Esme in May
“Little Ese-may-may has really matured over the last few months. She’s developed a more settled and relaxed disposition and has been very well-behaved. We had some soundness concerns with her right front, but with good shoes and some rest, she’s now looking…
Getting to Know Frida
We’re taking it slow with our mama-to-be! Our goal is to build trust and support her in bringing her foal safely into the world. We’ve already made incredible progress from those first interactions with this sensitive, protective mare. When we first met Frida and…
A Very Special Trinket
What a delightful young mare Trinket has become over the past few months under SAFE’s care. Our little ugly duckling is beginning a beautiful transformation and will one day mature into a lovely palomino mare. It’s been refreshing to see how quickly she’s changed—and…
Jacob, King of Foster
At SAFE, Jacob had been training hard for the companion lifestyle, and we thought it was time for him to field test his skills at foster. As we suspected, he took right to it. It’s not always easy to find the best spots to nap or graze, but Jacob excels in this realm.…
Uncle Artie
Artie Shaw is worth his weight in gold. Actually, given that he’s not very large, let’s double that — triple, even, and that still might not be enough. While he has come quite a long ways under saddle and is going well as a solid little riding horse, you could argue…
Alumni Update: Whisky and Shortbread
On a recent visit to see Whisky and Shortbread volunteers noted that they look like cute little puffballs with their winter coats. Shedding has begun and Sherry brushes out loads of hair every day. They share the property with several domestic rabbits that were left…
Ready to get to Work, Mateo
In true SAFE fashion, Mateo’s gelding turned into quite the adventure! This well-endowed boy had close to the largest testicles Dr. Lewis has ever removed for us. Because of their impressive size, Mateo experienced some swelling of the fascial scrotal tissue —…
A Maturing Theo
Shoes have literally made all the difference! As a young gelding, Theo was all kinds of awkward in 2024. When he came to SAFE, he was extremely high in his hindquarters and very turned out in his front legs. As he matured, his withers finally caught up to his hind,…
Spring Open House and Tack Sale
Come out to the barn this Saturday, April 26th, from 12 — 3 for our first Open House and Tack Sale of 2025! Meet the horses, enjoy complimentary refreshments, find that new saddle blanket you’ve always wanted — all while supporting the work we do here at SAFE. Hope to…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Cleopatra
Kirsten AL worked with Cleo in the March Joel Conner Clinic, and has the following to say about her experience: “Cleopatra continues to be one of the sweetest mares to work with! It is when she is at peace and focused on you when you know you have gotten somewhere.…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Harissa
Lexee N on working with Harissa: “Well this mare continues to impress me and many others. The first Joel Conner clinic we have made it to a huge stepping stone of saddling Harissa for the first time in her life. Not often do we know a horse’s history of their past…
Reflections on Veronica
Terry’s recent reflections on Veronica: “Veronica’s playful nature has really started to emerge over the past year as she’s gained confidence in her environment, her handlers, and herself. She’s got a funny side—opinionated, but still respectful. Over the last few…
Happy National Volunteer Week!
It’s National Volunteer Week! We’re kicking things off with a special video celebrating the incredible work our amazing community of volunteers accomplish each day. From mucking stalls to mending hearts, your dedication makes a world of difference for our horses. From…
Alumni Update: Bramble (Ranger)
We recently checked in with Bramble (now Ranger) and his adopter Jocelyn. Jocelyn and Ranger did some cutting clinics last summer. He really loved it and really took to it. Jocelyn said it was amazing seeing him cut out the cow from the herd as if he was born to do…
Alumni Update: Ben
Ben is looking good and enjoying life with Lisa. He loves to roll in the sand and romp with his buddy Ebony.
Why We Love Her: Poppy
Casey has been working with Poppy for quite a while, and has the following to say about little Poppy:
Riding Ranger
Lexee N has been working Ranger, preparing him for saddling and his first rides. Here’s what she has to say: “Ranger is an older guy with still a lot of life to give. When I first started to work him, he was stuck straight and walking himself lame with his imbalance.…
Alumni Update: Dottie
SAFE Alumni volunteers recently paid a visit to Dottie and her adopter Karmin. Dottie is looking great, she’s at a good weight and was friendly when we visited, asking for lots of scratches and moved so we could reach all the areas that had an itch. She doesn’t lie…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Ranger
Carrie S brought Ranger into the groundwork portion of the March Joel Conner clinic, and had this to say about the experience: “What a fun way to start the clinic season! Ranger participated in his very first Joel Conner clinic in March 2025. It was a big week for…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Brownie
“Man, Brownie is gonna be a cool horse for someone. In a short time, Brownie has been making strides from an anxious and pushy horse to a more confident and balanced horse. He’s learning how to get his feet under him and understand what people are asking of him. It…
One Week of Eda
Eda was the last of the Valentine Herd to arrive at SAFE from her foster location. Some of her first week has been documented here, and gives a bit of insight into what most horses’ initial homecomings to SAFE look like. Welcome to the herd, Eda!
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Sienna
Cameron B participated in his first Joel Conner clinic this past March alongside Sienna, and reflects on the experience here: “Working with Sienna during my first Joel Conner Clinic was an incredible experience and one I’m truly grateful for. Throughout the three-day…
New Gelding Mateo
It has been a big week for Mateo, who we are happy to introduce as SAFE’s newest gelding! This new status means that in the next few weeks once he’s healed up, we will see about getting him some buddies (oh Artie, ambassador of the New Gelding Club, looking at you..)…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Tiva
The first clinic of the year blows in like the rest of spring: a sudden burst of energy and excitement and new growth. We have been working through the winter months on what we learned back at the end of fall, chipping away at old issues while discovering new ones in…
Guess the Birthday and Name the Foal!
Our Valentine gal Frida is very pregnant and starting to show signs that her foal will be here soon. “Soon” in pregnant mare terms means later this afternoon or five weeks from now. We don’t know when she was bred, so we can’t really guess the impeding arrival date.…
Mabel’s Mishap
The day before she was set to be saddled at SAFE for the first time, we went out to get Mabel at her usual turn-in time and found that she had gashed her leg open. Thoroughly searching the paddock revealed no cause. We guess she decided that stall rest sounded better…
Blissful Mirana
We love it when things work out even better than planned! Mirana is thriving in foster with SAFE alumni Bliss, and we couldn’t be happier! When Bliss suddenly lost her gelding, Buddy, to colic, SAFE jumped into action to ensure she wouldn’t be left without a…
Alumni Update: Emma
We recently checked in with Jan and his adopted horse, Emma. Jan boards another mare on his property and her owner trail rides with Jan and Emma. Both horses also enjoy the company of two friendly goats.
Clarissa Passes
We are so sorry to tell you that last week, we made the sad decision to lay Clarissa to rest. When cleaning her stall in early February, we discovered blood coming from her vulva, a small drip that cleared up in less than 24 hours. Dr Lewis examined her and found no…
Alumni Update: Violet
We recently checked in with Lexee and Violet. Here is what Lexee had to share: Violet has been such a great addition to my herd. She and Duke (my other horse) get along so great. Best friends at first sight. She also loves to run around with him and our minis, Bubba…
King 5: Horses rescued from cockfighting bust near Yelm find new hope
REDMOND, Wash. — Neglected horses have a second chance at life following a large-scale animal cruelty bust near Yelm. The Feb. 13 raid resulted in the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of more than 500 roosters allegedly bred for cockfighting. Terry Phelps,…
Thank You, Bishop Blanchet!
Last Friday, 3/14, SAFE hosted 22 people from Bishop Blanchet High School for their second annual Day of Service. We had around 30% more participants than last year, and a lot of familiar faces returned for round two of facilities projects! These events are always…
KING‑5 TV: Horses Rescued During Cockfighting Bust Find New Hope
KING‑5 TV visited SAFE today for an update on the Valentine horses in our care: Click here to watch video
Fox 13: Horses rescued from cockfighting farm in Yelm, WA now recovering in Redmond
REDMOND, Wash. — A herd of horses is recovering in Redmond after the animals were rescued from a farm family in Yelm, accused of running a cockfighting operation on the property. The backstory: FOX 13 first reported on the cockfighting raid on February 13. At that…
Introducing SAFE’s Valentine Herd
What’s in a name? For the horses who come to SAFE, it signifies a new beginning. While their names may change as they find new homes and families, each one marks the start of their journey to safety, care, and a brighter future. For the Valentine Herd horses we…
Joel Conner at SAFE: March 21 — 23
This weekend, Joel Conner returns to SAFE for our first clinic of 2025. Here he talks a bit about the style of horsemanship we use here at SAFE, and why. Fellow equestrians, horse lovers, and curious minds—this clinic is for YOU! Joel Conner is an highly…
Sunny and Shasta go to Postdoc Brewing
Last Saturday, Sunny and Shasta hit the town to talk to the good folks over at Postdoc Brewing about SAFE. Well, they let their human handlers do the talking, but standing there looking cute is a full time job in and of itself! As always, the pair were perfect little…
Moshi in March
As Casey A, who works and rides Moshi says, “there’s a lot to love about Moshi.” “A few things that I really appreciate about her are that she’s pretty brave and confident, not a whole lot really bothers her. She hops right on the trailer, we’ve taken her off property…
Nova Goes to Foster
Nova has had enough of this rain and Western Washington Weather –— she has temporarily relocated to the East Side to foster with Blair, Bijou, and Bear. Blair’s ‘R&B Ranch’ is already known to us as a phenomenal place to spend time (just asked Bijou, who loved it…
Alumni Update: Dolly (Rose)
Rose (formerly Dolly) and her adopter Angela are doing great. They made a move to Oregan and enjoy rides in the woods on the weekends with friends. Angela has found that Rose enjoys trail riding a lot better than arena riding.
The Valentine Seizure
Two weeks ago, news broke that law enforcement agencies in Thurston County had seized hundreds of roosters bred for fighting from a property in Yelm. It was also reported that a number of other farm animals, including horses, cows, and goats, had been removed from the…
Trixie is Adopted!
Our favorite kind of failure is the foster kind. We could not be happier to announce that Trixie has been adopted from her foster home! She’s been spending the last half-year or so living her very best life alongside Alumna Rae, getting completely and utterly doted on…
Alumni Update: Ruger (Koa)
We recently checked in with Koa (formerly Ruger) and his adopter Barb. Koa is doing great! He goes for walks twice a week with Barb in Bridle Trails and spends time playing with his mini horse friends in the paddock. He also enjoys the benefits of monthly massages!…
Alumni Update: Gabby & Caramel (Carra)
Our beloved alumni Carra and Gabby are thriving under their adopter Trisha’s care. They enjoy their VIP life on her serene, peaceful farm in Monroe with their herd mates Tess and Hazel. Both have come so far with Trisha. Carra is now being trimmed by her farrier…
Clarissa and Tulip off to Foster
Two of our (TWELVE!) chestnut mares have gone off to foster with our dear friend Manuela, adopter of alumna Freya. Clarissa and Tulip headed to Manuela’s place this past weekend to live alongside Freya and Manuela’s other mare, Mocha. The two of them loaded right up,…
Rest in Peace, Winter
These are the posts that we never want to write. It is with deep sadness that we inform you that we lost Winter to a colic last week. During her time here at SAFE, Winter made good friends — both human and horse. She gained a great deal of confidence in herself,…
Cooper’s Path
Cooper came to SAFE at a time when every human in his life had failed him. As we uncovered his past, we learned how unfortunate his early interactions with people had been. Likely around two years old, he was wild-caught off the Yakima Reservation and pushed into the…
Alumni Update: Cassidy
We recently checked in with Cassidy and her adopter, Bri. They are focusing on participating in the Ride to Rendezvous this May. They have done it in the past and Cassidy did great! Bri said she is so glad SAFE exists and she’s very happy to have Cassidy!
Adopting a Companion Horse from SAFE
If you look at the current population of horses at SAFE right now, eleven of them are what we call “companions” — older horses that can’t really be ridden anymore…but still need a safe, permanent home. Any of these horses would tell you that caring for a companion…
Transformations 2025
It isn’t always easy to watch transformations as they occur. They don’t happen overnight, after all. But to juxtapose a horse when they first arrive at SAFE, and to see them now — well, it’s clear that these horses have made some massive changes, both inside and out.…
