Equine WellBeing Rescue Inc.

01/12/2026

Forest is sure enjoying his sunny, albeit cold morning. Isn't he the cutest????

01/12/2026

No, I'm not going skiing, I am heading out to feed and its 15 degrees.

01/12/2026

We could not have said it better. Last week we has rain, light drizzle for hours as temperatures dropped and it turned into snow. Those that didn't have rain sheets put on, we in shelters with slow feed hay nets to stay dry.

Our older horses who have less muscle tone and not as much top line also had rain sheets on to stay dry and keep their core warm. Not one of the horses or donkeys shivered from the cold wetness.

During our last few cold nights, into the teens, we made sure they all had plenty of bermuda grass to eat, which stimulates body heat. No need for blankets, they have shelter from the wind and are dry so their winter coats do the job. They can also move around in their pastures, again stimulating body heat. All have been just fine every time we check on them. They have nice thick winter coats.

Growing up having horses in MN taught us a lot about winter horse care.

The "Raincoat" Mistake: Why a Donkey is NOT a Small Horse.

We see it all the time: A horse and a donkey standing in a field during a cold rainstorm. The horse is grazing happily. The donkey looks miserable.

Many owners think: "If the horse is fine, the donkey is fine."

Wrong. Biologically, you are looking at two completely different animals.

🌵 1. The Desert DNA Horses (Equus ferus) evolved on windy, rainy temperate plains. They are built for bad weather. Donkeys (Equus africanus) evolved in the African Desert. They are built for dry heat, not wet cold.

🧽 2. The "Sponge" Effect Run your hand over a horse in the rain. The water beads up and rolls off. Why? Because horses produce sebum (natural grease) and have a dense undercoat that acts as a natural raincoat. Donkeys do not have this. Their hair is coarse and lacks that protective grease layer. When it rains, water doesn't roll off a donkey—it soaks in. A wet donkey is wearing a soaking wet wool sweater against its skin. It sucks the heat right out of their body.

⚠️ 3. The Danger Zone Because they lack this waterproofing, a donkey can enter hypothermia in temperatures where a horse would be perfectly comfortable. Without shelter, this leads to:

Pneumonia (a leading killer of donkeys).

"Rain Scald" (severe skin rot).

Immense stress (look for the "hunched" posture).

📚 The Science: According to The Donkey Sanctuary (UK), the world's leading authority on donkey welfare: "Donkeys do not have a waterproof coat like the horse."

The Rule: A horse can stand in the rain. A donkey MUST have a roof.

Be a pal. Build the barn. 🏠🫏

01/09/2026

First snow of the year. Crunchy snow...

01/08/2026

In the midst of our first snow storm of the year went were able to get six trimmed. It was so cold, but at least we were out of the snow. Diesel, Baylee and Sugar were 3 of the six. Is it snowing where you are???

01/08/2026

The farrier arrived and so did the snow storm. We are so blessed by this barn. What a day this has been so far.

01/08/2026

Our hearts go out to Tracey Melick and family who adopted Joey 10 years ago. He has been a beloved part of their family and we know their hearts are breaking as he lost his battle with EPM (a neurological disease) this morning. Please keep them in your prayers.

Joey was one of over 20 orphaned foals rescued in 2011, when their mother's were shipped to Canada for slaughter from Fallon NV. He came to us in Jan 2012 and has been a part of the EqWBR family for 14 years.

Run In Paradise (RIP) sweet boy! We are in tears you are gone.

01/08/2026

UPDATE: Sadly Joey has lost his battle with EPM. He took a turn for the worse and has crossed the rainbow bridge. Our hearts go out to his family...he was so very loved.
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The last 24hrs have been tough. We are looking for input from anyone who has personally dealt with EPM, the neurological disease caused by a parasite, Sarcocystis neurona, spread in the f***s of opossums.

Our adopter, Tracey Melick , reached out to us for any insight we could offer. Joey, one of our 2012 orphaned foals (born late 2011) was adopted almost 10 years ago by Tracey and her family. He is a beloved part of their family. He is receiving veterinary care and was immediately put on the best drug protocol. Tracey has joined FB user groups, and we are asking if any of our followers have ever personally dealt with this and would you be willing to share your insights???

We are praying for Joey, Tracey and the entire family as they struggle to deal with the realities of this disease. Any help is so appreciated.

01/08/2026

Yesterday evening brought us some very sad news. Our beloved Molly crossed the rainbow bridge from an unexpected and severe colic. Our outside temps have dropped as a storm system has moved in and that may have been the cause. Quick weather changes often are. Her adopters reached out to us to let us know she was gone.

Molly came to us in September of 2024. Jill DeLozier-Craven and I went to pick her up and we were told to bring drugs as she was extremely hard to load. Her owner had been sick for some time and other people were feeding Molly and her pasture mate Partner. When we arrived Molly would not let us approach.

We were able to get her into a smaller area and then into a squeeze stall from there. We then got a halter on her and slowly gave her the opportunity to walk in the trailer. With a little bit of time and calm encouraging, she got in the trailer no fuss, no muss. No drugs were needed at all. She spent a few months at United Farms with Jill and Casey Craven and learned to trust people again.

We will never forget how this misunderstood mare blossomed right before our eyes. So much to look forward to, we are heartbroken her life was shortened by colic.

Run In Paradise (RIP) beautiful. God needed you in heaven to be someone's special love. 💔❤️💔

01/06/2026

This little darling is so curious. Junebug wants to help with the mucking. Not only does she stand in the way of where I am raking, she tries to pick up the rake and move the cart. Do you have a helper at your place?