SAFE Holiday Cards are now available!
Front of cardThis festive holiday card set featuresSAFE horse Bowiein the snow. Bowie was rescuedin 2018 and lived at SAFEfor eight months before beingadopted into his forever home in 2019.Each card set is $28, packed in a clear box (great for gifting) and includes…
Alumni Update: Pyrrah and Farley
Check out the photos sent to us by Pyrrah and Farley (now Zelda) adopters. Those are some fancy braids!
Lovable Freya
Freya is a sweet and lovable Morgan type mare, and for a gal in her 30’s, she is very healthy! When our vet got a first look at her teeth they were impressed! That means she still gets most of her nutrients from the hay we feed her and doesn’t need to live off of…
Coco is Weaned
Coco blew out the candles on her 6 month cake at the end of last month, ushering in a new era of her young adulthood. Coco: the baby, is still visible — those high-pitched whinnies and acrobatic feats that come especially easy to young things remain front and center…
Montana Progress Report
We have started the gentling process with Montana. He is friendly but gets very worried about hands coming near the top of his neck where we need to tie off the halter. He has obviously had interactions with people in his past that did not go well. He is very stuck in…
Sweet Arigato
What great changes we have seen in this young mare over the last weeks. She is easily haltered now and able to safely walk out of her paddock and into the arena to work. Changing eyes remains a challenge for her so it is very important we keep working to help her free…
Veronica’s Training Continues
Our major goal for Veronica is to help her to be responsive instead of reactive. Over the next weeks we will work to get her feeling 100% confident with the saddle before anyone needs to ride her. She is working on relaxing into a one rein stop from the ground and…
New Adventures for Barb
An update on Barb’s training progress from Kaya: Barb has been gaining new experiences on the ground and in the saddle. We took a hand walk out on the trails and have been ground working on different parts of the property. While Barb initially has many opinions and…
Finding Peace Under Saddle for Nyx
As expected, we’ve discovered some trouble in Nyx as we’ve started transitioning him back into a riding horse. It appears he may have had some “liberty” type training in his past that has left him with some resentment toward humans. This is evident in working with him…
Edward, Esme, and Jacob Updates
We are moving at a fairly good pace with Edward despite his continued breathing issues. He is still very wary about people approaching him to be caught but each time he is quickly haltered and doesn’t have the opportunity to get away, he finds the event less and less…
Good Girl Darla
Darla is a pleasure to get to know and very rewarding to work with so far. She has a huge heart and a ton of try. She was very shy and afraid coming into SAFE. Now after just a few weeks, she is more comfortable with haltering and has been walking nicely into the…
Riding Rae
Rae is coming up on her 3‑year-old birthday next week, November 1. How fast does time fly! She is just transitioning from being ridden by Joel to Terry as we come into the winter months. Over the past year, she has been worked each month in which Joel visited and…
George on the DL
George is a young and rambunctious gelding. From time to time, he thinks he should show off his smooth moves. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, his less-than-stellar aerobatic performance ended with him slipping and totally biffing it into the dirt. He got up shook it…
Kayla is Adopted!
Kayla wasn’t at SAFE long before she had interested adopters coming to meet her. After only a few months in our training program, we were looking for a skilled rider who could support her and continue a lifelong journey. Kayla came to SAFE as a trade with Hooved…
Watching Miss Daisy
Daisy’s continued elevated heart rate has us all pretty concerned. All her other vitals remain normal and she is acting happy and content. We’ve been monitoring how much water she drinks since this is something her previous owner said was always high. We will continue…
Doolin is Adopted!
We are so happy to announce Doolin, now named Finn, has been adopted by Shannon! After arriving to his new home Shannon texted “I think we are in love!!” That is what we love to hear! Once turned out in his new home, he strutted and zoomed around his coral all…
Alumni Update: Sampson
Check out these photos of Sampson! He’s looking good!
Scooter’s Story
Scooter came to SAFE early in 2012 as part of a group of Arabian horses seized by Animal Control after terrible neglect. Scooter was one of two stallions in the group (the other being Oscar) and the information SAFE was given about these two in particular was…
Coco is Six Months Old!
Can you believe Coco is already 6 months old? It seems like it was just yesterday when we found out our little 25 year old mare, Sundae, wasn’t just a little round, she was pregnant! That little squirt, Coco has been an independent lady from day one, kicking up her…
Alumni Update: Tabitha (Willa)
We recently received an update from Tabitha’s (now known as Willa) adopter, who tells us that Willa is doing great! She recently lost her old companion, and in the interim while her adopter looks for a new friend for her, has been handling being an only horse very…
Minnie: Smart AND cute
Minnie is growing up to be a fantastic, smart little pony! Stunning, too! Minnie and SAFE volunteer, Lexee, participated in the Groundwork session of the most recent Joel Conner clinic and Minnie was a rock star! She was soft and easy going in a large class of other…
Sienna, the Conundrum
Sienna is one of the safest horses we have for groundwork, but right now, she’s one of the most dangerous to ride. In groundwork, she is soft and willing, and pretty enjoyable to work with. But when being ridden—especially if she gets tight or scared—she can start…
Alumni Update: Banner
We recently received an update from Banner’s adopter, who tells us that Banner has been doing great! Back in fall of 2020, Banner was diagnosed with a mild case of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), but his adopter tells us that there…
Alumni Update: Roscoe
We recently received an update from Roscoe’s adopter, who tells us that Roscoe is doing wonderfully! She says that he improves with every ride, and that she couldn’t ask for a better horse. The pair recently took a trip to Bolender Horse Park, where they conquered…
Coco’s First Hoof Trim (Photos)
Coco’s First Hoof Trim
Coco had her first farrier visit today, and as you’ll see from the photos below, she was a perfect angel. Her mom, Sundae, was very proud of her!
Tilly’s Passing
We received this beautiful, heartbreaking letter from Tilly’s adopter, who said goodbye to her heart horse after 11 years together. We are so grateful for everything Anna and her family did for this beautiful mare, and we wish them comfort at this very sad time. Dear…
A Sad Goodbye
We are so sad to tell you that we lost Merry to colic yesterday. Late Wednesday morning, Lily noticed that things were not right with Merry. She didn’t finish her breakfast, and was acting oddly, standing with her head down, pawing at the ground. Her vitals and gut…
Mr Mac
Mac’s leg wound is slowly healing, but still requires bandaging and medication. Groundwork is helping him not being so upset with little things. He’s a worrier, and tends to get a little nervous about things like being fly sprayed or gently hosed off. He is good for…
Montana Will Need Time
Montana has a long path ahead of him before he will be available for adoption. We don’t know if he has been haltered before, but given his current reluctance at being approached, we suspect he either hasn’t been haltered or had a less than optimal introduction to…
Freya is Ready for Adoption!
Freya is a healthy mare with good teeth for her age. She has had a dental float, and behaved well for the farrier during her hoof trim. In August, she had her vaccinations and booster shots, and is now ready for adoption as a companion horse. Freya has been moved away…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Jill
Kaya has been putting in a lot of work with Jill, and as a result, she is going beautifully under saddle! Here’s what Kaya had to say: Jill is a joy to ride! She did so well in the clinic with all the other horses in the big arena and stayed calm and with me even…
Getting to Know Darla
Darla is shy, so it takes a few minutes for her to get used to being approached. She can be led, but has a pull back (resistance) issue when on the lead. We’re doing basic groundwork training with her to help her feel free to move her feet. Darla was first introduced…
Jacob Moves Forward!
Jacob is such a sweet horse! He seems very comfortable with people and is very easy to halter and groom. Jacob even got his front feet trimmed by Joel and is starting to allow his back feet to be picked up. Jacob is also starting to understand a flag and sort out the…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Pepper
During the September Joel Conner clinic, Pepper got a lot of work on her education! Lily L took Pepper in the groundwork class and had this to say about the experience: I had the honor of working alongside Pepper at the most recent Joel clinic, which was a tremendous…
Alumni Update: Hickory (Listo)
We recently received an update from Hickory’s (now known as Listo) adopter, who tells us that Listo is in good shape. He enjoyed some grass turnout this summer, but is now back on a dry lot for the fall and winter months. Sadly, Listo recently lost his two buddies,…
Echo is Learning!
Since her arrival at SAFE, Echo’s weight has dropped from 1,100 pounds to a much more height-appropriate 875 pounds. We soak her hay for 30 minutes to decrease sugars and are using hay that is suitable for easy keepers. The hay provides roughage and forage but is not…
Domino Makes Progress
Domino is a very healthy senior horse! He has good teeth and does well on grass and hay with the normal vitamin supplement used for SAFE horses. For paddock buddies, he does best paired with a submissive gelding. He forms a strong connection with mares, to the point…
Daisy on the Upswing
Daisy, our one-eyed beauty, has gained weight since her arrival at SAFE. Her initial weight of 780 pounds has increased to 807 pounds. She’s looking quite a bit better these days, which is very nice to see. Daisy gets nervous about being moved outside her paddock, but…
Cameron’s Rehab Progress
Cameron has settled into SAFE well. We were initially concerned about Cameron’s colon function, and after several weeks of close monitoring now have a feel for his typical manure production. He gets an all-mash diet of Haystack and senior grain which he eats with…
Aubrey Update
Aubrey returned to SAFE without having had dental work in about 3 years. She has been seen by our vet and had much needed dental work to reduce the sharp points on her teeth. Aubrey’s ideal adoptive situation would be a home where there is a steady herd of retired…
Arigato’s Recovery Continues
Arigato came to SAFE with very overgrown hooves and some apparent lameness in her right hind. We have been working with her to gentle her enough to safely sedate her for X‑rays. She has a bulge about one inch below the coronet band. There is a possibility that this is…
Now What’s New with Lacey?
Our sweet little problem child Lacey has been making some great progress as of late. In an effort to obtain some positive behavior changes, we’ve started her back on Regumate for hormone balance so that she doesn’t go into season. On Regumate, Lacey seems more content…
Aunt Teddi
There should come a time in every young horse’s life when the proverbial cord is cut, and access to their mother’s milk is stopped. It’s not as harsh as it sounds: after around 4 months, a foal needs more than just milk to meet its nutritional needs, and as long as…
Barb is Ready for Adoption!
As Barb has matured, she’s started to look somewhat different from the other Fall City horses. She has longer legs and a more refined look, but remains a bit roly-poly. Kaya has been working with Barb to help her stay focused in larger spaces so that she can be ridden…
Alumni Update: Annie
We recently received an update from Annie’s adopter! Annie has entered into the world of Competitive Mounted Orienteering (CMO), which is best described as a mounted treasure hunt. Riders utilize compasses and maps while riding out on a specific course, hunting for…
Alumni Update: Cosmo
We recently received an update from Cosmo’s adopter. Cosmo, now known as Theo, is living his best retired life alongside his gelding friend. We also asked his adopter a handful of questions about this handsome boy, and here’s what she had to say: What is your horse’s…
Alumni Update: Jewel
We recently received an update from Jewel’s adopter, who tells us that Jewel is quite the character and that she is very well loved! We had the pleasure of seeing Jewel at our September Joel Conner horsemanship clinic, which is always a treat. We also asked Jewel’s…
Nyx’s Origins
Nyx’s freeze brand, a hallmark of all BLM horses, is not just pure ornamentation. It actually acts as a unique identifier, and grants a bit of a window into his background. It tells us that he was born in 2006, and that he came from a herd in Oregon. Further…
Meet Montana and Darla
Say hello to our two newest arrivals, Darla and Montana! Darla is about 10 years old, and Montana is a 5 year old gelding. Both were surrendered to SAFE by their owner, an elderly man who suffered a stroke and could no longer care for them. His family was able to…
