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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.”

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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 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.

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Addi and Mo

Addi has been having trouble adjusting to a new baby camel and baby ostrich that moved in next-door causing her great anxiety. She started having open sores down the left side of her face and around her eye which appeared to be the result of rubbing against something. Also, as she is allergic to flies and no-see-ums, she must wear a flymask 24/7. Rubbing with the flymask on does worsen the sores, but we simply cannot leave off her mask. We moved Addi to a different paddock last week, but, as of Sunday, she still had very bad rub marks over and under her left eye. I stained her eye and was happy to see that it did not appear to be ulcerated but out of an abundance of caution, we had Dr. Julia out on Monday to check Addi’s eye.

Dr. Julia stained Addi’s eye once again and confirmed that no ulcer was present and nothing was stuck beneath her eyelids. Addi has therefore, been placed on both a calming supplement and Coat Defense. We also ordered a special mask to protect her eye from further injury should she continue to rub it. As of yesterday, the calming supplement seems to be greatly helping her anxiety while Coat Defense is clearing up her sores nicely. Addi is such a magnificent horse who truly appreciates human attention and everything that is done for her. And as always, she was a perfect, well-behaved patient!

I also asked Dr. Julia to check Mo’s neck as I had recently discovered a large knot which I believed to be the result of ant bites. Mo experienced no difficulty swallowing and did not have a temperature. But, at this time last year, we had a very long dry spell resulting in an outbreak of pigeon fever which brought back terrible memories, as three of our horses, including Mo, were affected. Thus far, this year, while the weather has been just as dry, I’m happy to report that Dr. Julia agreed that Mo merely has ant bites and is doing just fine!

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our most recent Hay Fundraiser which was a complete success!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

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She’s so SASSY!

As many of you may be unaware of Sassy’s history, I thought I should share her story. When Sassy first came to Beauty’s Haven in 2020, she had been colicing for days, so we took her straight to UF. They had to perform surgery in order to remove a blockage which can leave scar tissue, which, in turn, can lead to recurrent colic. The top image above shows us as we made our way home from UF in 2020.

Everything about Sassy is quite small – she only weighs a mere 161 pounds. So, we naturally became quite concerned this past Friday when our little girl experienced a tummy ache. While her temperature remained normal and she did have gut sounds, she still had not had a bowel movement.

Although she appeared to feel a bit better by the afternoon, Sassy still had not passed manure, so we immediately headed to the Equine Medical Center of Ocala.

Once there, tests revealed her bloodwork was normal and she was not dehydrated. Sassy’s ultrasound did show some fecal matter, but there was no indication of sand or an impaction being present, so fluids were run throughout the night.

When I visited Sassy on Saturday, she was not at all a happy camper about being in the hospital! She was also unhappy that I could not give her any treats. She was still hooked up to her IV drip and she was now, thankfully, passing some manure. She was also started on a feeding program.

We were able to bring her back to the rescue on Sunday, where she soon was back to being her little Sassy Pants self!

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Valley Girl & Cowboy

Cowboy is such a very sweet soul who is becoming much more animated each and every day as you can see in the video by clicking on the image above. A proper diet, most certainly, does the body good!

The vet was out yesterday to check on Cowboy’s progress, and I’m happy to report that he is better overall, including his heart. Most of the open sores on his body have healed (with the exception of the large sores on his ankles), and his coat and skin are healthier. Blood and fecal tests were repeated and we hope to have those results later today. We felt it best to wait another week before performing a biopsy on his ankle sores as well as having his teeth done, until he is a bit stronger for sedation. Until his teeth are done, we will continue giving him a mash several times a day, which he truly loves, as well as chopped forage. While temperatures were in the 70’s yesterday, they were predicted to dip into the 20’s during today’s early morning hours, together with high winds, so Cowboy, as well as other members of our beloved herd, were tucked into their cozy blankets last night.

The vet also x-rayed Valley Girl’s feet once again due to her chronic founder and Cushing’s, as she had been having a tough time this past week. Thankfully, her second round of x-rays were better than expected. She did blow an abscess in her front right foot a few days ago and another abscess on the opposite side of the same foot, erupted yesterday. Due to the continued abscess issue, the vet prescribed antibiotics. I am a bit concerned, however, about the position of the coffin bone and bone remodeling.

Cowboy and Valley Girl are such sweet, kind, and deserving horses. I am most certain they both very much appreciate your good thoughts and prayers. I have added items to our wish lists on Chewy and Amazon so if you would like to make a year-end contribution designated for their needs, or to address the needs of other members of our beloved herd, you can do so via the ‘Donate’ button below. As always, contributions of any amount are both tax deductible and so very much appreciated.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!

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Valley Girl Home from the Hospital

Valley Girl returned home on Thursday from the Equine Medical Center of Ocala after having twelve teeth removed due to Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH), a condition that results in resorptive lesions of the incisors and sometimes, the canine teeth. She thankfully appears to be doing well. Jo missed Valley Girl and she is so very happy that her best friend is back at the farm – we all are. Please click on the image above to view the girls’ truly joyful reunion.

Valley Girl’s hospital bill which includes the cost of the extractions, coupled with the fees for her hospital stay and follow-up visit is $2,925.

A dear friend and wonderful supporter of the rescue, however, has offered to match all donations up to $500 designated for Valley Girl’s expenses, and I am confident that with the assistance from our wonderful little village, we will get this done. So, if you would like to help with this need, while doubling your donation at the same time, just click on the ‘Donate’ button below. All contributions are so greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small!

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Valley Girl and Beau – So Brave!

On Tuesday, Valley Girl was transported to the Equine Medical Center of Ocala to have several teeth removed. Brookledge was right on time and the gentleman who helped me load her was so very nice and patient. Valley Girl’s surgery was scheduled for Wednesday and she is to arrive home later today.

Jo was a bit anxious when Valley Girl left as both have been pasture pals since Dancer went to Rainbow Bridge. One of the hardest things for me is when any member of our little herd leaves, whilst hearing their friends crying out for them as they leave the farm.

At the beginning of the week, we were very busy blanketing the horses due to the arrival of unusually frigid weather with a ‘feel like’ temperature of 25 degrees in the wee hours of the morning. Beau reluctantly accepted his blanket albeit with a little encouragement and patience – this was a very new experience for him. We do not know what his past life was like prior to his arrival at Beauty’s Haven, but sadly has not accepted anyone approaching his backend and has always kicked out. We’ve been working on this issue and I’m so very proud of the progress he has made. Good boy, Beau!

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Valley Girl, Peaches, and a message from JoJo

Valley Girl has been experiencing an issue in her front foot. We were concerned she was having a laminitic flare up so we had x-rays done this week and learned that there was an abscess which has since resolved. Now that we know we’re past that, she will be going to the hospital on Tuesday to have some teeth pulled. She has equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH).

As per Equine Wellness Magazine: “EOTRH is characterized by internal and external tooth resorption (loss of the tooth) and destruction. Excessive cemental deposition is also a primary factor in this disease and the roots of the teeth eventually become enlarged – a condition known as hypercementosis. Infection, abscesses and fractures are also frequently seen with this condition. The tooth degeneration that happens in horses with EOTRH leads to painful fractures and tooth loss, and can express itself through weight loss and difficulty eating, as well as performance and behavioral issues including head shyness and resistance to bend during work.”

Peaches could also use some good thoughts and prayers. She has arthritis in her right knee which has progressively worsened over time. The vet was out this week to do x-rays and determine what more we can do to help keep her comfortable. On Thursday, Peaches’ knee was injected with a synthetic joint lubricant and with the cold temperatures heading this way, we are praying this works.

Sincerely,
Theresa

A Bale for JoJo

JoJo here, with Phase Two of our Hay Fundraiser! Now that Phase One is complete, we are now looking for sponsors for two one-half size compressed Orchard bales at a total cost of $292.50, but thanks to the generosity of a very special auntie and supporter, we now only need $192.50 to complete this fundraiser! So, if you would like to help feed me and my friends here at Beauty’s Haven with a tax deductible contribution, just click on the ‘Donate’ button below for which we would be forever grateful!

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Smiles, Scratches & Poetry in Motion

I must apologize for this long overdue update regarding the happenings at Beauty’s Haven. As always, we have been extremely busy tending to farm chores as well as to the needs of our beloved little herd.

Dr. Julia was out last week to run some tests on Luiji and check upon Addi’s neck sore which simply, does not want to heal. Thankfully, it is getting better. Addi truly enjoyed the extra attention – especially the neck scratches – she stretched tall and wore a big smile the entire time! Danni was determined, that he. too, should receive some scratches as well, to which I, of course, happily, complied.

Jo recently had an abscess erupt from the coronary band in her front foot, whilst Valley Girl, who has chronic founder, is wearing Soft Rides. Jo and Valley Girl, nevertheless, seem to forget their age as well as their hoof issues when they happily run like the wind throughout the paddocks.

Beau and Mo, two of our beautiful Arabians, also experience innate joy when running about. They are simply ‘Poetry in Motion,’ as you can see by clicking here or on the image above. They truly make my day! Tobias, Walker, and Aaleyah Belle always make me smile as well, especially when they greet me at breakfast time with Tobias leading the way as he always just has to be the first at everything!

Lastly, Amira is doing very well and has adapted nicely to her eye enucleation. She’s much more comfortable which truly, makes us all so very happy indeed!

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Sweet Amira Update II

On Friday, just three days following her eye enucleation surgery, Amira already appeared to be on the mend. Although she was not passing as much stool as we’d like, she was drinking better and her appetite had returned. She was much more comfortable in the small paddock behind the barn than she was while confined in a stall, especially on Saturday, when we experienced some horrific torrential rains.

Amira had another really great day on Sunday. She is now eating, drinking and passing stool! She was so very brave and never flinched while I used a battery powered saw to cut the lower limbs from a tree in her paddock to prevent any future injuries.

Thank you, all, for your good thoughts and prayers. Amira is a very sweet and deserving mare and I’m so very grateful that we were able to provide this life altering surgery for her.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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