It’s the time of year when we like to look upon our blessings and be thankful, and the SAFE family has so much to be thankful for. Many of our blessings walk on four feet, and some are bigger than others, but none are bigger than Strider, who gives us 18 hands of handsome horse to be thankful for.

We are thankful that Strider survived the horrific barn fire that took the lives of four other horses.

We are thankful for Dr Hannah Mueller and her team at NWESC who nursed Strider through the worst of his injuries and donated countless hours of care, including a skin graft procedure to aid in the healing process.

We are thankful that SAFE was able to take Strider in, during the darkest hours of his need, and to all those who gave to our Vet Care Fund to help with his rehabilitation.

We are thankful that through the treatments and care, Strider always seemed to understand that we were trying to help him, and blessed us with his kindness and cooperation.

We are thankful for the time spent with Strider, and the way he seemed able to look straight into your soul and ease whatever pain found hiding in there.

We are thankful for two amazing foster “moms” — Sheridan and Heather — who opened their hearts to Strider and gave him a safe place to live when he needed one.

But most of all, we are so incredibly thankful to finally be able to tell you that yesterday, Strider loaded up into a trailer and headed off to his new home.

Strider has been adopted.

Congratulations to Corrine and her mom, Michel, who came to SAFE looking for a riding horse*, and left with our biggest and best companion. Strider arrived at his new farm yesterday where he has everything he needs for happiness: large pastures, secure shelter, lots of company, and a family who will love and care for him for the rest of his life. This is something that we have dreamed of for this horse for so long, and now that he’s found his forever home, all we can do is grin ear-to-ear!

We’ve already gotten word from Corrine that Strider is settling in well to his new home: “He would eat for a minute, run for a bit, go back to eating, smell a puppy or a goat, run around, eat. He kept on looking at me like ‘you’re gonna let me into the big pasture tomorrow, right?’ It’s actually really funny because he’s not super interested in the goats, but the goats love him! They stayed at the pasture fence when he ran up to them.” Too cute!

Here are some photos from Strider’s “first day” at his new home:

*More on this later, but let’s just say there is more good news coming your way, SAFE friends!!!!!