Congratulations to our August Volunteer of the Month, Leigh Ann Martin! Leigh Ann joined the SAFE community in January 2025 bringing with her a kind and gentle approach to our humans and our horses alike! From day one, she has shown incredible dedication and attention to detail. After balancing 3 kids, grand-kids, a long career as a litigation- paralegal and her recent transition to retirement, Leigh Ann is finally able to spend more time around a life-long passion of horses! Leigh Ann’s love for the horses shines through in her work. Whether she was picking paddocks, scrubbing troughs, or washing buckets and pans, she approached every job with enthusiasm, care, and a strong work ethic. Leigh Ann’s calm demeanor has made a meaningful impact on everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her. Leigh Ann, thank you for the time, compassion, and heart you have given so generously to SAFE. Volunteers like you make this work possible, and we are deeply grateful to have you as part of our community. Learn more about Leigh Ann below.
“Having an opportunity to contribute to SAFE’s mission means everything to me.”
- Leigh Ann
I was born with horse-fever but, despite my incessant begging and unrelenting obsession, my parents just shook their heads year after year after year….my severe allergies to horses and hay didn’t help. I had to glean whatever joy I could from my collection of Breyer horses and reading every horse book I could find. Finally, at age 40 I had two horses of my own (sort of, they were boarded at a full-service barn where I took lessons), but at the same time, I had three young children at home, so my horse-time was limited. A change in life circumstances put an end to that experience, so, I have been horseless ever since. I think, if you were to ask my three children (and three grandchildren) to describe one thing about me, they would each say, “Well, she LOVES horses!”
The horses….and the people! Having an opportunity to contribute to SAFE’s mission means everything to me. For whatever reason, being with and around horses is where I feel most at peace. Their beauty, strength, wisdom, heart and willingness to trust despite how humans have let them down, is awe-inspiring. Being able to watch and contribute to their healing journey is humbling and rewarding beyond words. Also, being able to spend time with the SAFE community of people who share this passion just makes everything in life better!
It is difficult to pick a favorite SAFE horse because I have become so fond of each and every one! They each have such quirks and unique personalities. Taking care of them the way we do as volunteers creates a heartfelt bond. I do love Mabel…because she has heart and spunk. She compensates for her eyesight deficiency and willingly takes on challenges as they are presented to her. I have had the opportunity to groom Mabel on several occasions and she is a dear, sweet, patient mare who relishes in the attention. I hope she finds a forever home where she will have an opportunity to touch someone’s heart the way she has touched mine (although I will miss her terribly!)
I am a retired (yay!) litigation paralegal. I have three adult children, three grandchildren and two dogs. When I am not at the barn I spend a lot of time with my grandchildren and my dogs …. and thinking about the next time I get to go to the barn!
My kids, grandkids and sisters are all very thankful for SAFE on my behalf!
