,

Rejected Baby Goat in Dire Need

We never know what will turn up in our driveway next. Today, it’s a baby goat that was born last night but was sadly rejected by her mom.

While Bob went to the feed store to get colostrum / milk replacer, we cleaned her up and treated her umbilical cord. She’s tiny – not quite 2 lbs. – and very weak, so I gave her a little syrup which perked her up a little. When Bob got home, she was ready for her milk. She had trouble standing but there did not appear to be any injuries.

We don’t know how long she had laid on the ground before she got here, but we got her up and started working her legs and rubbing her all over. I guess the nourishment from the milk kicked in and she started to try to stand. And she did! Once she found her legs, she became more and more mobile. Prayers do get answered!

We’ve checked with friends and neighbors for goat milk but haven’t been able to find any, so we’re getting colostrum and milk replacer from the feed store.

Would anyone like to sponsor this precious baby’s needs?

We realize that so many others are in dire need of assistance following hurricanes Helene and Milton, so if you are unable to assist at this time, we truly understand – but you can still help by sharing this with family and friends. If you are in a position to help, please click on the ‘DONATE’ button below.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
,

A Moment in Time

We hope this message brings a smile to your face, a moment in time where good fills your heart if only for a second. This beautiful Belgian mare is our latest intake. We’ve named her Adelaide, aka Addi. She’s thought to be around fifteen years old. Addi is very sweet, despite coming from a bad situation.

Addi will get a physical, her feet will be taken care of, and her dental needs will be addressed, hopefully, in the upcoming days. We don’t know how soon all of this can happen as people are still without power in many counties here in Florida. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all of those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

A ‘Welcome to BHFER’ Match Game in honor of Addi, has been kicked off today by one of our dear supporters, whereby all donations up to $100 will be matched dollar for dollar. If you would like to participate, please click on the DONATE button below. In addition, if you would like to view a brief video of Addi, please click on the image above.

Thank you in advance for your love and support in welcoming sweet Addi to our beloved Beauty’s Haven herd.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
, ,

DUSTI ROSE – A PONY SAVED IMO BETSY ROSE

June is a very special month for us here at the rescue. Betsy Rose, a very special pony, came to us on June 14th, 2013 and JoJo and Jazzy’s birthdays are in June. We usually have a birthday party each year to honor Betsy Rose as well as to recognize JoJo and Jazzy’s birthday, but this year, we didn’t have time to put it together. For those who do not know Betsy Rose, and her story, there is a link on our website blog where you can learn about the day she arrived as well as the years we had with her. https://bhfer.org/pony-mare-update/

Betsy Rose was much more than that one special horse who comes into your life – she was a friend, teacher, comic, helper, healer and a heroine. Her story about overcoming incredible odds is one that should never be forgotten – she will never be forgotten.

Betsy, literally, helped many people to believe in themselves, to overcome, and to never give up. Sadly, we lost Betsy on December 22nd, 2017, due to her inability to swallow. With tears flowing, I held her tightly as she peacefully transitioned to Rainbow Bridge while I promised her that her legacy would forever live on.

Recently, one of our supporters notified us about a pony mare that desperately needed help. As she viewed the photo of the pony, she immediately thought of Betsy Rose. The pony had been run through multiple auctions as a no-sale and her next stop would have been Mexico where horses are slaughtered for human consumption . When I saw a photo of the mare, my heart skipped a few beats and memories of our Betsy Rose came flooding back. In honor of our Betsy, we quickly made the decision to rescue this precious little pony mare providing she was able to make the trip here. And with that, a new story begins.

We named her Dusti Rose. She arrived thin, her coat was unhealthy, her mane and tail unkept, and her feet had not been trimmed in months. Like Betsy, she has vision loss in her right eye. She had multiple auction stickers and/or glue from old stickers in her mane, on her backside, and in her tail.

Dusti’s personality is so sweet – she’s almost like a younger version of Betsy. She warms the heart and is good for the soul. And like Betsy Rose, she appreciates everything done for her.  She really enjoyed her first bath.

With all of the losses we have had over the past year or so, the toll it has taken on my heart has been great. I’m still trying to accept the loss of my heart horse, Beauty. There are times that the tears flow and nothing takes away the pain. But I do believe that, sometimes, God puts people, and animals, in our lives just when we need them (or they need us) the most. I think we needed little Dusti as much as she needed us. From the moment I met her, she had my heart. We have promised her that we will make all of her tomorrows everything her past should have been.

We have much going on here, 24/7, and it’s challenging to post updates which impacts our presence on social media which in turn, impacts donations. It’s a very stressful time. Grants are hard to come by, but we constantly apply.

However, we do have some good news!  A couple of dear friends and supporters have joined together to offer a $6000 Match Game!  

All donations up to $6000 will be matched dollar for dollar… $5 will morph into $10, $50 will morph into $100, and so on.  These funds are desperately needed and can help us recover from vet, facility, maintenance and equipment repairs, as well as other expenses. We also need assistance with the ongoing expenses for the feral cat colony that lives on the farm.

If you would like to play the Match Game, you can contribute via the ‘Donate’ button below. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. We will be posting a thermometer on our social media pages on a daily basis, and in upcoming emails, that will indicate the total amount of donations received across all platforms (BHFER website, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) as of that day/time. We would also ask that you please share this out to family and friends.

A very special “Thank You” to our dear friends who are making this Match Game possible.

We thank all of you for your continued generosity, love and support.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
, ,

Kittens & Cats Galore!

Please click on the above image to view a sweet video of Momma and Baby.

As we may have previously mentioned, during the past year, we have been trying to catch a feral cat who had four kittens about two months ago, in order to get her fixed. As a feral, she has had at least four litters since she was born here at the farm. We have cameras set up throughout and we have seen momma with her four kittens in tow, coming for their nightly meal which indicated the kittens were able to eat on their own. Since the opportunity arose to catch momma and one kitten, we opted to proceed. Since the kitten was not big enough to get fixed, she stayed with us, accompanied by a warm, stuffed sloth and she did just fine. Momma was spayed and upon her return home on Thursday, her kitten was so happy to be reunited with her beloved momma once again. Both are presently staying in one of our A/C storage cabins for a few days and then will be released together. Since the other three kittens have been visiting routinely to eat and get fresh water, we know that they’re all doing just fine.

Last week, Jessica found a kitten in the middle of a paddock who was approximately, just seven to ten days old. We waited and waited, but sadly, the momma did not return, so we had no choice but to help this sweet little kitten. Jessica took her home and, thankfully, she is doing well. Then yesterday, we found two additional kittens who appear to be the same age, and once again, we watched and waited. Since the mother cat, perhaps a first-time momma, had not come back, the kittens were becoming weak, especially the smallest one. The kittens received KMR, were bathed and had as many fleas removed as was possible. They are presently in our bathroom, contentedly napping away in a little cat snuggly house, accompanied by a cuddly stuffed rabbit. Have I mentioned that I am very allergic to cats?

If anyone in the area is skilled with raising orphan kittens and could take these two precious and innocent little ones, please text me at 352-258-9309.

I know kitten season is upon us and everyone is full, but I’m praying for a miracle. Sadly, with all that is happening here at the farm, we have not had time to send weekly updates for which I truly apologize, but for the past five weeks, both Bob and I have had a severe case of bronchitis, yet we are trying to do our best. Our physician changed our medications this past week, so hopefully, we are, at long last, well on the way on the road to recovery.

We try not to ask for assistance for our TNR efforts but we could really use it at this time. KMR and cat food is not inexpensive. We have trapped and had over a dozen cats fixed and including the new kittens, there are at least, nine to eleven more cats/kittens that are in need of TNR.

All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Just click on the “Donate” button below where you may contribute in a variety of ways, or, if you prefer, you can help by visiting our Chewy Wish List by clicking here.

Thank you, all for your continued generosity, love and support.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by

Nowhere To Go

Would anyone like to help us help this senior gelding? The property he was living on was foreclosed and he needed a safe place to land. His name is “Cracker.”

Cracker needs a physical examination (including bloodwork, Coggins, fecal, etc.) as well as dental and farrier work. He would also love to have monthly sponsors to help with his ongoing care.

If anyone would like to help this sweet boy, it would be so greatly appreciated.

Contributions are tax deductible, and please be assured that no amount is ever too small. Just click on the donation button below.

Thank you in advance for your love and support!

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
,

What are the Chances?

When I received a call about a little pony that had been down since early morning and saw a picture of her, I knew I had to take immediate action. Memories of Betsy Rose came flooding back. Jessica was at the farm so we gathered up some things and went to see if we could help her. She was still down when we arrived. It wasn’t colic but she was extremely weak and couldn’t get up. We were told she was about 30 years old.

I called the vet and she came out to evaluate the situation and run fluids. Since it was dark and the pony was dehydrated, finding a vein proved to be quite challenging. The situation was not good and time was of the essence. We opted to roll the mare over onto a tarp and pull her into the trailer to get her back to the rescue where we had more resources. I sat by her side soothing her as we headed back to Beauty’s Haven, which was less than five minutes away.

Once at the rescue, we shaved her neck and the vet was able to hit a vein in order to start running IV fluids, but then, her vein collapsed. My husband, Bob, had gotten the sling together in a stall so we moved her to the stall and gently rolled her over into the sling and secured her in it.

The vet advised that her prognosis wasn’t good at that point, but I could sense Rosie’s desire to keep going and I believed good nutrition, and time, might help.

We opted for the vet to go ahead and run an IV cocktail via another vein. I named the little pony, ‘Rosalita’ – ‘Rosie’ for short.

When the fluids were almost finished, Rosie started perking up. The vet drew some blood in order to perform tests. – we will have those results tomorrow. We offered Rosie a small amount of senior grain in warm water as a mash and that really motivated her. She was so hungry! It made me so sad to see how hungry she was. After she finished her mash, and having given her some time to collect herself, we lowered the sling and prayed she would make it on her own. She stood for a few minutes and I held my breath as she took her first wobbly steps. But she did it! She looked exhausted, but relieved. Rosie will be getting small mashes every few hours.

Rosie has a thick coat (likely Cushing’s Disease), but she is quite thin. Her teeth are really sharp which makes it painful for her to eat. She can’t grind food in order to properly digest it so her body has just been wasting away. She has diminished vision in at least, her right eye. She is drinking and becoming more vocal. She’s had several bowel movements and has urinated a few times. She certainly hasn’t given up.

Her odds are a bit better today – at this point about 50/50 but getting through the next few days is very important. I know she’s very fragile and she could take a dive at any moment, but I truly feel that she deserves a chance.

Many people think it’s normal for an older horse to be thin but that is far from the truth. While there may be some medical reason(s) why an aged horse is thin, most aged horses can keep weight on if fed the right diet with the correct frequency. Our aged horses get an annual physical, with blood work, in order to identify and address any potential issues. They also get their teeth done by an equine dentist (not by a farrier or anyone but a DVM dentist) at least annually. The older they get, the more worn their teeth get. Many have to be fed many smaller (soaked) meals a day. If not, they drop weight which can lead to being in the condition Rosie is in. They also should be fed while separated from other horses that could take their food.

And, I have to say this: if an owner is not in a position to provide an aged horse multiple smaller, mushy meals a day and provide for an individual horse’s needs, humane euthanasia should be considered. No living being should ever be starved to death. It’s inhumane!

If anyone would like to help with Rosie’s medical bills, it would be greatly appreciated. Prayers and/or good thoughts for her recovery are also appreciated, very much.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
, , ,

Our Christmas Save

As you all know, we didn’t have a Thanksgiving save this year which I felt absolutely terrible about, especially since we had many calls from others wanting to surrender their horses. At the time, however, we were focused upon Beauty who was very sick and in the hospital. I am still adjusting to her being gone and I miss her so very much.

In honor of Beauty, we took in an aged mule that needed help as our Christmas save. Her name is Elka.

Just because one is old, doesn’t mean they should be neglected or sent to slaughter – every life is precious and every life matters. Elka will now only know love and proper care – this is our promise to her as it is to every sentient being that enters through our gates.

Elka would very much love to have sponsors to assist with her daily expenses, so if anyone would like to sign up to do so, it would be so greatly appreciated. Just click on the ‘DONATE’ button below, where you may sign up to become a monthly recurring sponsor, or if you prefer to make a one-time donation, there are a variety of ways in which to do so. All donations are so greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small.

DONATE

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by

We have named her Amira

Our latest arrival, a 30-year-old Arabian mare, had a much needed bath on Saturday. It all seemed new to her, even just being fly sprayed. But it didn’t take long to show her there was nothing to be afraid of. Her sores were treated accordingly and her mane was brushed out. I applied de-tangler to her tail which was much like a baseball bat, which in turn, made it much easier for Jenny to comb out on Sunday. Thankfully, she can now use her tail to help swat away flies. We have named her Amira.

Amira received a bit more pampering on Sunday. Her skin will take some time to heal. The skin is the largest organ of the body and hers is definitely unhealthy. It’s obvious she wasn’t receiving proper nutrition or even getting routine grooming.

She was covered with flies when she arrived. Fly bites are quite painful and cause inflammation and irritation. She tries to scratch them which causes the sores to open up, which in turn, sets her up for bacterial and fungal infections as well as allergies. We are working diligently to resolve this, and will hopefully soon receive the results of her blood tests soon.

Amira’s left ear is filled with sores and the hair within that ear is completely gone. It has a ‘cauliflower ear’ appearance and will likely, never again, be normal. Since there are many gnats in this area, she may be allergic to their saliva. When gnats bite, it causes her to become very itchy. She tries to find something to scratch on to help bring relief, but again, this causes her sores to open up. Amira also must have her dental and farrier needs addressed, but since she doesn’t want to hold her feet up, we will slowly work on this issue as well.

I’ve discovered Amira to be uncomfortable about some things, which leads me to believe that she simply received little to no hands-on care. But she’s quickly learning to trust and is a very good girl.

If you would like to help us help Amira, please click on the ‘DONATE’ button below where you can donate in a variety of ways. All contributions are greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small.

DONATE

Thank you for helping us grant yet another precious soul a second chance at life.

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by

Life Begins Again for Elderly, Neglected Mare

In memory of three precious Arabians we lost over this past year – Nadia, Venus, and Oasis – we felt the need to help this 30-year-old Arabian mare. She deserves green pastures to live out her sunset years. Upon her arrival yesterday, she immediately put her head down to graze… you could almost feel her excitement! After getting a mouthful of grass, she raised her head and whinnied back and forth with others here. I’m sure they all welcomed her.

This senior mare’s needs have been neglected for quite some time. She has open sores and scabs all over her body, even in her ears. Her tail is so tangled, it’s like a baseball bat. There is scarring in both of her eyes, especially the left. But she seemed very grateful last evening and I saw a glimmer of light in her eyes.

If you would like to help us help this sweet mare, please click the donation button below where you can contribute in a variety of ways. All contributions are greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small.

DONATE

Thank you, all, for helping us grant yet another precious soul a second chance at life.

Beauty’s Haven Farm and Equine Rescue, Inc.,
A place where ‘Life Begins Again!’

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
,

In Honor of Minnie

As many of you know, we recently lost Minnie, a mule that had worked her whole life for humans. But when she became unable to keep the pace, she was repaid by having her basic needs go neglected. She arrived skin-on-bones, her body had sores all over from burrs buried beneath her coat, and she was up there in age. Minnie loved her soupy mashes and was simply as sweet as could be. She was very grateful to have humans around her that were kind to her but her body had wasted away to almost nothing and her heart was tired. Sadly, we only had a couple of days with Minnie. But she went to Rainbow Bridge knowing she was loved.

We haven’t stopped thinking about Minnie, and in her honor, we would like to help two other mules that have also given their lives to helping humans.

We have funds remaining from donations that came in for Minnie to cover initial dental, vet, and farrier expenses for one but we need help covering the other. Also, they both need monthly sponsors to help with their ongoing care. We are sure that Minnie would be grateful if we are able to help them.

If anyone can help us to help these precious mules with any amount of a one-time, or monthly ongoing donation, please click the Donate Now button below and note it’s for “MULES”. No amount is too small and all donations are tax deductible.

Gratefully,
Theresa

$
Dedicate this Donation

Honoree Details

Select Payment Method
Personal Info

Credit Card Info
This is a secure SSL encrypted payment.
Billing Details

Donation Total: $50 One Time

/by