Good Haven Equine Rescue

Good Haven Equine Rescue We are a nonprofit that rescues horses from slaughter, neglect, and abuse—and help them find loving, forever homes.

Team Good Haven took on the 5k mudrun today!
06/14/2026

Team Good Haven took on the 5k mudrun today!

06/07/2026

I want to give an update on whats been going on with our new foal the last couple of days.

When we rescued her mama, Patsy, we knew we were protecting two lives. However, rescue journeys often come with unexpected hurdles, and our new little filly faced a challenge right away. I noticed that she didn’t seem to be nursing long enough and I was concerned about her getting enough colostrum. Our vets did blood draws to test her IgG levels and unfortunately they were at what is called "Failure of Passive Transfer" (FPT) levels which means her body didn't absorb enough antibodies from Patsy, leaving her highly vulnerable to infection. Because a foal's gut can only absorb antibodies through milk during their first few hours of life, we had to act fast. Our incredible veterinary team stepped in immediately to perform an emergency intravenous (IV) plasma transfusion! We gently thawed a bag of specialized equine plasma, placed a sterile catheter, and cradled our filly while the antibody-rich fluid dripped in safely. Patsy proved to be an absolutely wonderful mother through it all and the transfusion went beautifully! This plasma essentially gave her an "instant immune system," providing the shield she needs to grow big and strong. Emergency interventions like this are costly, but it was absolutely necessary to ensure that she remains healthy. Our little filly was up and running around moments after the procedure.

We still haven't named her yet—we want to see her personality shine first but we will let you know when we decide on the perfect name!

Thanks again for everyone who is supporting us from the very beginning of our rescue journey! It means so much to us!!

It’s rainy outside, but mama and baby are all tucked in for the night.
06/05/2026

It’s rainy outside, but mama and baby are all tucked in for the night.

Rescue Update 🐴❤️Since officially beginning this journey in December 2025, we have welcomed Patsy and Betty into our car...
05/31/2026

Rescue Update 🐴❤️

Since officially beginning this journey in December 2025, we have welcomed Patsy and Betty into our care.

Both have required extensive rehabilitation, and we continue to work hard every day to give them the care they deserve.

Patsy is currently pregnant and expecting her foal in June or July. While we are still trying to determine the exact cause of her lameness, she is comfortable and doing well at this time. With her due date approaching, traveling long distances to specialists is becoming less advisable, so our focus right now is on managing her comfort and maintaining her condition until after her foal arrives.

Betty has been making significant progress in her rehabilitation. She continues to improve with every trim and physical therapy session. While we're very encouraged by her progress, she still needs a few more trims and continued therapy before we feel she is ready to be offered for adoption.

We also want to share a little about the behind-the-scenes work that has been taking place. Currently, our rescue operates on less than six acres. While we know opportunities for expansion will come in the future, we have learned a lot about what is needed to safely house rescue horses with special needs alongside our personal animals. We underestimated the infrastructure needed, so we have been diligently building additional corrals, improving containment, and creating quarantine areas to prepare for future rescues.

We know it may sometimes seem like there isn't much happening, but there is a tremendous amount of work taking place every day. Between caring for the animals, improving our facilities, and balancing our full-time jobs, progress can sometimes feel slow. However, every step forward brings us closer to helping more horses in need.

Our goal is to attend an auction in the near future and be ready to take in additional horses when the opportunity presents itself.

Thank you to everyone who has followed our journey so far. Many of you are supporting us during the very beginning stages of building Good Haven Equine Rescue, and that means the world to us. While we may be small today, we are working every day to create a strong foundation that will allow us to help many more horses in the future.

As a newer rescue, most of our expenses are currently being covered personally by Mike and me, but every donation, share, comment, and word of encouragement helps us move one step closer to our goals.

We are excited for what the future holds and are grateful to have you with us from the very beginning.

— Good Haven Equine Rescue

Queen of the dirt pile!!
05/26/2026

Queen of the dirt pile!!

Betty enjoying her mid-morning nap.
05/23/2026

Betty enjoying her mid-morning nap.

An update on Betty the donkey,Before and after. ❤️When this sweet girl came to us, her hooves and legs were in terrible ...
05/23/2026

An update on Betty the donkey,

Before and after. ❤️

When this sweet girl came to us, her hooves and legs were in terrible shape. Recovery didn’t happen overnight — it took time, multiple farrier visits, physical therapy, and lots of TLC.

Now she’s moving comfortably, her legs are finally correcting, and she’s doing better than I ever anticipated. 💕

Betty is wondering if it’s supper time yet. 😀
05/02/2026

Betty is wondering if it’s supper time yet. 😀

Patsy enjoying one of her afternoon naps.
04/06/2026

Patsy enjoying one of her afternoon naps.

Patsy has settled in and enjoyed soaking up the last few rays of sunshine this evening.
03/30/2026

Patsy has settled in and enjoyed soaking up the last few rays of sunshine this evening.

Address

Villisca, IA
50864

Telephone

+17125810623

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Good Haven Equine Rescue posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Good Haven Equine Rescue:

Shortcuts

Share

Category