upon which to stand, but the rain has washed away much of this footing material. We plan to fix this issue by adding an additional load of sand ($250) which will be kept in place by adding fabric at the front and side of his shelter. This is a big job that requires a tractor, but the tractor needs repairs – a parking brake, hydraulic actuator seal, hood latch, 4-wheel drive shift lever, and seat replacement. The estimated repairs are $1,800, but we will not have to schedule the next regular maintenance check until we have utilized fifteen hours of run time.
Fence Boards Still Needed
As the seasons change, our fence boards expand and contract, oftentimes breaking. This creates a safety risk for our horses. We need to replace at least 20 fence boards and keep 5 spares on hand. The 1”x6”x16” pressure-treated boards cost about $19 each, and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will help sponsor a board to assist us in maintaining a hazard free environment for our little herd. And, with the Match Game, each donation for one board, will automatically, translate into two!
Beauty’s Haven Truck
The BH truck, essential for our daily work, needs its annual maintenance to keep running smoothly. We’ve received an estimate of $2,400 from the dealership which does not include 5 new tires with sensors, which would add another $1,700. We plan to get the tires done at Sam’s Club for a lower cost.
Miscellaneous Expenses
In preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, we’ve had the generators serviced for $440. We also still have veterinary bills ($3,000+), farrier and hay expenses, as well as additional ongoing needs.
If you’re able to participate in the Match Game, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you’re unable to help financially, we completely understand, but you can still assist us by sharing our fundraiser amongst family and friends.
Summertime Blues & Freedom at Last!
I apologize for being remiss in keeping everyone informed about the latest happenings at Beauty’s Haven, but as you know, we have been dealing with Pigeon Fever here at the rescue, which, unfortunately, has affected our donations significantly. The extra biosecurity measures and daily care required a great deal of time, making it difficult for me to stay active online. Thankfully, things are getting back to normal, but now, we have a lot of catching up to do. We are, thereby, reaching out to share some of our current needs, hoping for your support as we move forward. As of today, we are, therefore, launching a fundraiser with a goal of $5,000 which will help cover these pressing needs:
With the rainy season upon us, horses with thin soles, like Mishka, who carries two thousand pounds on his feet, need extra attention. It’s essential that Mishka has soft sand upon which to stand, but the rain has washed away much of this soft footing. To fix this, we plan to add fabric at the front and side of his shelter to help keep the sand in place. This is a big job which requires a tractor, but the tractor currently, needs repairs – a parking brake, hydraulic actuator seal, hood latch, 4-wheel drive shift lever and seat replacement. The repairs are estimated to be $1,800, and a regular maintenance will not be needed for another fifteen hours of run time, so that is, most fortunately, not an immediate expense.
As the seasons change, our fence boards expand and contract, oftentimes breaking. This creates a safety risk for our horses. We therefore, need to replace at least 20 fence boards and keep 5 spares on hand. The 1”x6”x16” pressure-treated boards cost about $19 each, and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will sponsor a board (or part of one) to help us maintain a safe environment for our herd.
The Beauty’s Haven truck, essential for our daily work, needs to have its annual maintenance done in order to keep it running smoothly. We’ve received an estimate of $2,400 from the dealership to perform this work, as well as an additional estimate of $1,700, for the installation of five new tires with sensors. We plan to get the installation of the tires and sensors completed at Sam’s Club at a lower cost.
In preparation for hurricane season, we’ve had the generators serviced for $440. We also still have veterinary bills ($3,000+), farrier expenses, hay, fuel, as well as many additional ongoing needs.
While these needs might not be as exciting as rescuing a horse, they are crucial in ensuring our mission of rescuing and rehabilitating horses in need, so if you are in a position to donate, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you’re unable to help financially at this time, we completely understand, but you can still assist by sharing our needs amongst family, friends and social media.
Special Thanks!
We were blessed to receive a $1,000 donation from the Pine Ridge Equestrian Association, which helped cover our most recent hay run. We are so deeply grateful for their generosity! We have also received a most generous Match Game offer whereby, all donations up to $250 will be matched dollar for dollar.
Freedom at Last!
This is what freedom looks like! Valley Girl is back out with her friends and she is so very happy! I am happy to say, we are, at least for today, free of Pigeon Fever! It’s still in the surrounding area so we will continue to take precautions. But we are thrilled that Valley Girl is finally out and about once again. Please click on the image to view Valley Girl’s joyous return to freedom.
Summer at the Farm
Summer – a time of fireflies twinkling in the early evening light.
Summer- a time to light sparklers and eat watermelon and let both drip down.
Summer – a time of homemade cookies and lemonade on the porch.
Summer has a magic all of its own!
As we navigate through the intense heat and torrential downpours of summer, we continue to count our blessings for our remarkable little herd, our wonderful volunteers and our truly loving supporters.
After several attempts to trap a sweet little cat for quite some time with no luck, we were blessed that somehow, she managed to catch herself one evening last week. She is small with beautiful eyes and markings. I named her Opal, and after transporting her to the vet to get spayed, she was then released within a few days. I believe she is the last feline here who needed to be fixed, although we did spot two kittens a couple of weeks ago who appeared to be just passing through. Opal is TNR Feline Sixteen.
One day last week, Jo didn’t come in with Dancer for her breakfast. We checked her vitals which were normal, but we decided, nevertheless, to give her some IV meds, which made her more comfortable, and she was, thankfully, soon back to normal after a few minutes. Jo does experience ‘dementia days,’ but this is the first episode she’s had in quite some time. We are truly grateful that she recovered so quickly.
The ‘Three Amigos’ constantly bring us so much joy each and every day with their silly shenanigans! They love their little excursions into a small paddock with lovely green grass. I release them from their dirt paddock once or twice weekly for a few minutes as they are all a little on the ‘porky’ side. Their paddock also appears to be quite conducive to growing melons to which Kathy and I can attest after discovering seven nice melons the other day, which were just ripe for picking and so very delicious!
Mishka recently enjoyed a cool shower and brief respite from the hot weather. He’s such a big love! Peaches, in the mean time, so loved showing off her new fly mask, gifted to her from her Auntie Gillian.
We are so very appreciative of our kind and wonderful supporters who continue to assist us in fulfilling our mission by supporting our needs here at the rescue – needs such as hay (fundraiser below), our farriers, our equine dentist, our veterinary expenses, as well as a myriad of additional necessities such as fly spray, fly masks, meds and supplements to name just a few. Click here to donate.
We are so truly blessed!
Pigeon Fever Update and Addi & the Turkeys
Valley Girl was originally the only horse here that had tested positive for Pigeon Fever, but she is now on the road to recovery as her swelling has gone down and the discharge is clearing up. Mo, although he tested negative, did go into QT due to an abscess which has thankfully, now resolved and he, too, is doing well. Addi also developed an abscess a few weeks ago, and she, too, went into QT. Although she originally tested negative for Pigeon Fever, Addi was not getting better and she has since, developed a lump on her neck. I scheduled the vet to come back out last Wednesday to perform another culture and when I last spoke to him on Friday, I learned that Addi’s latest test, unfortunately, was now positive.
So now, in addition to our daily routine, it is essential that we closely monitor every horse daily, checking each from head to tail. Boo boos are treated, clean fly masks are put on and fly spray is applied. SWAT is applied under the tummy centerline and around wounds and cuts that have already been treated. We are going through a LOT of SWAT, bleach, gloves, and fly spray. Endure Gold, a new fly spray, appears to be the most effective. I prefer the pink SWAT rather than the clear formula as I can see when a horse has already been treated. Feed tubs, masks, grooming supplies, etc. are sanitized daily and foot baths are placed in several locations. Fly masks are hung on the opposite side of the property, fly traps are hung throughout the acreage and the main barn has a fly mister system.
Good bio-security practices are a definite must as Pigeon Fever can live in the ground for years and as we have had very little rain, the climate creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Pigeon Fever is not just here at Beauty’s Haven, however, it has also been discovered in NW and Central Florida with a number of cases of strangles appearing as well.
On the lighter side
I must share a funny story about Addi. As big as she is, a few days ago, Addi became terrified of a few turkeys that strolled along the road from the neighbor’s house. I couldn’t help but laugh – it was hysterical! She tried to hide in her shelter and peek out at them, but she would then come running in a panic as if to say, ‘Help me!’ After a few days, she did get used to these strange creatures and she now bravely stands in a corner near the road to watch for them. Such a silly mare!
Lastly, on Saturday we were thrilled to welcome Chris to our wonderful family of volunteers! Magic approved!
A Visit from Dr. Dianne McFarlane
Dr. Dianne McFarlane came out recently to do tests for Cushing’s Disease on some of our horses. She is Chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Studies at University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Her special area of interest is aging and age related diseases of the senior horse, and we just happen to have quite a few of those here at Beauty’s Haven! Cushing’s Disease is a pretty common neurodegenerative disease that usually affects older horses. Dr. McFarlane hopes to better understand the disease by identifying genetic mutations in order that treatment for Cushing’s can be started earlier.
Valley Girl, the only horse here so far to test positive for Pigeon Fever, is one of the horses Dr. McFarlane tested for Cushing’s and she is positive. This could be a contributing factor to why it is taking her so long to recover from Pigeon Fever. She is better but she’s still working through it. There have been quite a few cases over the past couple of months in and around the Ocala area and there will likely be more as flies are the carriers and they’ve been truly horrible this year. Plus, it’s been very dry.
The first photo is of Dr. McFarlane with Magic. He was so good getting his blood drawn – I was very proud of him! His Cushing’s test was negative but a few others did test positive so they are getting a medication called Prascend. And I thought I’d just share a few other photos while I have a chance.
The Big Search!
On Wednesday, I saw two dogs posted on Facebook who were seemingly abandoned in the middle of a forest of an agricultural area, located close to the rescue. As I simply could not ignore these poor pups, I decided to go search for them which was like looking for a needle in a haystack. After searching for a few minutes, I stopped on the side of the road and said a prayer, and then, lo and behold, I saw ears! The dogs were a male and a female who had possibly been used for breeding purposes and I feared that they may have been dumped as neither dog was wearing a collar or tags. They were quite timid, but they did eat a few treats and were quite thankful for water. Both, however, did not wish to be touched.
I called Diane to ask if she could help as I didn’t have a cage with me at the time. After Diane arrived with her cage, we had absolutely no luck as neither dog would even go near it. As the heat was unbearable, coupled with my terrible reaction to numerous bug bites causing my tongue to swell, I knew I had to immediately get home as I did not have my Epi-pen with me. We had no other choice but to leave these sweet pups and return in the morning in hopes they would get used to the cage overnight. Prior to leaving, they were both fed and given water which would hopefully last until morning when I planned to return with a larger, remote-controlled cage. Needless to say, I did worry about them throughout the night and hoped and prayed that they did not encounter any predators, like gators, coyotes or other wildlife.
Happily, when I arrived Thursday morning, I was truly blessed to discover the good Lord had indeed watched over them; upon my arrival, both approached me, with tails wagging!
All Hands on Deck as Pigeon Fever Descends
I didn’t want to let another week end without sending out an update. To say we’ve been extremely busy would be an understatement. As some of you know, Valley Girl got sick about a month ago. It started with edema under her tummy. She was examined by the vet and blood tests were done. Over the next couple of days without improvement, the vet came back and did an ultrasound. A culture was also done and, unfortunately, the results were positive for dreaded Pigeon Fever. Valley Girl had already been separated from other horses and the barn was placed in lockdown. Valley has had a few abscesses rupture from her tummy to her chest. She had another, hopefully the last, to open yesterday.
A couple of weeks ago, we found swelling on Addi’s chest that was suspect, so we put her in quarantine. The vet examined her and performed blood tests and a culture. Most recently, Mo also had some chest swelling so the vet came again to examine him, do a culture and run blood tests. Cultures for both Addi and Mo came back negative, but, out of an abundance of caution, we continue to treat them as a worst case scenario. Since then, the vet has lanced the swelling on Addi’s chest in order to drain and collect the discharge, but there is still some swelling. Mo had one open under his tummy on Friday and although I collected the discharge, he continues to experience some swelling.
Pigeon Fever is transmitted mostly by flies carrying the bacteria when they land on a horse that has open sores or wounds. It is, thankfully, not transmitted nose to nose like strangles. We don’t know where it originated but we are located in an agricultural community and have farms all around us with cows, horses, goats, etc. and the flies are absolutely horrible this year. It is possible that it was already in the ground, but we’ve been here almost twenty years and never before have had this issue.
We’ve invested quite a bit into bleach, exam gloves, fly spray, SWAT, etc. If anyone would like to help, we would greatly appreciate it. Donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. We don’t know how much the veterinary bill will be, but we will share it once it is received.
A few of our needs can be found on our Amazon Wish List: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/363QQBR2KM14O
Thank you and have a safe and blessed weekend.
Flint, the Boy with the Most Beautiful Smile
Flint, a very special and sweet Quarter Horse gelding with a heart of gold, went to Rainbow Bridge early Friday morning. He came to us back in December, literally skin on bones. He was a wise, grateful, and loving soul who always seemed to be smiling – and such a beautiful smile he had. His rehabilitation went well and he became wonderful friends with Kalista and Amira. He had been living a good and happy life.
Temperatures warmed up recently and when that happens, I think we all tend to slow down a little – both humans and horses alike. We’ve been dealing with some other issues which I will share at a later time, but we have been diligently checking each and every horse every morning for any signs of illness.
He was in a paddock at the south end of the property where he stayed with Kalista and Amira. I immediately went to assess him and he was up when I arrived. His respiration was slightly elevated, his gums looked good, and his temperature was normal, but he clearly wasn’t himself. I walked him up to the barn after giving him some Banamine and on the way, he wanted to graze, so we stopped for a bit and he passed poop which was a good thing. Afterward, he was tucked into a nice clean stall with fresh water so we could monitor him. He perked up, ate all of his mushy lunch, passed more manure, ate hay, and drank water. Since his eyes were bright, we let him out of the stall. He grazed for a bit and passed more manure.
By late evening, he wasn’t himself once again. Jessica was here and took his temperature and checked his vitals. His temperature was normal, his gums were pink and moist, but his HR and RR were slightly elevated. With this info, I called the vet and we followed instructions regarding what medications to administer and we were instructed to withhold hay and grain and to keep him stalled for the night. He passed more poop and drank more water before lights went out at about midnight.
When I checked on him at 6:15 yesterday morning, he had passed more poop and drank more water. He looked tired and worried, but not painful. I was going to call the hospital at 7:30 am but shortly after 7:00 am, he collapsed. There was no struggling at all – he was just gone. My heart shattered. We don’t know if it was a possible GI issue such as a rupture from a strangulating lipoma, his heart – or perhaps internal bleeding from a ruptured aorta, or some other issue. He was twenty-seven years old.
Flint knew love, received daily attention from multiple humans, was served nutritious meals multiple times a day, and he had many horse friends. He will forever remain in each of our hearts.
Easter Happenings Around the Rescue
It’s been another busy week with picture perfect weather as we prepared for Easter!
Please enjoy a little journey encompassing the daily happenings at the rescue whilst witnessing firsthand, our precious little herd experiencing the ‘Joy of just being a horse!’
Pictured from Left to Right Top Row
Pictured from Left to Right Center Row
Pictured from Left to Right Bottom Row
We truly hope you enjoyed this Easter week tour of Beauty’s Haven, a place where ‘Life begins, again!’
Wishing Everyone a Blessed Easter and Passover.