For volunteering tirelessly through thick and thin, for the many unsolicited hours contributed to SAFE, and in recognition of her indefatigable good attitude, Caryn Littler is SAFE’s Volunteer of the Month for March. 

A native of Rochester, New York who now lives in Seattle, Caryn has been riding pretty much since she could stand up. “I’ve been riding in backyards and at riding stables ever since, much to my parents’ amusement,” she says. She now rides a 13-hand welsh pony named Cricket, “learning to be a tiny eventing team.”

Caryn says she has always been around horses and volunteered at a rescue in New York for a brief time. When she first came to Seattle, she thought about volunteering to help horses and to meet new people. People she talked to had heard about SAFE from some of the rescues in Pierce County and were impressed with everyone’s professionalism, “so I knew this would be a great fit.”

Asked what she likes most about volunteering with SAFE, Caryn says, “I like that I get to learn something new, whether that’s watching Terry work with the horses, horse care, or facilities work around the farm.”

Phoenix is one of Caryn’s favorite rescue stories. “I wasn’t here when he was at SAFE the first time, or when he was found and brought back, but he was one of the first horses to greet me when I first started,” she says. “I didn’t think this horse, who thought he was a puppy, would ever get adopted: he had so many quirks, as lovable as he is. When Terry told me he had found his forever home, I was shocked! Now, I get to see pictures of him relaxing in a pasture and even roping cattle. I’m so happy he found a mom and dad who love him just as much as our volunteers and barn visitors do.” 

When not helping at SAFE, Caryn likes to go exploring. “I’m not from the Pacific Northwest so when I’m not riding or volunteering, I drive to strangely-named places or go on day hikes to soak in views from our beautiful section of the world. And I’m always looking for suggestions.”