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On The Farm: A Pictorial Overview

A few pictures from last week – everyday has been very busy. The weather has been a bit better and we’re thankfully, starting to see the paddocks turn green! This week we’re getting ready for the trail ride on Saturday.

Pictured in Row One

(L to R) Valley Girl seems appreciative of having been relocated to a paddock where she has hay. Valley Girl, Jo, and Dancer are all in their 30’s and get multiple meals a day along with hay that’s available 24/7.

Kali and Flint were moved down to a paddock with Amira and Valley Girl was moved into the main paddock with Jo and Dancer. Since Amira cannot have hay due to her history of choke and her pasture mate, Valley Girl, was losing weight, we felt that it was in the girls’ best interest to separate them. These horses all get fed at least four times a day and they are on grass 24/7.

Mishka and Willow just enjoying one another’s company while hanging out beneath the tree.

Pictured in Row Two

(L to R) Beau getting a hooficure on his front feet only – he was a bit unsure and uncomfortable. He still has mental cobwebs that need to be cleared out. I feel so badly for any horse that has been mistreated. He wants to trust but it’s just going to take some time, consistency, and TLC. He’s pretty vocal – he lets us know when it’s meal time or if he’s out of hay. He still has a cough but his nasal discharge has cleared. If the cough is no better in another week, we will have the vet back out to scope him.

Magic taking a rest after a rather chilly night.

Peaches is still doing ok. She’s twenty-five years old now and since she has very few teeth remaining, she cannot have hay. She, too, is fed multiple times a day.

Pictured in Row Three

(L to R) Frodo gets his hooficures with the assistance of the sling. He took an indirect lightening strike a few years ago which caused him some permanent issues. His hoofs grow at least an inch every two weeks!

Danni and Tobias are both very sweet. Danni loves to give kisses and Tobias is happy with every bit of attention he receives.

Bouie and Frodo are both special needs boys. Bouie has metabolic issues and is prone to founder. We are very careful with their diets. They live around the barn where they have access to their stalls throughout the day.

We hope you enjoyed your little tour of a day at the farm!

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Around the Farm at Beauty’s Haven

We caught another kitten yesterday, from the feral colony that stays around our storage buildings. She is about seven months old. A growth was sadly discovered under her tongue so she was scheduled for surgery today in order to have it removed. She is now back home after doing just fine during the course of her surgery, spay, examination and vaccine administration, and she will be ready to rejoin her friends in a couple of days. If anyone would like to assist with the veterinary expenses ($452) of this precious little kitten, please click on the ‘DONATE’ button below.

On Sunday, I took twenty minutes from my very busy schedule for some much needed ‘me’ time! It was so wonderful to be back in the saddle, riding past Mo, Walker, Aaleyah Belle, Dancer, Jo, and Danni who were all out and about enjoying the beautiful weather.

Sweet Flint is always smiling! He is just a ‘makes you feel good’ kind of guy! Flint is in charge of this month’s hooficure fundraiser so please assist him in raising the necessary funds, so all his friends here at Beauty’s Haven will have ‘Happy Feet.’ The average cost per hooficure is $45, so if you are in a position to help, please click on the ‘DONATE’ button below.

Lastly, for your enjoyment, a video of CaryLou, who is always in the ‘ready, set, go’ mode,’ which can be viewed by clicking on the image above. At the start of the video, notice how CaryLou stops for a few seconds and stares right into the lens of the camera to make certain that all eyes are upon him! CaryLou has always been and will forever be, such a hoot!

Thank you, all, for your continued love and support!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Backbreaking Day Brightened by Resident “Super Model”

Yesterday was truly a backbreaking day to say the least! As the tractor is no longer functioning and is in need of major repairs, Bob and I had to manually unload big bales of hay which was not only tiresome, but took away many valuable hours from caring for our herd. The tractor, like the golf carts, is one of our most important tools here at the rescue, as we use it to haul hay, pull fence posts, together with many other tasks. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to address erosion issues until it is repaired.

Since the cost of repairing this essential piece of equipment is quite expensive at $3,500, any help with this need would not only be very much appreciated, but would greatly reduce our work load here at the farm.

If you are in a position to assist with this need, please CLICK HERE TO DONATE. If you are unable to contribute at this time, we truly understand.

The bright spot in all this? Our beautiful and sweet Addi, strutting around the farm and showing us how all the “Pretty Girls Walk.” See video below. She is most certainly Beauty’s Haven’s resident super model!

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

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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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Facing Another Hurricane with Amira in Distress

Here we go, again.

We are currently in the midst of battening down the hatches once again for Hurricane Milton, and repairing the fences damaged by Hurricane Helene. Bob made a run to the feed store this morning, made possible by the most thoughtful generosity of our wonderful little village of supporters, so, thankfully, we now have enough hay to last until Friday. We still have many additional hurricane related needs – we do need to get grain and forage as well as fill up the truck and gas cans now that we have found a source for gas.

Amira, however, could use some good thoughts and prayers. She had issues at breakfast this morning and was treated for choke. Although she seemed somewhat better following a bit of stall rest, I felt it would be in her best interest to call the vet who is en route to the farm as we speak.

If you would like to contribute to our hurricane fundraiser which includes Amira’s emergency vet visit, you may do so by clicking on the “Donate” button below.

Thank you, all, for your love and support!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Sassy and Helene

Sassy just had to live up to her name today – she never has a care in the world (as it should be)! These three snuck out of their paddock gate as Sandy was trying to get in to clean up. Lucy was a good girl and stayed behind. Please click on the image above to see a video of our little “wild things!”

Helene is way too close for comfort. The winds are getting worse with gusts up to 140 miles per hour and the rain bands are intermittent.

Everyone is tucked in, ID bands are on and hay has been distributed under the shelters and to the horses in the barn. Poor Peaches wanted to join me in the feed room so I made her a snack and will check on the remainder of our herd in the paddocks as soon as there is a break in the band. We have also lost power so we are truly very thankful for our generators.

A big thank you to our wonderful volunteers, Pam, Jillian, Bruce, and Lori for helping Bob and I prepare for the hurricane and for making certain that each horse is wearing their break away halter and ID collar. All members of our little herd are microchipped as well.

We are anxiously awaiting for this storm to pass. Sending prayers to everyone who in the path of the Hurricane Helene.

Match Game Update

There is still $375 remaining in the Match Game. Preparing for the hurricane involved a number of additional expenses – making yet another hay run, picking up additional grain as well as topping off the gas cans and vehicles. Thankfully the propane tank was recently filled. All donations to assist with these needs will not only be appreciated but will automatically be doubled – $1 becomes $2, $5 becomes $10 and so on, and no amount is ever too small. So please help if you can by clicking on the ‘Donate’ button below.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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A Runaway Horse!

We have had yet another busy week welcoming new visitors as well as a new volunteer! And, of course, there is never a dull moment here at Beauty’s Haven! Last Monday, Cracker decided to go on a field trip! He, somehow, managed to get the driveway gate open and off he went! Fortunately, someone driving down the street stopped to tell us that they had just spotted a runaway horse! Thankfully, Cracker had only galloped across the street and up a neighbor’s driveway! As soon as Kathy and I corralled him, the sky opened up and it absolutely poured! We walked him back to the farm, much to his chagrin, and immediately after the rain stopped, Cracker happily, went off grazing with his friends. And then of course, watching the antics of the ‘Three Amigos,’ JoJo, Jazzy and CaryLou, is a constant source of entertainment. There is a saying that ‘Laughter is the best medicine,’ and with these three boys, we sure do have our fair share!

Our feline residents are thankfully, doing well. Oreo is still with us but at the age of eighteen, he prefers to remain primarily, in the workshop now – he will not go outside for anything. Dr. Kristi was out last week to do exams and vaccinations on some of the dogs and cats and I must admit, Oreo was her very best patient!

Pearle, one of our TNR cats also is fine despite her very sad start in life. She was just a four- month-old kitten when we trapped her, and when we took her to the vet to get spayed, we sadly discovered, albeit too late, that she was pregnant with five kittens which she tragically lost. It took her awhile to recover from losing her babies and getting spayed but she is now ready for her very own loving, forever home which she so truly deserves.

And Allie, our sweet Orange Marmalade Tabby, faithfully performs her duty as our resident ‘Watch Cat’ as she watches over her charges in the barn, namely Luigi and Warrior. By the end of the day, Allie is usually exhausted from her barn watching duties!

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Dancing in the Rain

Please click on the image above to view Tobias “dancing in the rain.”

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”

It’s been pretty busy here between weathering Hurricane Debby and taking care of sick horses. Surprisingly, although we had tons of rain, we thankfully, did not get flooded. At times, during heavy rains, a pond forms in the middle of the property while a newly created river appears behind the barn. As the first bands came through, we did lose power, but thanks to our back-up generators, everything was soon back to normal.

A few horses did get an upper respiratory infection during the course of the storm, but I believe everyone is now on the mend and things are finally looking up.

A number of horses were confined to their stalls and were most anxious for a break in the weather. Bouie was nice enough to let Benjamin share his stall whilst Luigi and Warrior could not wait to get out and simply roll about in the mud! On the other hand, even bad weather does not slow Tobias down. He had a great time charging about the paddock as his best friend, Elka, happily looked on, eager to get back to normal. CLICK HERE to see video.

Allie, our sweet cat, watched over the horses in the barn and made certain that my rain jacket remained safe, as sometimes, things mysteriously go missing when Benjamin is around! By the end of the day, Allie was simply exhausted from her barn watching duties!

A big thank you to each and everyone of you who kept us in your thoughts and prayers as we weathered the storm.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Happenings at the Farm

I thought I would share a brief update regarding the daily happenings at Beauty’s Haven where there is never a dull moment! Elka continues to do well and she truly enjoys getting extra love and attention as she did this past week from Pam and Donna. Elka is such a sweet mule but when breakfast time rolls around, she eagerly waits at the fence with her friends with that “Hurry up with breakfast” look!

And then there are the doggos! Shadow and Benjamin are a constant source of entertainment with their daily shenanigans! Shadow is, of course, the “boss dog” who never fails to remind Benjamin of that fact many times throughout the day!

Thankfully, when you’re having “one of those days,” it helps to just hop on a horse and ride away, if only for a little while.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Rider Up!

I’m so excited to share some news with you! Many of you know that we have been searching for a place to relocate for quite some time now. We are in a rural part of Levy County and it’s a 30 – 40 minute drive to Gainesville or Ocala. There are quite a few people, including students, who would volunteer on a regular basis if we were not so far from the cities. Having more volunteers would enable us to pursue a number of things on our bucket list. One of them being an equine facilitated wellness program which would promote emotional, mental, and physical healing. This would mean the world to me.

Just over a week ago, we emailed a company out of Chiefland in order to get a quote on Jack and Jill stairs which would help humans with physical challenges mount and dismount a horse. A very nice lady from the company called me with some questions a few days later.

Well, today started out with the stairs being delivered – they were donated by the company, Southern Steps! The workmanship and quality is amazing – they are perfect! The gentleman who delivered the stairs was very nice – he had them unloaded and positioned in no time. We are so very appreciative of this donation which will benefit many for years to come. Prayers do get answered!

We are so truly Blessed!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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