It is with a heavy heart that I have to tell everyone that Mr. Jingles was not able to pull through.

He passed over the bridge knowing love and compassion, while chewing some of Lori’s gorgeous alfalfa hay. Godspeed sweet horse.

Through the generous donations of the Chronicle of the Horse Forums and amazing folks all over the US enough funds were raised to cover Mr. Jingles very large Veterinary bills and also purchase a much needed Equine Sling. The Sling will assist horses who come to Sunkissed Acres who are too weakened to stand. As much as we hope this will be the only time a horse comes to the rescue in this condition…we know it will happen again…time after time.

It was too late to save Mr. Jingles, but the outpouring of support proves that there is good in the world and that the caring compassion of the horse owning community will continue to work tirelessly to help horses in need.

Thank you for all your help, your prayers, your emails and phone calls of support. Knowing that you are there, and that you care so much…it means so much to Lori. Thank you.

A note from Lori:

On: Jan. 29, 2010 08:25 AM

My dearest COTH members and friends, we lost our battle.   I can hardly see this screen for the tears, knowing  I was coming here with such heartbreaking news.  I am sorry for not answering calls last night but I simply couldnt give up my hands.

We found out late afternoon that short of a private plane, no sling would get here before Monday no matter what.  You see, welcome to Chattooga Cty.  We  have no delivery on Saturdays and no exceptions were going to be made.

My darling vet bless his heart, kept coming out between keeping up with the office. He came out here again at 7 last night after finishing at the clinic.  We got a large group of people out here and gave all we had to help this boy find his legs once more.  There was a total disconnect to his hind end and he just couldnt make things work for himself.

Our little guys temperature was getting dangerously low and so,  I threw quilts over him, I tried to warm him by rubbing him like crazy.  I willed my body heat into his.  It was not to be.

We had to keep rolling MABJ over in order to keep his lungs clear.  Sadly, on one side, he always paniced as then he was completely blind.  Someone had to stay with him the entire time because, if a human was close by, he rested comfortably.  Oh this boy would talk to you.  He had such a lovely whinny.

At a little after one in the morning, the vet called it quits.  MABJ’s heart had taken all it could, his temperature was down to 88 degrees.

This morning, I am sick, I have a headache beyond all belief due to the crying and now a cold.  I have the great satisfaction of knowing though,  this guy did not die in vain.  If you can imagine after all of this, some good has come of it all.

There is a serious lack of response in this neck of the woods. Inspite of half the state and nation looking for a sling, one could not be found. Imagine that.  Dept of Ag’s were all in use, GERL hasnt been able to find one of their eight.  Every number I was given brought me to a dead end.  One has hours, not days.

I spoke with a great man from Emergency and Disaster Relief in NE GA.  No, they would not lend me there sling, but…………………he is putting together a network of availability and a response team for just such an occassion again.  I am proud to be on that list.  All too often, I have been called for a sling, next time, I will be there.  Through the generosity of the cothers, I am going to put together an emergency kit of slings, succeed, thrive, fluids and sedatives.  I am going to put Mr. American Beau Jingles name and picture on the box.

If it is the last thing I do,  I am going to find the person who did this to this baby.  He was a baby.  He trusted us humans to care for him, to see to his safety.  The rumors going around Summerville are amazing.  The word has spread somehow.  For the first time, people were stopping me and dropping in to see this guy.  Someone is going to tell me where he came from.  Where he was locked in.  Anything that touched this boys mouth was eaten.  No devoured.  I had to keep him bedded in hay because he kept eating anything underneath him.  He actually ate gravel, he ate half my thumb.  I couldnt get him to let go of the worming tube.  He even liked that.  He just couldnt get enough to eat fast enough.

thank you to all of you for hanging in there with us.  For being there for me to come to, for hearing my boys story and caring.  While he will be buried today, it doesnt end here. Every rescue needs this emergency kit.  We have hours, not days and this guy was worth the effort.   So worth the effort.  In his honor,  I want to help to make sure, all rescues can be prepared or be helped quickly.  This is the first horse I have ever lost this way and I want it to be the last.

I also want to give kudos to Dogs on Death Row.  A new group to our area who saves the worst of dogs, those ladies came here to the trenches to give a hand where they could.

We lost a good one. RIP Mr. American Beau Jingles.

Mr. American Beau Jingles,  you have left this world a much better place for your suffering.  You have managed to touch the hearts of a nation inspite of losing the race. By all standards, you didnt accomplish enough to even bother being cared for, you have accomplished more in three days than most will accomplish in a lifetime.  Future lives will be changed for what this guy had to give up.
My blessings to you all.  My heartfelt thanks for your caring and support and my apologies for not being able to give this guy more.

Colleen, you are so right, there is always another just waiting to come in. Another to love but…it never takes away from the ones we have already loved.  I never forget a horse anyhow but some…they make a huge dent and Mr. American Beau Jingles, he was one of them.

The vet, well, he loved his name.  He adored the story of how he got his name and was very touched by how many people came together for this.  I showed him the board when we came in for a warm up.  He had never heard of it before so…hopefully, we can be looking for both him and his wife to join.