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Benjamin Part I

Last Tuesday morning, we found this sweet boy in one of the south paddocks. Someone must have dropped him over the fence. He stayed in the paddock next to the road most of the day, but would go to the fence line now and then and look around as though he was expecting someone to come back for him. Whenever someone approached, however, he would run into the next paddock. We opted to feed him – he was very hungry – and decided to give him more time.

I was concerned that he may be sick or injured as he laid down the majority of the day. I have named him Benjamin.

On Wednesday morning, Benjamin was still under the shelter in the paddock by the road. He kept his distance, but came a bit closer than previously. I fed him and was able to get a Capstar in him as he had been scratching terribly. We had a horrible storm and I was so worried about him. After the storm, I went down to check on him and he was fine. I fed him dinner and this time, he approached me instead of running the other way.

I sat for a bit while he ate and thought how sad it is that anyone would abandon him, if that is what happened.

We have no explanation as to how he could have gotten onto the property for when we walked the perimeter, there is no place under which he could have dug.

On Thursday morning, I thought we might be able to get Benjamin in the golf cart by the end of the day. He might have made it had it not been for the rain. On Friday, Benjamin and I had our first nose bump – actually it was a nose to hand bump, but that still counts! He kind of ‘mumbles’ and looks like he’s smiling at times. Sadly, he has indications of bite injuries that are healing over and he’s very reactive with a sudden or new noise – especially coming from behind him.

It appears that he has not had a very good life. We believe he may be a Belgian Malinois or a Malinois/Shepherd cross.

Benjamin is now doing much better at overcoming his anxieties! Now that I’ve had a really good look at him, up close, I can see many puncture marks all over him. Some are hard to see because of his coat – but they are there. But he’s going to be okay.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Horsey Hooves, Oreo & Upcoming Events!

Here we go again! Farrier week is upon us and Bouie, Frodo, Dancer, Jo, Mo, Peaches, Oasis, Valley Girl, Ruby, Nadia, Venus, Luiji, Warrior, Gabe, JoJo, Mishka, CaryLou and Lucy are just a few who are scheduled to receive a “hooficure” this week.

The average cost of a farrier visit has increased to $40 per equine, and we need help with this most important and necessary need. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below or on our Facebook page. Also, please note on your contribution that it’s for farrier care, and include the name of the horse you’re designating it for.

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Thank you! We are grateful for your support!

Sincerely,
Theresa

Surgery Success!

Oreo is back home and recovering from a total ear canal ablation that was performed at the Institute of Veterinary Specialists in Gainesville. Oreo had been treated for a chronic ear infection for more than a year without much luck. The surgery went well and the vet stated that Oreo is in great shape and will soon be feeling much better.

Many thanks to those who made Oreo’s surgery possible!

 

Upcoming Events

We have exciting news to share about two very special upcoming events, the return of our annual Open House and our always enjoyable Trail Ride! Click the links below to learn more:

Trail Ride 2025

6th Annual Ride for the Horses

03/08/2025Goethe State Forest
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Mindi Update, Presley’s Passing and Oreo’s Surgery

Mindi on the Mend

Mindi is becoming a bit more animated each day. Mentally, she’s still processing and adjusting. It may take her days, weeks, or even longer to come around. But she will. She’s approaching me now instead of walking off when I go into her paddock. That’s a very positive step in healing, in my opinion. Her coat is looking much better and her eyes are brighter. She needs to gain quite a bit of weight and muscle.

Regarding Mindi’s physical health, her blood test results were what we typically find in malnourished horses. She needs a few supplements; Liver Kleen, Ferrofood from Standard Process, Transfer Factor Stress Pak, a Panacur Powerpac, and Succeed. If anyone would like to gift her any of these supplements it would be greatly appreciated. I’ll try to post links to them tomorrow. Dr. Julia will be back tomorrow to do an Infratonic treatment on Mindi. Hopefully we will be able to get on the dentist’s schedule soon. The farrier comes on Sunday.

If anyone would like to gift any of those products to Mindi, please contact us. Thank you.

Presley

Our beloved Presley transitioned to Rainbow Bridge yesterday afternoon. Presley was truly precious and we will miss him so very much. Grief is truly the price we pay for love.

Oreo

Oreo’s ear canal ablation surgery has been scheduled for July 7th! Thank you to our wonderful little village of supporters who have made this possible.

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‘Til We Meet Again

It is with a heavy heart to inform you, that Mila, the blind cat that Shadow found in one of our paddocks just a few weeks ago, went to Rainbow Bridge on May 27th. At first we believed Mila to be one of the two feral cats that live under the storage building who we feed nightly, but she was not. We have no idea where she came from or how she found her way to one of our paddocks which is farthest from the road. We do know that she was very lucky to have survived. I can’t imagine being a blind little cat, all alone, not knowing where her next meal would come from, where to find water, or if her next few steps would put her in danger of becoming a predator’s meal.

She was such a brave little girl and it is truly remarkable that she survived on her own despite her condition when we found her.

Mila’s initial visit to the vet revealed that she was approximately five years old and weighed just five pounds. She was visually impaired (only able to see shadows) likely due to some sort of trauma. Mila’s fecal and blood tests for other potential issues were done, her little ears were cleaned and she was treated for fleas and other parasites. She had a good size hernia, but, thankfully, it was not painful. As per our vet’s recommendation, she was not microchipped at this time, as he wanted to wait until she was a bit stronger. She did, however, get her vaccinations.

Mila’s blood test results came back the following day with elevated numbers. Since her kidneys and liver were of concern, additional tests were performed. After Mila was started on an antibiotic, she became a bit more active, she ate and drank well, and she became quite talkative. She would follow me wherever I went, but I had to be careful not to stop abruptly as she would run into me. She was a real trooper though – she’d run into walls many times but she soon learned to navigate her way around.

She was such a sweet little girl who loved curling up next to me whenever I sat with her which truly melted my heart.

When we took Mila back to the vet for additional tests, we learned that her kidney and liver values had remained elevated and her cognitive impairment was getting worse. In her final days, when she tried to navigate her room she would walk into a wall and stop and drop and that’s where she’d stay for quite a while. During her first few days with us, she’d respond to our voices or a noise, but in her last days, she would not. Her quality of life was not getting better – it was getting worse.

I’m very sorry for whatever happened to Mila before we found her, but at least, she went to Rainbow Bridge, knowing she was so very loved.

Until we meet again, Mila. You will forever remain in our hearts.

Theresa

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Traumatized and Lost


Shadow discovered a lost cat in the paddock this morning. He was such a very good boy – he alerted us to her and then just stood watching over her until we arrived. The poor cat appeared to be blind and/or in shock. Since she looks like a little girl, we are referring to her as a “she.”

A few months ago, when she was an older kitten, approximately three months of age, we saw her go under one of the storage buildings, and, being unable to trap her, we have been leaving out food nightly. And then today, not being familiar with her surroundings, she ran into a corner.

Thanks to Shadow, we were able to catch her and bring her inside, free from the danger of being injured by another animal or being hit by speeding cars and trucks.

One of her ears seems to have been tipped ever so slightly, so she may have very well been a TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) cat at one time. She is very thin, but thankfully she did eat some wet food. Her ears are full of mites and she has fleas. She’s not comfortable being handled, so we are going to let her rest for now.

We need to take this sweet kitty to the vet in the morning, but need financial help in order to do so. Of course the initial vetting will be quite costly, so any donation, regardless of the amount, would be greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate please mark your donation “for the kitten.”

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As always, thank you for your love and support.

Sincerely,
Theresa

Oreo is Featured on CUDDLY

If you wish to assist with our sweet boy’s Ear Canal Ablation surgery or send him a gift from his Wish List, you may do so by clicking on Oreo’s image to the left.

Counting Down

We are more than halfway there in our $5000 Match Game! There are only ten days remaining to reach our goal. If you would like to help our beloved herd while doubling your donation at the same time, you may donate here on our website or via our Facebook fundraiser. Please note that it is for the Match Game. Thank you!

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Our beloved Oreo

Oreo was a kitten when rescued 15 years ago from a taped up cardboard box left in a parking lot. He settled in at our rescue with another rescued kitten, Kitty Cat. Both were barn mousers. Oreo is friends with all 35 of our rescued equines and our volunteers simply adore him.

When we lost Kitty Cat last year to mast cell tumors, Oreo became deeply depressed. Afterwards, he lost much weight due to hyperthyroidism which was successfully treated. He was doing well, but then developed an ear infection which has been treated over many months.

After additional testing, it was determined that Oreo needs surgery to remove a tumor from his ear canal. His prognosis with this surgery is excellent.

If you wish to donate to assist with Oreo’s surgery you may do so via GivingGrid or here on our website by clicking the button below.

Thank you all, so very much.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Belle Star’s First Adventure

Belle Star finally got out of quarantine! She enjoyed venturing out in the main paddock and meeting others. Enjoy the video above of Belle on her very first adventure, which will truly make your heart sing!

Sincerely,
Theresa

P.S. A dose of cuteness for you – I hope you love watching watching these kids as much as I do. They’re like little jumping beans! Remi would be very entertained too, I’m sure!

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Kitty Cat, Oreo & Allie

Forever in our Hearts

Just prior to Christmas, our beloved Kitty Cat went to Rainbow Bridge. He had sadly, been fighting cancer for quite some time. Although Kitty Cat had a number of surgeries, his quality of life was not what it should have been and we just couldn’t ask anymore of our beautiful boy. We thereby, made the decision that it was time to let him go to a place where he would once again, become young and forever free from pain, a place where he could chase butterflies throughout the verdant fields of heaven with all of his beloved friends who have gone before him.

We loved Kitty Cat so very much and the farm has just not been the same without him.

It has been particularly hard, however, on his best friend, Oreo, who has been quite depressed since Kitty Cat’s passing. We recently, decided that it was time to find a new friend and companion for Oreo to help heal his broken heart. And then, we discovered Allie.

We’ve had way too many losses in 2020 and I hope and pray that 2021 will bring about good things. I don’t know how much more my heart can take before it just shatters into a million pieces.

Allie

Allie arrived at Beauty’s Haven on Wednesday, however Oreo will have to wait just a few more days to meet his new friend. Since Allie presented with signs of respiratory infection, we immediately took her to the vet. The poor girl is missing quite a few teeth in her left jaw and she recently recovered from a terrible case of scabies. She is now on antibiotics and will have to return to the vet in two weeks. Hopefully she will be able to meet Oreo after the visit.

Prior to her rescue, Allie had been living on the streets, trying desperately to survive. As per the vet, she is about four years old.

Please keep Oreo and Allie in your prayers.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Max, Forever in our Hearts

I’d like to ask for good thoughts and prayers for our beloved Max who peacefully, transitioned to Rainbow Bridge yesterday morning.

Max was committed to watching over the farm and the animals at Beauty’s Haven for the past fourteen years. Many times he’d alert us that something was amiss and we’d go out and discover that he was gently pinning down another dog that had wandered onto the property while being so very careful not to hurt the frightened pup. He was, truly, the absolute best.

We love Max so very much and he will forever remain in our hearts. The farm just won’t be the same without him.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Zoie’s Happy “Tail!”

This little kitten became an orphan at just two weeks old when her mom was hit by a car while carrying her sister across the road during a thunderstorm. A caring human found this very frightened, hungry and flea infested baby huddled nearby and brought her to Beauty’s Haven where she was lovingly cared for. We named her Zoie.

The next day, we took Zoie to the vet for an exam and bloodwork and thankfully, she was just fine. Only a few days later, we received a call from a long time friend and supporter who was looking for a kitten to adopt! It was a match made in Heaven!

I’m happy to report that Zoie is now all settled in her new home and is doing great! She has a big sister (cat) and a human who loves her to pieces.

Zoie’s vetting is all taken care of (vaccines, microchip, spaying, etc.) thanks to our wonderful village of supporters who have helped us help this precious baby girl. Thank you all! And thank you, Lynda, for opening your heart and home to Zoie.

Please enjoy this heartwarming video featuring our precious kitten, Zoie, who never gave up!

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