Tag Archive for: valley girl

,

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!

/by
,

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!

/by
,

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!

/by
,

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!

/by
, ,

Summertime Blues & Freedom at Last!

I apologize for being remiss in keeping everyone informed about the latest happenings at Beauty’s Haven, but as you know, we have been dealing with Pigeon Fever here at the rescue, which, unfortunately, has affected our donations significantly. The extra biosecurity measures and daily care required a great deal of time, making it difficult for me to stay active online. Thankfully, things are getting back to normal, but now, we have a lot of catching up to do. We are, thereby, reaching out to share some of our current needs, hoping for your support as we move forward. As of today, we are, therefore, launching a fundraiser with a goal of $5,000 which will help cover these pressing needs:

With the rainy season upon us, horses with thin soles, like Mishka, who carries two thousand pounds on his feet, need extra attention. It’s essential that Mishka has soft sand upon which to stand, but the rain has washed away much of this soft footing. To fix this, we plan to add fabric at the front and side of his shelter to help keep the sand in place. This is a big job which requires a tractor, but the tractor currently, needs repairs – a parking brake, hydraulic actuator seal, hood latch, 4-wheel drive shift lever and seat replacement. The repairs are estimated to be $1,800, and a regular maintenance will not be needed for another fifteen hours of run time, so that is, most fortunately, not an immediate expense.

As the seasons change, our fence boards expand and contract, oftentimes breaking. This creates a safety risk for our horses. We therefore, need to replace at least 20 fence boards and keep 5 spares on hand. The 1”x6”x16” pressure-treated boards cost about $19 each, and we’re hoping our wonderful supporters will sponsor a board (or part of one) to help us maintain a safe environment for our herd.

The Beauty’s Haven truck, essential for our daily work, needs to have its annual maintenance done in order to keep it running smoothly. We’ve received an estimate of $2,400 from the dealership to perform this work, as well as an additional estimate of $1,700, for the installation of five new tires with sensors. We plan to get the installation of the tires and sensors completed at Sam’s Club at a lower cost.

In preparation for hurricane season, we’ve had the generators serviced for $440. We also still have veterinary bills ($3,000+), farrier expenses, hay, fuel, as well as many additional ongoing needs.

While these needs might not be as exciting as rescuing a horse, they are crucial in ensuring our mission of rescuing and rehabilitating horses in need, so if you are in a position to donate, please click on the ‘Donate’ button below. If you’re unable to help financially at this time, we completely understand, but you can still assist by sharing our needs amongst family, friends and social media.

Special Thanks!

We were blessed to receive a $1,000 donation from the Pine Ridge Equestrian Association, which helped cover our most recent hay run. We are so deeply grateful for their generosity! We have also received a most generous Match Game offer whereby, all donations up to $250 will be matched dollar for dollar.

Freedom at Last!

Horse running free in a fenced field.

This is what freedom looks like! Valley Girl is back out with her friends and she is so very happy! I am happy to say, we are, at least for today, free of Pigeon Fever! It’s still in the surrounding area so we will continue to take precautions. But we are thrilled that Valley Girl is finally out and about once again. Please click on the image to view Valley Girl’s joyous return to freedom.

/by

Pigeon Fever Update and Addi & the Turkeys

Valley Girl was originally the only horse here that had tested positive for Pigeon Fever, but she is now on the road to recovery as her swelling has gone down and the discharge is clearing up. Mo, although he tested negative, did go into QT due to an abscess which has thankfully, now resolved and he, too, is doing well. Addi also developed an abscess a few weeks ago, and she, too, went into QT. Although she originally tested negative for Pigeon Fever, Addi was not getting better and she has since, developed a lump on her neck. I scheduled the vet to come back out last Wednesday to perform another culture and when I last spoke to him on Friday, I learned that Addi’s latest test, unfortunately, was now positive.

So now, in addition to our daily routine, it is essential that we closely monitor every horse daily, checking each from head to tail. Boo boos are treated, clean fly masks are put on and fly spray is applied. SWAT is applied under the tummy centerline and around wounds and cuts that have already been treated. We are going through a LOT of SWAT, bleach, gloves, and fly spray. Endure Gold, a new fly spray, appears to be the most effective. I prefer the pink SWAT rather than the clear formula as I can see when a horse has already been treated. Feed tubs, masks, grooming supplies, etc. are sanitized daily and foot baths are placed in several locations. Fly masks are hung on the opposite side of the property, fly traps are hung throughout the acreage and the main barn has a fly mister system.

But no matter how hard we try, the bottom line is that it only takes one fly to carry and deposit the sickness on a horse, so fly control is absolutely essential.

Good bio-security practices are a definite must as Pigeon Fever can live in the ground for years and as we have had very little rain, the climate creates a breeding ground for bacteria. Pigeon Fever is not just here at Beauty’s Haven, however, it has also been discovered in NW and Central Florida with a number of cases of strangles appearing as well.

On the lighter side

I must share a funny story about Addi. As big as she is, a few days ago, Addi became terrified of a few turkeys that strolled along the road from the neighbor’s house. I couldn’t help but laugh – it was hysterical! She tried to hide in her shelter and peek out at them, but she would then come running in a panic as if to say, ‘Help me!’ After a few days, she did get used to these strange creatures and she now bravely stands in a corner near the road to watch for them. Such a silly mare!

Lastly, on Saturday we were thrilled to welcome Chris to our wonderful family of volunteers! Magic approved!

/by
Photo collage of senior horses that were evaluated by Dr. Dianne McFarlane.

A Visit from Dr. Dianne McFarlane

Photo collage of senior horses that were evaluated by Dr. Dianne McFarlane.

Dr. Dianne McFarlane came out recently to do tests for Cushing’s Disease on some of our horses. She is Chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Studies at University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Her special area of interest is aging and age related diseases of the senior horse, and we just happen to have quite a few of those here at Beauty’s Haven! Cushing’s Disease is a pretty common neurodegenerative disease that usually affects older horses. Dr. McFarlane hopes to better understand the disease by identifying genetic mutations in order that treatment for Cushing’s can be started earlier.

Valley Girl, the only horse here so far to test positive for Pigeon Fever, is one of the horses Dr. McFarlane tested for Cushing’s and she is positive. This could be a contributing factor to why it is taking her so long to recover from Pigeon Fever. She is better but she’s still working through it. There have been quite a few cases over the past couple of months in and around the Ocala area and there will likely be more as flies are the carriers and they’ve been truly horrible this year. Plus, it’s been very dry.

The first photo is of Dr. McFarlane with Magic. He was so good getting his blood drawn – I was very proud of him! His Cushing’s test was negative but a few others did test positive so they are getting a medication called Prascend. And I thought I’d just share a few other photos while I have a chance.

/by
,

Valley Girl

The vet was out to see Valley Girl on Wednesday as she had some significant edema under her stomach. She seemed a bit off at the beginning of the week, but she did not have a fever. Her heart and respiration rates were normal, her gums were of normal color and she was eating her five meals a day.

Dr. Valle listened to her heart, lungs, etc. and did not believe there were any issues. Valley Girl does have an open sore under her tummy, which, when cleaned up, did exude some puss. Although Valley Girl’s bloodwork results were relatively normal, she has been started on antibiotics.

Valley Girl is staying at the barn for now and is being closely monitored. Once we get her over this issue, we will make an appointment for dental surgery.

She has EOTRH Syndrome which involves degeneration of incisor and canine teeth which sometimes may involve cheek teeth as well. Over time, the roots of these teeth are resorbed or dissolved. Surgery can be performed while standing, but the horse must be heavily sedated. Without surgery, the disease will progress. Valley Girl is a bit up there in age, but aside from today’s edema issue, she is in good health.

Lastly, we are in the midst of ensuring that each member of our beloved herd have ‘Pretty Feet’ for Easter, so if anyone is in a position to assist with this need, both horses and humans alike, would be forever grateful. Just click on the ‘Donate’ button below.

/by
, ,

A Bit of a Chess Game!

Photo collage of Gabe

Click on the photo above to view video!

Last Thursday, I took Gabe to stay with Rissie, a volunteer and friend, who adopted Waylon and Rio several months ago. Gabe has asthma, and while we have tried to keep him as comfortable as possible during the course of the summer months, it simply wasn’t enough. As Beauty’s Haven lies parallel to a lime rock road, lime rock dust constantly blows across the farm which greatly affects Gabe’s breathing and overall well-being. As there is little dust at Rissie’s farm, and with temperatures getting cooler, we are hoping and praying that Gabe’s asthma will improve and he regains some much-needed weight.

By Saturday, Gabe had settled nicely into his foster home. He’s so happy to be reunited with his old friends, Rio and Waylon. As Willow, Gabe’s best friend, was now alone, we immediately granted her access to Mishka and Valley Girl’s paddock. As the girls chose to remain together in one paddock, Mishka was now left alone in the paddock next to them. So, we took Walker down to meet Mishka and the boys, thankfully, hit it off! And, while it was a bit of a chess game, as you can see by clicking on the image above, everyone is happy and content!

Happy Feet Match Game

A wonderful friend and supporter has come forth and is offering a Match Game for Happy Feet whereby all donations up to $200 will be matched dollar for dollar! Since the average cost per hooficure is $45, we would be so very appreciative of any donation to assist with this need. So, if you wish to help our beloved little herd, while doubling your donation at the same time, just click on the ‘DONATE’ button below to contribute. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Theresa

/by
,

Never a Dull Moment Here!


It is so hard to believe that spring is just around the corner! And, as always, every six weeks or so, brings yet another round of hooficures.

Mishka was first to receive his hooficure this week and we are forever grateful to have stocks which ensure that our big old Teddy Bear, does indeed, have ‘Happy Feet!’ Mishka also has quite the little harem which does not make Valley Girl very happy. The other day, Jo and Dancer were in the paddock with Valley Girl and Mishka and Jo seemed quite smitten with the big guy. Dancer stayed a little distance away and watched from afar. They all got along quite well, but Dancer was happy when Jo finally joined her to return to another paddock.

And then there are JoJo and Jazzy, having the time of their lives while awaiting their turn with the farrier. There is never a dull moment here at Beauty’s Haven which you can see in the video below.

So, if anyone would like to sponsor a hooficure for one of our ‘Velvet Nosers,’ we would be forever grateful. You may forward your contribution simply by clicking on the ‘DONATE’ button below. If donating via PayPal, please designate your contribution to ‘Happy Feet’ or the name of the horse that you wish to sponsor. All donations are tax deductible and no amount is ever too small.

Thank you for your continued love and support.
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