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Benjamin Back to the Vet, Open House a Success

I decided to take Benjamin to Dr. Schirmer yesterday morning as something just wasn’t right. After we picked him up from his initial vet visit (a different vet) where he had an exam, ear cleaning, nail cutting, was neutered and had some tests performed, we were told he did well and there was nothing to report except that he needed to return in two weeks to have his stitches removed.

As the days progressed, however – and hoping that it was just my imagination running wild – it appeared that Benjamin simply wasn’t feeling well much of the time.

His left ear bothered him and he oftentimes shook his head. His skin is not healthy and he has hotspots that greatly irritate him. His sores, from his head to his tail where he had been bitten many times, together with other sores, were not healing properly. He’s had some blood in his stool a number of times and he tires very easily.

With the good nutrition he’s been getting, he should be improving, but he’s not. I had the feeling that something was not addressed at his initial vetting.

Thankfully Benjamin was so much better about going to the vet yesterday. He is learning how to walk nicely on a leash and he greeted Dr. Schirmer with a smile and a wagging tail. Benjamin was great for his examination and tests. He is being treated for tapeworms as well as skin and ear infections. His stitches from his neutering were also removed. He has a 2/6 heart murmur in addition to being anemic, and he needs to be tested for heart worms once again in a few months. We are not certain as to his breed – his DNA test will be mailed out today. He is approximately a year old.

Benjamin was such a good boy and I was so very proud of him! When we arrived back at the rescue, he had a much-needed bath and then he took a long nap.

Sincerely,
Theresa

Celebration Success!

Thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers, attendees and a magnificent performance by Ivory Pal & Rafael Valle, our Annual Celebration of the Horse was a complete success! Many people came from in and around the area and from other parts of Florida and even from out of state – many I didn’t see and was unaware they were here until I went through photos and the sign-in sheet. I would have loved to have seen and spoken with everyone – I hope they all know how much we appreciate their support.

We also appreciate those who donated lovely fundraising items and/or their time.

*Please click on the image to view the lovely performance by Ivory Pal and Rafael.

Annual Trail Ride for the Horses

Saddle up to support our rescued horses and animals!

DATE: Saturday, October 1, 2002

TIME:  9am Registration, 10am Ride

LOCATION: Goethe State Forest, Dunnellon, FL

REGISTRATION FEE: $20

DETAILS & REGISTRATION

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Benjamin, An Overcomer

It was a very good day for Benjamin on Wednesday! He woke up with clean ears, he wasn’t starving, the fleas had died off, his breakfast was awaiting and he received his very first toy which he absolutely loves! The vet said he’s between one and two years old. His bloodwork results weren’t really bad, as the good nutrition he’s been getting for the last week has really helped. The many bite/puncture marks on him are healing – he may have been a bait dog. He has decided he really likes human attention now, and follows me everywhere. He is also warming up to others as well, since he has learned that the humans here at the rescue are very kind and caring.

Benjamin has truly morphed into a very sweet and inquisitive boy who wants to go everywhere and be a part of everything.

After working hard these past few days, in preparation for the open house tomorrow, we were all so totally exhausted last night. As we were completing last minute tasks in the barn, I looked down and there was Benjamin, fast asleep! He looked so peaceful and I just wanted to curl up next to him. What a difference there has been in just one week! It’s so good to see him play and not run away from everyone or be frightened of new things. As you can see in the video by clicking on the image above, Benjamin is truly an overcomer!

Thank you, all, for helping us to make all of his tomorrows everything his past should have been…

Sincerely,
Theresa

Open House Tomorrow!

We are looking forward to meeting everyone tomorrow at our Annual Open House in ‘Celebration of the Horse,’ from 11am – 3pm. Ivory Pal will be performing between the hours of 12:00 – 1:00 pm. For event details, click here.

You Did It!

Thank you to everyone who contributed a story to GreatNonprofits! We are honored to be included, once again, on their Top-Rated List for 2022.

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Benjamin Part II


I think Benjamin has lived a very tough life, but now all he really wants is to trust and be loved. Since the first time I saw him, he would do this odd thing with his back legs. Oftentimes, he would turn and look at them for no obvious reason and then kick out like a horse as though a ghost was attacking him and he was trying to get away. And he would mumble. He has never chased a horse here nor has he been aggressive. He would run away when he heard a sudden noise and he always seemed to be on the alert, but this appears to be improving by the day.

A few days ago, Benjamin started following me to the north end of the property where the barn is located and I had to take him back down to the paddock and leave him with a couple of treats. On Monday, however, he decided that he preferred the north end and decided to stay. Shadow, our GSD, is usually at the barn and he had not as yet met Benjamin nor had our two little dogs that usually remain in the house.

We were concerned about Benjamin meeting our dogs, so Bob suggested that I try to get a collar on him and take him to the vet for a full examination, bloodwork and other tests, as well as to be neutered.

It wasn’t hard getting a collar on Benjamin. I don’t think he knew what it was but he accepted it like a very good boy. The only trouble I had was getting him into the car – he wanted no part of it. If Bob tried to help, Benjamin would just back away or freeze himself to the ground. I ended up picking him up and putting him in the car – it wasn’t easy as he has gained a few pounds since he has been here! Once at the vet’s office, I had to pick up Benjamin yet again to get him out of the car and then practically carry him inside.

I don’t think he’d ever been inside a building before. He had no clue what was happening and it was very difficult to leave him but it needed to be done.

I gave him a hug and promised him that I’d be back – that we were only trying to make his life better by making all of his tomorrows everything his yesterdays should have been. I do believe he knows his name now!

After a long night worrying about Benjamin, I picked him up from the vet yesterday afternoon. What a very brave boy he is! He did okay at the vet’s and came back up to date with vaccinations, a microchip, trimmed nails, and even clean ears, in addition to being neutered.

As the evening went on, Benjamin really started coming out of his shell. He stood by the barn and looked out over the farm like he was so very proud of himself and was truly glad to be back home.

If anyone would like to contribute to Benjamin’s veterinary care, it would be so very greatly appreciated. Just click on the ‘DONATE’ button below.

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Sincerely,
Theresa

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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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DONATE ON FACEBOOK

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Such a very good girl!

Peggy Sue has a back leg that she is unable to bend (the humans in her previous home had tried to ‘help’ her deliver her baby years ago and her pelvis fractured in several places), so we have to place her in a sling for her hooficures. As you can see in the above image, she is such a very good girl for the farrier. Peggy Sue is just one member of our little herd who is on the farrier list this week. Others scheduled to receive a hooficure within the next few days, include Bouie, Frodo, Ebony, Lily, CaryLou, Lucy, Luigi, Warrior, Misti, Sassy, Simba, JoJo and Jazzy.

The average cost of a farrier visit per horse/ donkey is $33.

If you wish to contribute to this most important and necessary need, you may do so by clicking on the DONATE button below. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. Thank you!

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Oreo Needs You

We still have quite a ways to go to achieve our goal for Oreo’s ear canal ablation surgery. If you wish to assist with our sweet boy’s surgery, you may do so via GivingGrid by clicking here or on the photo of Oreo.

Thank you!
Theresa

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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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Chloe Update

Chloe was having lameness issues that were getting worse over time. Some days she moved pretty slow and on other days she wouldn’t want to even move at all and was depressed. Dr. Lugo came out to examine and evaluate her and to do x-rays and bloodwork (full chemistry panel, CBC, SAA, Cushing’s, T4, and Cortisol levels). He also did a nerve block of her feet to help identify the source of discomfort.

Dr. Lugo took several x-rays of her feet and knees. We learned her feet were good, and her knees weren’t bad, just some very mild arthritis. Andrew, one of our farriers, was also here and we all discussed a plan for Chloe. Dr. Lugo suggested a different shoe and put her on Equioxx and Succeed. She seemed a bit better and was more active, but not by much. She was still somewhat uncomfortable and it was upsetting to see her that way.

We decided to take her off Previcox and put her on aspirin once a day recently, and oh my goodness, what a difference! She also gets Equinety and Succeed.

Chloe is holding her head high again, she’s more active, bright and alert which brings much relief to all of us. It’s hard to believe she’s 16 now. She was a nurse mare foal that came to us in 2006.

We need help with Chloe’s vet bill which was just over $1400. And she needs monthly sponsors to help with her medication and farrier needs. Is there anyone who would like to help Chloe?

A dear friend and supporter has also just come forth and has offered to match all donations up to $500, so this is a wonderful way in which to double your contribution! You can forward your donation via the button below. Please note it’s for Chloe. All contributions are tax deductible and no contribution is ever too small. As always, we truly appreciate your support.

Sincerely,
Theresa

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Welcoming Gabriel, a gelding in need

Gabriel is a sweet gelding we brought in on Monday, whose owners could no longer give him the care he needs while dealing with their own serious health issues. We were told he’s 20 years old and that he had lived with them for 17 of those years; he had another equine pal until 8 years ago when that horse went to Rainbow Bridge, and the poor boy has been alone since. I don’t think he’s a Quarter Horse or a Thoroughbred, perhaps a Saddlebred cross based on his physical characteristics and demeanor (the vet agreed). Though his owners weren’t able to physically do much for him, they made sure he had hay and got grain twice a day.

Gabriel is quite the looker despite arriving with a snotty nose, elevated temperature, and labored breathing. We gave him Banamine but opted to hold off on antibiotics until our vet examined him.

When the time came to be checked out, he was a true gentleman. His temperature was normal, but some crackling was heard in his lungs so he got his first dose of Excede. He’s a bit underweight; his appetite has been okay but could improve after getting dental work. Hopefully Dr. Bess can work him into her busy schedule soon. When she comes, we’ll be able to confirm his age.



Gabe took a good nap after the vet left and wasn’t sure if he wanted to get up for his “hooficure”. We finally coaxed him up and he was great for the farrier. He’s got a good size crack that runs almost to the coronary band in one of his front feet that we will be monitoring, fortunately it wasn’t painful upon palpation.

When we get the blood test results back, we will post an update.

We estimate initial expenses for Gabriel to be at least $600, and would appreciate sponsors to cover them as well as his follow-up and routine expenses. 

Thank you for your compassion and support!
Theresa

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Or, visit our Donations page for a variety of giving options at https://bhfer.org/donate/.

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