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Cricket Has Her Wings

In Loving Memory

On Monday afternoon, the vet was called out to the farm to treat our precious Cricket for colic. After doing all that could be done and being unsuccessful with clearing her impaction, and surgery not an option, it was decided that we could no longer let her suffer. She was simply in too much pain. Cricket was such a wise and brave little mare to the very end and she even enjoyed some time with her dear friend, Tilly. The vet returned last evening and Cricket was peacefully transitioned to Rainbow Bridge at 9:00pm, surrounded by all who loved her so dearly.

We know in our hearts that her beloved Jiminy was awaiting her arrival, and both, with youth restored and free of pain, crossed the Rainbow Bridge together.

We love you, sweet Cricket, forever & always.

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Reunited

Hi Everyone,

Thank you, all, for your messages of condolence during this most difficult time. Cricket was so very blessed to have experienced such an inordinate amount of love and joy in recent years. She was truly, a very wise old soul and I am certain that she had many stories to tell during the course of her thirty-five years here on earth. We do find comfort with the knowledge that Cricket has been reunited with her beloved companion, Jiminy, who went to Rainbow Bridge just a few months ago.

While the vet was here to care for Cricket, bloodwork was also done on Bria, and we are currently, awaiting the results.

While we never like to ask for funds, especially during this time of heartbreak and sorrow, we do need assistance for Bria’s testing as well as for both visits from the vet yesterday.

The first to help resolve Crickets’s colic, and the second, an evening emergency visit, to assist with her peaceful transition to Rainbow Bridge. We also are asking for assistance to cover Cricket’s burial fees.

If you would like to assist with these fees, which we estimate to be in the range of $600, you may forward your donation via various means here on our secure website or via PayPalMe. If donating via PayPal, please designate your donation to ‘Bria’ and/or ‘Cricket.’ If you select the tab, ‘Send Money to Friends or Family,’ no fees will be deducted from your contribution. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small.

Lastly, please keep Beauty in your prayers.

Thank you all, so very much, for your love and support.

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Niña, Penny & Bria all fixed up!

Niña

Niña is looking much better. When she lays down now, she’s strong enough to get up on her own. Niña recently, managed to injure her lip, but she was such a good girl and great patient when getting her wound cleaned and treated.

Penny’s Happy Mouth

Dr. Bess Darrow (Tune Ups Veterinary Equine Dentistry and Services) worked on Penny’s teeth last week. Penny had recently started to quid. Penny is a blind 30+ year old Belgian. Elyza Rose is her seeing eye pony and BFF.

Bria’s Happy Feet

“Got treats?”

Bria is holding her own and is most comfortable in her SoftRides boots. Take them off and it’s a different story – she has thin soles and some rotation in both front feet. But you can sometimes see her sprinting around looking for Little E or Cricket.

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Niña – A Sudden Scare!

We were a bit worried about Niña during her first 48 hours here at the rescue. We learned that she had access to a tub of grain on her transport here and we didn’t know how much, if any, she had consumed. She went down the morning after she arrived and couldn’t get up. We had to roll her over in order to help her stand.

After receiving some fluids, Niña started to perk up a bit. She gets a warm soupy mash several times a day which she seems to enjoy. Her blood test results indicated highs and lows – typical values for a malnourished horse. Her immune system is quite compromised, she likely has ulcers, her kidneys are a bit stressed, she has a high parasite load, she’s pretty anemic, etc. Appropriate supplements have been been identified that we are adding to her re-feeding program.

Perking Up

Feeling Proud

Watching

 

Yesterday, we put a blanket on Niña – I don’t know if she’s ever worn one before, but I believe that she felt very special. She looked like a different horse in the blanket. She held her head high and it appeared that she was very very proud!

Niña watches the other horses all of the time. She hasn’t been with another horse in at least 16 years and I have to wonder what she’s thinking. When she is stronger, and the time is right, she’ll be introduced to another.

A wonderful friend and supporter has come forth to offer a Match Game to assist with the initial and ongoing care of sweet Niña. All donations up to $150, will thereby, be matched dollar for dollar.

Niña does not have any monthly sponsors thus far, so if you would like to be her ‘Angel’ for a few months or longer, you can sign up for as little as five dollars per month via our Website. If you would prefer to make a one time donation, you can do so here on our website, or via PayPal.me. If donating via PayPal, please designate your contribution to ‘Match Game.’ Please know that all contributions are so greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small.

We would also like to thank everyone who has assisted with Niña’s expenses thus far. We are forever grateful for your extremely generous contributions, loving prayers and most thoughtful well-wishes. And we know that this sweet girl is truly, feeling your love as well!

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend!

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Niña

We’re calling this precious mare, Niña. She settled in well overnight and made new friends from a couple of fence lines away. Yesterday, she made new human friends who really liked her.

Gail held Niña while Dr. Julia did an exam on her and she was very cooperative. She’s underweight, has a heart murmur, her temperature was a bit low, and her teeth need attention by Dr. Bess. Niña also has a couple of summer sores that we’ve started treating and we’re so very thankful that we have a pair of Silver Whinnys (SoxForHorses) on hand that fit her. Dr. Julia estimates her to be at least 30 years young. We will know more when the blood test results come back, hopefully, tomorrow.

Many thanks to those who have donated to help this grand older gal! She’s going to need ongoing support so if you’re interested in signing up to become a monthly sponsor for her (no matter what the amount is – lots of little bits add up to make good things happen), you may do so here on our website.

Donate Now

You can also forward a donation via PayPalMe. If donating via PayPal, please designate your contribution to ‘Niña.’ If you select the tab, ‘Send Money to Friends or Family,’ no fees will be deducted from your contribution. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small.

PayPalMe

Thank you, all, so very much!

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A Lonely Life

We were contacted about a mare that has lived alone for many, many years. She needs everything – an initial vet exam with bloodwork, dental and farrier work, as well as assistance with her aftercare. Bringing a horse in is just the beginning. Dr. Julia is scheduled for Monday to pull Coggins on some of the horses and I’d like to get this mare here before then so she can be vetted. If anyone would like to assist in helping with the initial and ongoing expenses of this sweet mare or contribute toward the Coggins tests (total $395) on our other ‘Velvet Nosers,’ it would be so greatly appreciated.

Donations may be forwarded via various means here on our secure website. If you wish, you can also sign up to make an automatic monthly donation of any amount which may be discontinued at any time.

Donate Now

You can also forward a donation via PayPalMe. If donating via PayPal, please designate your contribution to ‘Lonely Mare’ and/or ‘Coggins.’ If you select the tab, ‘Send Money to Friends or Family,’ no fees will be deducted from your contribution. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. If you’re not in a position to donate at this time, we completely understand, but you can still help by sharing this need via social media or amongst family and friends (see links at the bottom of this post).

Thank you!

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Tilly & Warrior

Tilly settled right in upon her arrival, almost like she’s been here before. She’s just as sweet as she can be and very vocal. She has a rather large lump on her right side – likely a hernia. Her feet needed attention, so on Sunday, she got a hooficure by Laura while Judy and Millie lovingly, pampered her.

Tilly has a great appetite, but she does quid – she wants to eat, but it must be very uncomfortable to chew because as she starts to eat, she then suddenly, just stops. Her teeth have likely been neglected. Tilly’s very thin which will change, I’m sure, once her teeth issues are addressed. Dr. Bess Darrow, our Equine Dentist, will work Tilly into her schedule as soon as she can.

Yesterday, Tilly was examined by Dr. Julia Simonson. The lump on Tilly’s side is believed to be a hernia but additional diagnostics are needed. She’s emaciated with a Body Condition Score of ‘2.’ Her respiration and heart rates were normal, but there is an issue with her lungs which also requires additional diagnostics. We hope to have her blood test results by the end of the day.

If anyone would like to become a sponsor for this little girl or help with her initial expenses and ongoing needs, which will not be inexpensive, it would be so greatly appreciated. Donations are tax deductible and can be made here on our website’s secure donation form, where you can also sign up to make an automatic monthly donation of any amount which may be discontinued at any time. You can also forward a donation via PayPalMe. If donating via PayPal, please designate your donation to ‘Mini Mare.’ If you select the tab, ‘Send Money to Friends or Family,’ no fees will be deducted from your contribution. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small. And please share this need amongst family and friends – perhaps others would like to help as well. Without your assistance, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.

While Dr. Julia was here to examine Tilly, we asked her to look at Warrior’s eyes as well. Warrior’s right eye has been weepy – I thought perhaps, that his tear duct may be clogged, but at times, there’s a yellowish/greenish discharge which makes me think the issue may be allergies. Dr. Julia also listened to Warrior’s lungs and detected something which requires additional diagnostics. He is an on and off non-sweater and at times, he experiences breathing issues during the spring/summer months. Warrior has allergies to no-see-ums and flies and had a terrible time with sores in his ears two summers ago. It took us quite awhile to get the sores to heal, so since then, he wears a mask with ears to help prevent further issues.

Dr. Julia believes that Warrior’s current issue could very well be summer sores in the corners of both eyes. She will be consulting with Dr. Mangan, our Equine Ophthalmologist, who is scheduled to come out later in the week. In the meantime, Warrior’s eyes will be stained to rule out possible ulceration and, if there is no stain uptake, we will be applying neo-poly-dex ointment to his eyes 3x’s a day. I’m hoping the issue is not summer sores but something else that can be treated and healed much more quickly.

I love to schedule the vet whenever we have volunteers here who are learning about the way in which to care for horses. Education combined with hands-on experience can prove to be very valuable for future horse owners. I am so very grateful to our experienced volunteers who are always happy and willing to guide them each step of the way!

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Bria Update

A quick update on Bria, a 30 year old National Show Horse (Saddlebred / Arabian).

Bria was quite thin and had issues when she came to us, which included Cushings disease and degenerative suspensory ligament disease (DSLD). Unfortunately, there is no cure for DSLD – it progressively gets worse and, at some point, the horse’s quality of life declines to a point where the most humane thing is euthanasia.

Most of Bria’s days are pretty good – she hangs out with Little E. Sometimes she’ll prance over for a meal – she has a beautiful gait. But over the past couple of weeks, she became a bit more lame. We had x-rays done a few days ago and the findings weren’t a total surprise, but we’d hoped for better news. She has thin soles and coffin bone rotation in both front feet (the right being the worst) which isn’t new – this has been going on for quite awhile.

Bria gets supplements to help with her issues and comfort level. She wears Soft Ride boots which help quite a bit. We don’t know how long she will be with us, but hopefully, it will be for quite some time.

Please keep Bria in your prayers.

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Jo’s Long Awaited Update

I apologize for taking so long to post this update. The daily chores/needs we tackle here each day are many and there is little extra time. Those of you who have been with us for a long time, know I used to post often throughout the days/nights. Now, I try to post at least a couple of times a week when I am able to make time before calling it a day. Hopefully, soon, I’ll be able to post more routinely again.
And now, for Jo’s long awaited update

Jo’s kidneys and liver are stressed and she’s fighting infection. She has a heart murmur, severe muscle atrophy, and is about 300 pounds underweight. She has a poor coat and patches of skin without hair. Her coat, thankfully, is actually looking slightly better already. Her appetite is good and she’s drinking and getting the supplements that she needs. She’s also being treated for ulcers. As I mentioned in my update yesterday, Jo’s feet needed attention, too, but they were taken care of the day after we brought her to the rescue.


Like most horses, Jo walked right into the stall in Dr. Bess’ dental trailer. She was an absolute angel the entire time.

Most of Jo’s issues came about due to the condition of her teeth. Dr. Bess Darrow (Tune Ups Veterinary Equine Dentistry) found ulcers in Jo’s cheeks, gums, tongue, and soft palate due to sharp points. One sharp point put the palatine artery at significant risk of being cut which could have caused Jo to bleed out.

There were large ramps and her front teeth are on a slant due to misalignment which physically obstructed the motion she needed to properly chew. Because Jo couldn’t chew, it decreased the ability of her digestive system to extract much needed nutrients from any food she did manage to get down. It also put her at risk for choke and colic.

Most horse owners know this, but for those who don’t, when a horse chews, it is a grinding motion that, over time, wears down the tooth surface. Sharp hooks and points form. Teeth wear unevenly which causes the mouth to close improperly which can lead to chronic colic, weight loss, quidding, bad behavior, and other issues. Quidding is when food gets rolled into balls which fall out of the horses mouth and drop to the ground. Sometimes, rather than chew with a painful mouth, a horse will try to swallow food before chewing is complete which can cause choke, colic, and weight loss. Jo was quidding. Sometimes, a horse will pack food on the side of its mouth (when they are unable to chew on that side) which can cause gum disease and tooth loss.

When a horse is younger, uneven wear can be corrected. Left unattended, the issue progresses and becomes severe as in Jo’s case. Horses’ teeth erupt and wear over their lifetime. As a horse ages, the eruption rate slows and teeth get shorter. With an older horse, there might not be any tooth left below the gum to keep erupting and teeth may start to fall out. When a horse loses a tooth, the tooth above or below it, doesn’t have anything to grind against. The teeth on each side of the empty space start moving toward each other and feed can get packed there which can cause issues that would need veterinary attention.

As a horse ages, the digestive tract becomes less efficient at absorbing and processing nutrients. Reduction in the ability to mechanically break down food (through grinding of the teeth) lowers digestibility. It’s important to ensure a horse’s diet is tailored to suit their particular needs. Senior horses like Jo, and Little E, need a complete senior feed that is easy to chew and is highly digestible. This feed can be soaked and made into a soupy mash which helps prevent choke. The increased water intake also helps reduce digestive issues. These horses benefit from smaller portioned meals that are offered more frequently throughout the day.

The day after Dr. Bess did Jo’s teeth, it felt good to know Jo could finally use her mouth without the pain and discomfort that she had been feeling for quite some time. And Jo actually looked brighter and happier!

Providing proper dental care for the entire lifetime of a horse is very important to its well-being. Routine dental care can help a horse live a longer and healthy life by preventing issues and unnecessary pain and suffering. Every horse owner has an obligation to provide this to their horse.

Jo’s previous owner said they were feeding her two meals a day, and I do believe them. After Jo arrived, she passed manure and there was grain in it. We were told that Jo’s teeth were floated about 1 1/2 years ago by a farrier. Whoa – red flag! This is a good example of why it’s important to have an equine dentist, or veterinarian skilled in equine dentistry, like Dr. Bess, to properly diagnose, correct, and treat dental problems as well as administer sedation (if needed).

We’re thankful that Jo’s previous owner finally reached out for help before it was too late, allowing us the opportunity to make a significant difference in Jo’s life. She wouldn’t have lasted much longer. Recovery may take awhile – many things happen to a body when it has been deprived of proper nutrition. But Jo has a bright attitude and we have the means (thanks to our supporters) to provide what she needs to help her through this time.

We thank all of you for caring!

Dr. Darrow is a veterinarian and is International Association of Equine Dentistry certified. She specializes in equine dentistry. Her dental trailer is awesome and most horses walk right into the padded stall. She uses a full mouth speculum and bright light, a drencher, power and manual tools, a soft chin rest and/or a head suspension system, mirrors, other instruments, and sedation (when needed). She provides a dental record and chart of the horse’s mouth which describes the work she did and also shows diagrams of the teeth. It’s obvious to us that she understands the whole horse and cares about her patients. She has been treating our horses for years!

Dr. Darrow’s website is Tune Ups Veterinary Equine Dentistry and she can also be found on Facebook. We truly appreciate everything she does for the horses, not just here, but everywhere! She spearheaded Houses4Horses, a non-profit organization that began with efforts to aid horses following Hurricane Michael in 2018 in Florida’s panhandle. Houses4Horses is also helping to provide vet care, hay and feed for horses and livestock remaining on Grand Bahama Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.

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Jo, All Settled In!

It was a beautiful day at the rescue last Sunday – the weather was nice and there were no “surprises.” Jo greeted us in the morning with bright eyes and a whinny to start the day. Jenny arrived and gave her a much-needed bath and spa treatment. Jo seemed to hold her head a little higher after her bath so I’m thinking she really enjoyed it. Her sores were treated and her mane and tail were brushed out. She’s very beautiful.


Happy Feet

Jo had a happy hooficure day on Monday – she truly needed it and I am sure she felt much better afterwards!


A Visit with Dr. Julia

The vet also came on Monday to do an exam on Jo, including blood tests. We were told that she is 35 years old but I’m not sure if that is correct. There’s probably a combination of things contributing to her being so thin, but I do believe that with proper care, she has the desire, and ability, to overcome. Jo is very vocal, alert, and interested in everything that goes on around her. She’s a very kind soul.


Hope

After examining Jo, Dr. Julia visited with Hope.


A Visit with Dr. Bess

Dr. Bess came on Wednesday to do Jo’s teeth. She aged Jo to be 28 years young. I will be sharing a comprehensive update with some pretty incredible photos as to the vet and equine dentist’s findings, within the next few days.

We truly appreciate everyone’s support for sweet Jo.

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