BEAU:  He is doing great.  Fortunately, Donkey (Kathy’s donkey) didn’t dissolve his friendship/play antics with BEAU after finally teaching GUS how to play.  In fact, BEAU & Donkey’s clowning around continues with exuberance.  Kathy said they were running up and down the pasture goofing off the other day.  

Look at his attitude in the recent picture below.  Quite the change from the pinned ears and resting mare face he displayed for so long in his early recovery!

GUS:  This old boy continues to blossom as evidenced by his picture.  A complete change in his physical health from when you helped rescue him and he was so close to dying.   It really took GUS a long, long time physically to mend.  He now plays with Donkey at times and remains the sweet boy he has always been.  I think he is much happier now that he has BEAU and Donkey for friends.

Funds are mighty slim right now and we still could use some help for this Old Soldier. He would love to have sponsors to help with Retirement Board, vet, farrier, etc.. If you can spare a few dollars every month to be a sponsor, OR a one time donation, just click on the PayPal link below, sign in to Paypal and help us continue to care for BEAU in his retirement.  Any amount is greatly appreciated.

BEAU's Retirement Sponsorship Pay Pal Link:  https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=TAMKAQE7AQDDA

BEAU continues to thrive!  The first year after he was removed from the kill pen was a doozy.  Poor boy was literally at death's door.  Thanks to our supporters and Kathy at Starburst Ranch where he is retired, this lovely old man is in the best shape he could be in for his age.  Vet said his age was:  Seriously Senior!!

He kinda has a "Fabio" look going on!

The picture below was taken at the killpen before we were able to help BEAU.

BEAU continues to thrive at his retirement home with Kathy in Texas!  He's such a funny guy.  In my mind, I can still the pictures of when he first arrived at Kathy's so thin, unable to chew his food because of his teeth, subsequent digestive problems, etc.  It's hard to put that picture in the same frame as the boy he is now.

Once all the initial issues were resolved thanks to the excellent care he receives at Kathy's, he just seems to flourish.  He plays constantly with Kathy's donkey and harasses GUS daily.  Just looking at him now compared to what he was like in the beginning just makes my heart swell.

BEAU made a trip to the vet to meet up with the farrier.  He is pretty bad about having his front feet done, so he needed a little bit of mood elevating juice.  Once he was sedated, the farrier was able to give him a really nice hoof trim.

He was drunk as a skunk and stayed that way for awhile after he got back to Kathy’s.

New pictures of BEAU at his Retirement digs with Kathy in Texas.  Every time we get new pictures/updates on this old soldier, I can’t help but be amazed and grateful for Kathy and our supporters.  

Etched into my brain is that original picture of the day he arrived at Kathy’s from the kill pen.  That faraway look filled with pain.  He was sooooooo hungry but could not chew because of the horrible pain from his tooth issues.  We quickly got him to the vet who found that one of his teeth had grown so long that the opposing tooth was gone and the long tooth had made a hole deep into his jaw causing unbearable pain.  Add to that situation that he had been starved for a long time and the future wasn’t too bright for this boy.

After the dental work, he was able to eat properly and chowed down.  Then he developed Fecal Water Syndrome and had continuous diarrhea.  Thanks to our supporters, we were able to get various medications, specifically compounded ulcer meds etc. to try to rectify the problem.  In the meantime, Kathy was hosing off his bum every day, administering meds and products.  In the past, we had had success with Bio Sponge and decided to try it for BEAU.  

Due to his age and condition, we were very hesitant to have him transported to TIER.  Old horses experience serious physical & mental stress when relocated and he had been relocated a lot as he journeyed from auction to kill pen.  We were worried that the trip would take too much out of him and he would need to be rehabilitated again after the trip…if he made it.

The Bio Sponge was working; he was very happy at Kathy’s where he had access to pasture and friends (he plays with the donkey a lot) and was slowly turning into a healthy happy boy.  After speaking with Kathy, we made the decision to retire BEAU to her facility where he would not have to undergo any more dramatic life changes. 

As you can see from these pictures, BEAU is thriving despite all he had endured.  BEAU has a couple of monthly sponsors for his retirement board, but they do not cover the full costs.  Monthly contributions to Beau’s retirement so that he can continue to be the best he can be would be greatly appreciated.

PayPal Link for BEAU’s Retirement:

BEAU's Retirement Sponsorship

OR- copy/paste into new window:  https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=TAMKAQE7AQDDA

BEAU was able to survive a life-threatening situation because of YOU! THANK YOU!

BEAU continues to flourish at Kathy's where he is in Retirement boarding.  I have this picture in my mind of when he first arrived in quarentine.  We were very cautious about his ability to recover from such long term neglect/starvation at his "very senior" age.

There were bumps along the road.  He just could not chew food and therefore, was unable to eat although he was very hungry.  He tried so hard.  The pain from a very long tooth digging into his lower jaw was just too much.  Even soaked pellets and senior feed were too difficult to process.  We very quickly had him seen by the vet who discovered the cause of him not being able to eat and had the tooth removed along with floating what remaining teeth he had.

After having his teeth taken care of he was able to eat properly and then a new problem arose.  He started having frequent bouts of diarrhea.  We were really worried and poor Kathy was trying everything under the sun to help him.  Feed changes, supplements, Aloe Vera juice, etc.  The vet even had some ulcer meds compounded to try to fix the problem.  They helped for a few days and then the diarrhea would start again.  We started researching and came across Equine Fecal Water Syndrome and began a trial and error approach to this ailment in BEAU.

We had used Bio Sponge for Virgil when he was sick and it had seemed to help him.  So...we gave the Bio Sponge a shot.  It was a long process with good results.  Kathy had to administer it for quite awhile before it finally seems to have made the difference.  As a result of the succes with Bio Sponge, we make sure Kathy has a supply on hand if the issue arises again.

As you can see, BEAU is flourishing!  He has fresh waterm plenty of nutritious feed available, room to move around and friends for company every day.  NORMAL horse care that he did not receive for a very, very long time prior to our supporters stepping up to help us help him.  THANK YOU!

BEAU is doing really well and has his winter fuzzy’s goin on.  He has finally quit pinning his ears whenever Kathy takes a picture.  For the time being, he is not making that “mare face”.  HA!

We could use some help with the costs of monthly Retirement Board for this old soldier who has made an awesome comeback. The PayPal link below gives the option of a monthly recurring contribution or a one time donation. Can you help?

BEAU's RETIEREMENT SPONSORSHIP

He’s looking awesome!  Thanks to Kathy’s diligence in caring for this old soldier, he is living his best life!  A far cry from the skeletal horse our donors helped us to rescue from a killpen.  He no longer has that far away look in his eyes.  More & more these last few months he seems to have turned an emotional corner and has realized that he will NEVER be abused or neglected again.  He will walk with Kathy around the pasture without a halter/lead. He whinneys when she comes out in the morning and turns his body so that Kathy can administer his daily scritches.  And, he has been seen NOT pinning his ears/frowning when Kathy takes a picture!! (Gasp!!!)

Under Kathy’s loving care, he has blossomed in every way.  He even takes turns with his pasturemates at standing watch! The decision to let him stay in Texas in Retirement Board because at the time, we didn’t think he would make the trip and another rehab, was one of the best decisions we have made!  

Our donors have made this possible.  Unfortunately, over the last year, due to the pandemic, several of our donors/sponsors have had to readjust their charitable gifts and are no longer able to donate as they had.  BEAU could certainly use some help with monthly sponsorship of his retirement board, or donations of any size/regularity.  Can you help?  The PayPal link below allows for a one time or monthly donation toward Beau’s Retirement Board.

We could use some help with the costs of monthly Retirement Board for this old soldier who has made an awesome comeback. The PayPal link below gives the option of a monthly recurring contribution or a one time donation. Can you help?

Donate with Paypal

BEAU and the lady nextdoor.  She's BIG and makes him look like a pony!  BEAU is 15 to 15.1 hands tall.  Those fences on the side and in front of BEAU are 6 ft. tall!

BEAU is Livin His Best at his retirement abode in Texas! When I think back to his first days out of the feedlot, when we weren't sure if he would make it, when I received the picture of him after he had taken a mouthful of feed and showed us how much pain he was in......I am overjoyed at how he made a comeback.

He had been without proper care of any kind for a very long time. His teeth were so bad he couldn't chew without severe pain. He was horribly thin and needed his feet done. When he was finally able to eat properly after having his teeth attended to, he started having what we thought was diarrhea. We had him treated for ulcers and it was finally determined he had what is known as Fecal Water Syndrome.

Although the Ulcer compound helped with his ailment, it didn't cure it. Kathy, his guardian angel in Texas, tried so very hard with different products to help him. The vet bills mounted and our donors rallied to help us help him. I felt he was too old/frail to make the trip to California without having a HUGE physical setback. Kathy agreed to let him remain at the place where he was doing so well, with pastures to roam and with friends to spend the day. So BEAU was allowed to Retire in Texas.

We finally hit upon using BioSponge as a treatment for the Fecal Water Syndrome with great results. There is always a supply on hand (thanks to our donors) in case he has an episode.

We got lucky with this last picture. It's the only one we have so far since his amazing recovery where he doesn't have his ears pinned and a scowl. He doesn't like his picture taken and usually displays a "mare face"!

We could use some help with the costs of monthly Retirement Board for this old soldier who has made an awesome comeback. The PayPal link below gives the option of a monthly recurring contribution or a one time donation. Can you help?

Donate with Paypal

BEAU has the best life ever thanks to Kathy Lake!  Although she doesn't normally board horses long term (Quarantine Board Only) she made an exception for dear BEAU.  He is currently in Retirement Board at her awesome Starburst Ranch in Texas.  Thank you Kathy!

This part of Texas has approximately 22 inches of rain in May!  Holy Guacamole.  As you can see from BEAU's picture, he still isn't a fan of having his picture taken.

BEAU could use some sponsors to help with his monthly Retirement Board.

Beau standing watch while the others nap.

We finally got the CBC blood panel results back on BEAU.  Note the AWESOME difference in the Veternarian's Notes from July when it said "Has Taken A Turn For the Worse", to the entry that says Bloodwork has Improved!  WOOT!  WOOT!

Every 10 days, BEAU gets a bit of the "dribbles" which was a concern.  Vet said he will put a call into Texas A&M to see if they have anything to say about this cycle of poopy dribbles.  He is no longer getting Pro-Pre Biotics or Aloe Vera.  He is getting a combination of BioSponge and GUT X.  The amount of Bio Sponge he gets daily is being slowly decreased.  Both Bio Sponge and GUT X are very pricey.  If the GUT X can help BEAU's recurrent bouts of diarrhea  by itself, it would be easier on TIER's pocket book.  If it turns out that he needs both, of course he will get both.

Just look at this boy now!  A far cry from the old man that arrived at Kathy's ranch in such pitiful shape last March.  He was so frail that we did not think he could safely make the trip to California with Easy and Jake without suffering a relapse.  Thanks to Kathy at Starburst Ranch and a few TIER supporters who stepped up to help sponsor him, we were able to arrange for BEAU to stay with her and pay Retirement Board.  He got to stay at the first place in a long, long time where he was loved, cared for physically/mentally and where he had finally been able to be comfortable in his life.  

Truthfully, I am amazed at this boys quick recovery.  It was obvious that he had undergone hardship for a very long time prior to TIER pulling him from the ship pen in Texas.  When he arrived at Kathy's, it was thought he most likely would not have survived much longer.  Our donors/supporters stepped up to allow TIER, Kathy/Starburst Ranch and our supporters the opportunity to do the right thing for the right reasons!  Thank YOU!

You might remember that dear old Beau was having gastric issues.  He had made a visit or two to the vet and treatment was begun with Biosponge.  The treatment helped immensely.  Once the 5 day dosage was complete he seemed to be doing quite well.  Then, the loose stools started again.  Although not as bad as previously, it was still ongoing.  He was given Aloe Vera Gel in his feed and that too helped for awhile.  The beginnings of runny manure began again and he was put on Biosponge powder indefinitely.  Pricey treatment, but we were able to have it delivered asap to Kathy in Texas.  He seems to be doing well so far.

BEAU’s age is considered “seriously senior”.  It was evident from the moment he was picked up at the kill lot that he was in dire straits.  We have no doubt that he would not have lasted much longer and would have suffered horribly had we not stepped in.  He had been without proper nutrition for a long, long time, dental issues that caused him not to be able to chew feed.  He was literally starving to death.  When we realized that he was experiencing severe mouth/tooth pain when he did try to eat (he tried to eat, was really hungry, but the pain in his mouth stopped him) we immediately sent him to the vet to have his teeth looked at.  This was the afternoon after he was pulled from the kill lot.  He had a tooth that was so long that it was puncturing his upper jaw each time he chewed.  The pain must have been unbearable!! He received dental care and hasn’t stopped eating since!

The long term lack of decent feed, the ability to chew, stressful living conditions, auctions, kill lots, etc.  took a huge toll on this aged boy.  Starvation causes muscle wastage, weakness and hypothermia, eating bark, sand or other indigestibles that can do permanent damage decreases gastrointestinal function, wound healing, cold tolerance, and immunity.  Some horses just shut down mentally.  Although he is healthier and happier than he has probably been in years, his system is hugely compromised.  

Currently, BEAU is fed soaked pellets/a little bit of senior feed & his biosponge every morning in “HIS” stall with a large run attached.  Once he finishes breakfast he is turned out with another gelding and a donkey to graze all day on pasture or the hay piles provided when the grass is not as plentiful.  He has access to 10 or more acres, trees for shade and clean water during the day.  At dinnertime, he is served the same foods that he received in the morning along with some hay, is looked over to see how he is doing and tucked in for the night.  He’s very vocal at feeding time and watches the house to see when Kathy comes out for feeding time.  He lets her know she is running late (although she’s not) and better get a move on because he is starving don’t ya know.

He is happy.  He is well cared for and he is loved.  Due to his age and his compromised condition, I was hesitant to have him transported over 1200 miles to TIER.  If you remember, Lucille was an aged horse that was compromised less than BEAU when she came.  The impact of the trip due to her age, etc, despite the best transport services by far, caused her to decline healthwise and we basically had to rehab her again.  She is fine now, but I do not know if BEAU could make that sort of comeback.  I didn’t even want to try.  This is something I struggled with for quite awhile.

I then discussed the situation with the transporter and with Kathy at Quarantine.  After much soul searching, it was decided that BEAU would not make the trip with EASY & Annie’s JAKE.  He will be boarded at Kathy’s ranch where he is happiest.  It would not have been fair to him to take away the best thing he has had in years in the way of food, care, companionship and LOVE.  This is NOT something Kathy was prepared to do as she is a short term Quarantine facility and not a boarding facility.  We asked that she take in BEAU as a retirement boarding situation and she has agreed.

The only time we board TIER horses out is when they are in training and we have set aside funds to do that.  This is something we’ve never done before and are deeply grateful that Kathy is willing to do this for us and especially for BEAU.  The vet’s office is close by, should the need arise.  We, of course, will pay any vet, farrier, medication, etc. fees.  We are hopeful that our supporters will agree with this decision for BEAU’s wellbeing and help with the costs which are around 200 per month.  

PayPal address:  whoanellie@earthlink.net

MAILING ADDRESS: 

TIER, 17130 Van Buren Blvd., #45

Riverside, CA, 92504

PayPal Link for BEAU’s Retirement Sponsorship   (Click Here)

Earlier this month I updated on BEAU’s on again/off again situation with his manure. He will be fine for awhile and then he passes a good amount of green liquid with his manure. It was not diarrhea at the time, but it did splatter over his hind end and legs.

The vet was contacted and he was put on an paste antibiotic for gut inflammation called Metronidazole for 5 days. From the first day he received the paste he did not have the watery stools. Day 5 of the paste, he came in with manure butt and Kathy had to hose him off again. He likes having his bum washed off!

Then….BEAU was passing almost pure water with some hay in it.  Load up and go to the vet again.  Did bloodwork and tubed him with mineral oil & charcoal to help remove toxins.  Bloodwork showed elevated counts that indicate slight infection and inflammation.

Due to BEAU’s age (25) we have opted to not have him scoped and the vet agrees as the cost would be high and would probably not change the course of treatment.  At this point we will treat per the vet’s recommendation.

He is now on Bio Sponge twice a day for 5 days.  (Comprised of a natural clay, Di-Tri-Octahedral Smectite. A negatively charged intestinal absorbant designed to help support healthy intestinal function. Widely used to support healthy gastrointestinal function).

The Bio Sponge is a paste that comes in a large, tube/syringe and is administered twice a day.  Amazingly, Kathy is able to give him his medicine without having to halter him.  What an awesome boy!

After the 5 day treatment, we will see where we are at.  If this is a chronic situation, we have the option of treating with Bio Sponge powder long term or the vet will have ulcer meds compounded for him.  The compound would be a bit cheaper than the traditional Gastro Guard, etc. products.  Only time will tell.

For those interested, here is a link to an article about Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastric vs. Colonic Ulcers

His appetite remains good and he doesn’t appear to feel badly.  He is not lethargic and is still quite vocal about letting Kathy know she should move a little faster with his pellets/senior feed.

Beau: you know I don't like my picture taken. Go away.

Jake:  oh. Oh. Take my picture.

Beau:  Really. Go away. It's too humid for this nonsense.

Jake:  Really. Take my picture.

6/14/2020 Update from Quarantine:  Do NOT Disturb while I am EATING!

"Good morning from the beau-man.  Notice the runny streak.  I had a chance to get a higher quality alfalfa/burmuda cube and though I changed him over gradually I should have been cutting back on quantity at the same time and didn’t. He came in for dinner Friday night and I recognized my error.  So quantity has been cut back."

All that good stuff that Kathy is feeding him has really done the trick!  He is looking AWESOME!  Especially when you consider the shape he was in when he arrived at the Quarantine Facility.

Beau's QT board has been paid and he is doing well.

From Kathy:  Tonight (4/30/2020) he stood where he could watch me get dinner together. Calling like a fool the entire time. Desperately calling because ya know, he’s starving. When he realized I’d gone to his pen he came running like he hadn’t eaten in forever (morning was so very long ago and grass in the pasture doesn’t count as actual food). He’s such a goof.

BEAU's feed intake was reduced because he was gaining weight too quickly for his age and condition.  It was unhealthy for him.  As Kathy said:  "He’s getting a texas gut.  Will have to cut back on the BBQ".  After consulting the vet, his feed was reduced a bit and then was gradually increased.

Unfortunately, this led to Kathy (Quarentine Facility Owner) being accosted with louder & longer than usual calling to her when she came out of the house which was accompanied by sorrowful/starving/pitiful eyes.  BEAU has been a "talker at feeding time" since his arrival.  He is also smart and a manipulator.  He is getting feed appropriate for his weight, recovery from neglect, dental status and age (soaked pellets/hay/senior).  He is slowly returning to health and adding in vocals with gusto! 

His old yucky coat is shedding out and he is a delightful light dun color with golden highlights along the crest of his mane! 

In order to help him recover physically, Kathy put him in the small pasture so he could move about and graze.  Video link:  https://youtu.be/pOmWuBzTlrU

Rumor has it that he advanced to the large pasture yesterday.  He was proud to display that he has some energy by taking off and running around for a bit.  He did let Kathy know that he could do much better if she would only feed him more!!  In time, sweet boy, in time.

Per our 3/29/2020 TWO week update on BEAU, he had gained weight quickly.  Maybe too quickly. Kathy informed the vet on BEAU's progress and provided him with the Before & 2 weeks After photos. She told him what she was feeding (soaked hay pellets with senior feed & a small amount of leafy alfalfa), how much and how often.

BEAU may turn out to be an easy keeper.  However, putting that much weight on in such a short time might very well be putting a lot of strain on his organs.  It is obvious his organs were already under strain from NOT having enough food previously and not being able to process/chew any food he was getting due to the conditon of his teeth.  Now that his dental problems have been addressed and he has food on a regular basis, his organs could be undergoing stress. From one extreme to the other.

The rapid weight gain could very well result in Refeeding Syndrome. Link to a good article about Starvation and the Recovery Process:  https://ker.com/equinews/refeeding-malnourished-horses/

So, BEAU is going on a diet!  Nothing drastic of course.  His daily rations will be reduced by approximately 1/3 of what he has been getting to minimize the chances of adverse gastrointestinal issues, laminitis, etc.  It is hoped that this change will level out his weight gain, reduce strain on his system and help him gradually transition back to a normal weight over the next few months.

As you can imagine, BEAU isn't too happy about the change and he is guilting Kathy! A few days after he arrived, had his painful dental issues addressed and receiving food that he could eat on a regular basis, he started nickering and then calling to her at feeding time. His vocalization is now a bit more beseeching and, of course, accompanied by imploring eyes. Hopefully he will adjust within a day or two and Kathy won't feel so bad.  It's for your own good BEAU! (How many times have you heard that from your parents???)

From Kathy/QT Facility Owner:  This is why I love what I do. Not that there isn’t some heartbreak that comes with the job, but these cases make it worth while. Best part is he’s finally letting his guard down and I’m beginning to get a glimpse of his personality. Dental made the biggest difference as the pain in his mouth is gone. He can actually eat pain free. Can you imagine? Oh, he is a charmer, this one.

BEAU at Killpen

BEAU 2 weeks after arriving at Quarantine

Kathy does a phenomenal job and we are lucky to have found her! Thanks for the referral Susan! BEAU, has only been with Kathy for 15 days.  It is awesome to see this much progress in only 2 weeks. Getting his teeth done right away sure helped him.  Thank you Kathy.  Thank you to the wonderful folks who sent contributions specifically for BEAU to pull him from the killpen, transport to QT, Vet/Dental care.  BEAU is on the mend!

From Kathy:  Dinner was all gone this morning and the barn now smells like there's a horse in it. Urine smell strong so while he's out today I will strip and hose his stall down. (This just means his system is recovering and he is eliminating toxins from being without the ability to process his food/gain weight/ etc.) Pen with a little grass today. Pen with a little more grass tomorrow. He rolled three times and is uninterested in his new neighbors.

I thought I would hold off on daily updates unless something came up.  Pictures are from 3-21-2020

3/19/2020 Beau Update:

Noon update. Breakfast cleaned up except for the alfalfa leaves. Half a bucket of water  gone. Went for our walk. Horses on both sides of us running. He watched but didn't react. Crossed the cattle guard thoughtfully. Today was garbage day and our large can on wheels had blown over. So we uprighted that and drug that bouncy, rattling thing back across the guard and into its place at the gate. He handled it all very well but did put more effort into jumping the guard. He didn't panic just wasn't too sure about it all. He did awesome. We walked through mud puddles like he didn't even know they were there. I do believe he has a broad experience base. Such a good boy.

3/20/2020 Morning

Morning update.  Cleaned up his dinner, drank a bucket of water, eager for breakfast.  He’s beginning to prefer the soaked pellets over alfalfa leaves so for his teeth’s sake we will make that transition. We are up to 4 feedings a day and 2 walks when we can get them in.  Trying to give him short grazing times as well with the hopes of being able to turn him out in a grassy pen for extended lengths of time.  Naturally we’ll work into this slowly.

3-21-2020

Increased his pellets and he is cleaning everything up, drinking well, pooping, etc.  A little more energy on his walks and when Kathy comes into the stall he is showing a concentrated interest in the open stall door.  Probably wants to go out and eat grass!  He has been in QT 8 days and no symptoms of congestion and no nasal discharge.  You can see in the pictures that he is hydrated and he has begun to put a little bit of weight on.  His butt is even getting a little bit of form to it!! It's gonna be slow.

Solid poop piles this morning.  Not sure how he could have produced so many considering the volume of input but he clearly isn’t impacted.  YAY! 

Ate 98% of his grain last night and 85% of his soaked pellets.  I gave him Senior Feed with Bute this morning and alfalfa leaves at the same time (pellets were soaking) and he ate the alfalfa first.  There are a couple bales in the hay room that appear to be mostly leaves so I’ll set those aside for him if that’s what he’s going to eat.  

Only about an inch of water left in his bucket. We will be under flash flood warning this evening so I’m assuming that means a little rain.  I’ll make sure he gets a long walk this afternoon not knowing how long the monsoon is suppose to last. He was bright and cheery this morning.

Beau made a trip to the vet today.  We were concerned about his inability to eat even though he was obviously hungry.  Turns out there is a pretty good reason for him to have difficulty chewing.  

He had a couple large points on the top row of teeth and below there was not an opposing tooth.  This means that the top tooth continued to grow and was poking down into his gums where the other tooth should have been.  The majority of his back teeth (the teeth used for grinding food) are VERY worn down.  The reason for this, according to the vet, is that he is a seriously senior horse.  We will just say he is an Old Soldier.  There were no abcesses or ulcers in his mouth.

A fecal exam was done and came back clear.  No sand...which surprised the vet and us.  Blood was drawn and the blood work showed that he was a bit anemic and stressed.  Stressed most likely from going through auctions then to the killpen, strange horses that are also stressed, being very hungry, the pain in his mouth and not being able to eat properly.  If we had not gotten him we did (thank you to our donors!!!) he would have deteriorated even more and might not have been able to make a come back.  As it is, we hope we stepped in for him in time to make life somewhat easier for him.

The feeding plan given to us by the vet is to continue with the soaked pellets and introduce a little Equine Senior.  Several feedings a day.  The Senion feed will be increased a little as time goes on.  In about a week we will add Rice Bran.  The anemia should resolve as he is able to process more feed/nutrition.  He will also be getting Uniprim antibiotic powder which we had previously purchased for him.

Since he was sedated at the time of the dental exam, the vet took advantage of the situation and cleaned his sheath.  Vet said all looked good in this area and he did remove a bean.  His diarrhea is still ongoing, but it has started to firm up a tiny bit since he's been getting some food into his tummy.  Kathy has also been giving him loose alfalfa leaf since he cannot chew the stems and the vet said this was fine.

We are NOT out of the woods yet.  He is still fragile and will need all the support he can get, but there are no guarantees.  I am so thankful that his quarantine is with Kathy.  She is onboard every step of the way, gives these horses her heart and is an extremely knowledgeable horsewoman.  Beau is very lucky to have landed at her facility as she gives 150% to these horses.  Trust me, quarantine facilities with this standard of care/love are not that easy to find.  Thank you Kathy!

Please keep Beau in your thoughts/prayers.  As most of you know, caring for senior horses with needs such as Beau can be daunting and expensive.  Beau will most likely need to stay at Kathy's until the first part of May (if he doesn't decline or other issues pop up) before he is physically able to make the trip to TIER.  Vet thinks he will be ok to do it, but we will see.  Only time will tell.

Once he returned to his stall at Kathy's, for the first time since he arrived he rolled in his shavings!  Yay!  Later in the afternoon, Kathy took him out for a stroll in the sunshine and he grabbed up some yummy grass.

Thank you all for helping us to help him.  This is what we do, but none of it would happen without YOU!

Morning update:  He drank almost a full bucket of water last night.  Ate about 1/2 of a large flake of hay (Hay is Coastal Hay) and was looking for dessert (soaked pellets) this morning.  He got his tiny ration of soaked pellets and gobbled those down. Will continue to top dress with aloe juice and salt.  

Still nasty diarrhea and I’ll get his legs rinsed again after church today as well as his tail wrapped. Some of it did have form but for the most part just liquid.  I will get some petroleum jelly to coat his hind end and backs of his legs with so he doesn’t burn his skin.  Hoping as the solid food hits his stomach things firm up.  

Got his stall picked again so I can monitor output accurately.  He has urinated and there is absolutely no smell to it.  He is going to need dental work done.  I watched him this morning trying to get food positioned right so he may have ulcers as you suspected.  

He didn’t lay down last night but his bedding isn’t pushed to the side so he had a peaceful night.  Unless he takes a turn for the worse, I’ll wait until tomorrow to talk with the vet and see what he recommends as an action plan.  I would like to get some bloodwork done on him.  It will help us put together an action plan as well.

TIER:  After speaking with Kathy (QT owner) we are increasing his soaked pellets as they are easier to chew/digest and adding a small amount of senior.  I asked Kathy to see how he did with the alfalfa hay as he wasn’t eating much of the Coastal hay.  She gave him some lovely alfalfa.  He wants to eat it, but chews it a bit and spits it out.  We both think his teeth are really bad and need attention.

Kathy will set up an appointment with the vet to draw blood and do an overall exam.  We have concerns about sedation due to him being so thin, but he does need his teeth done.  We will see what the vet has to say.  He for sure doesn’t like his mouth messed with and would most likely not be a candidate for no sedation during a dental float.  But…ya never know.  The Vet’s office has our credit card information and file has already been opened as we purchased Uniprim just in case this poor boy starts showing signs of a runny nose, upper respiratory, etc.

On another Note:  Kathy/Quarantine Facility is calling him Beau because she thinks he is a handsome/refined boy.  I tend to agree.  So...we are changing his name to Beau.

Thanks to our supporters, Beau, the very thin Red Dun gelding at a Texas Feedlot, will be safe!  Transporter has just returned from picking him up. 

Funds were raised for his purchase price, transport to Quarentine, Quarentine costs, and costs to transport to TIER.  We will still need to raise funds for Vet care (hope that is minimal!) and Health Certificate when he is ready to travel to TIER.

Transporter says he is a body score of 1!  Transporter went into the pen with all the horses and caught Beau.  He was not hard to catch, walked right out and stepped into the trailer wth no muss or fuss.  Transporter says he also has diarrhea!  

Quarantine facility indicates he is a full rehab.  One of the worst she's seen.  He will be started on soaked Hay pellets, Pepto Bismol and Aloe Vera Gel.  He will also get Hay.  Electrolytes are on hand also.  He dived into the hay as soon as he got into the stall.  A little later he was given the soaked hay pellets.  It looks like he kind of played in the water, but he didn't drink.  Keep your fingers crossed that he drinks.  

Quarantine facility doesn't think his starvation has been long term (months, and months, and months) as his body wasn't sluggish to response and his eyes are bright.  They are impressed with his good manners and how respectful he is.

Look at this boy!  Tiny ears and such soft eyes...even after whatever he has been through.  HUGE THANKS to the TIER supporters who saved Beau!  We could not have helped him had it not been for your generosity, caring and support!!!