A Visit with Finn and Banjo

Jessica paid a visit to Finn and Banjo at their foster home. Here’s what she had to say about it: As anyone at SAFE knows I jump at the chance to spend time with Finn, so I was very happy to finally get the opportunity to pay him a visit. Yes, while there I had to get…

Cow Horse Anderson?

OK OK… so maybe there aren’t any rodeos in our near future but let me tell you this boy was SO BRAVE and well behaved working with cows for the first time. The truth is… I was more scared of getting run over by one of them than Anderson! The only time he really…

Photo Update: Aubrey

Jessica Farren was able to visit Aubrey at her foster home with Jackie. She got some lovely photos to share with us. Aubrey is doing very well in her pasture with Annabelle. They are very good pals and she is relaxed and content with life. Can’t wait to see her all…

Photo Update: Annabelle

Spring is in the air and Annabelle is looking great at her foster home with Aubrey. Jessica Farren took some great shots of our girl when she visited her foster mom Jackie a few weeks ago. Annabelle did very well through the winter and continues to be a sweet mare…

Rehab Update: Harley

It has been a few weeks since Harley and Ruger were dropped off by Animal Control. Both are doing very well settling in and getting healthier every day. Harley is very sweet and calm. Herd Health Manager Melinda has taken her on as a special project. Melinda has been…

Training Update: Jessel

While in Ellensburg this past week, I visited with Jessel who is in training with Joel Conner. She has really grown up in the last few months and we are excited to see how she develops over the summer. Jessel has come a long way and Joel’s patient work with her is…

Training Update: King

I had the chance to visit and ride King at Joel Conner’s where he is getting started under saddle. King has become a very handsome boy with a very shiny black coat and a sweet personality. He is kind and gentle on the ground, easy to groom and saddle. He still needs…

Nora Rejoins the SAFE Herd

We always hope that we have placed our horses in forever homes…but from time to time, things don’t work out that way. Nora was with her loving adoptive family for almost three years when we got the call that their life situation was changing and they could no longer…

A Beautiful Friendship: Dottie & Diana

Our wonderful volunteer Diana sent us an email about Dottie. Anyone who has met Dottie will tell you that Diana has described her to a tee. We are very lucky to have a lovely friend to visit with Dottie in her foster home and these great photos by Jessica to share…

Harley and Ruger Intake Photos

Harley and Ruger were seized from their owner in mid January 2017 by Snohomish County Animal Control. Both horses were emaciated, suffering from rain rot, with overgrown hooves. They were both found standing in deep mud and manure on their owner’s property and…

Annabelle & Aubrey: The Best of Friends

You never know when you introduce horses to each other how exactly they will get along and there is always a risk it might not work as well as you had hoped. I have to say whatever told me to try Annabelle and Aubrey together was right on! These two are inseparable…

Happy Help A Horse Day!

Happy Help A Horse Day!

April 26 is officially ASPCA Help a Horse Day! SAFE officially celebrated last Sunday with a huge Open House Celebration at our new home in Redmond. Huge thanks to the over 400 people who joined us on Sunday for the End Hunger Games at SAFE. Our volunteer team walked…

Training Update: Dyna

For the past few months, we have been slowly getting Dyna into riding shape. SAFE volunteer Jane has been doing groundwork and trot poles help her gain some stamina and balance without having to carry a rider. Three weeks ago, I started riding her and slowly have…

Another Perspective on Bridgit

Here is a letter from Ian about his time getting to know Bridgit and working with her in the Joel Conner clinic. Ian is a wonderful horseman and a absolute joy to have volunteering at SAFE. I am very happy that he enjoys working with this very sweet mare! Hi Terry, I…

Something new for Rosie

At SAFE, we realize that our horses have many different gifts to share. As we learn about who they are and what they are capable of, we find that their future may not be as a “riding” horse. Dear Rosie has had a lot of miles on her in the past and from what we can…

Ben: Training Update

Here is a wonderful training update from Lisa, Ben’s volunteer rider: Ben continues to amaze! When I broke my wrist in December and was forced to take a 3‑month hiatus from his training, volunteer rider Jolene took over, continuing his groundwork, re-introducing…

Can you love one a little too much?

Being “horseless” is a choice I have made. I work many long hours for SAFE and when I come home, my family needs me. I could not justify running off in my free time to ride my personal horse or spend the many hours a week I would want to spend with one. I don’t think…

Sierra: Training Update

Horses never cease to surprise and amaze me, both in their adaptability and intelligence. For the past 10 years, Sierra lived at the same farm with the same people and the same horse friend. So bringing her back into the rescue was undoubtedly going to be a bit of a…

Lacey: Training Update

Lacey, Lacey… Lacey… Where do I begin? To love horses you really have to accept everything about them. They have good and bad days; they have personalities and little quirks just like us. I think I will write this report like my teacher did in my parent-teacher…

Emmy: Joel Conner Clinic Update

This is what Sara had to say about her work with Emmy in the riding workshop with Joel: I have been working with Emmy for a while now, and can see how she has come along (with the work of many riders) since she came back to SAFE after her surgery and rehab. She has a…

Bridgit: Riding update Joel Conner Clinic

This little mare is looking GOOD!! Our volunteer riders have been working on getting Bridgit strengthened up and she is looking sound and soft. We really have to commend their dedication to the work. Sometimes it isn’t a very glamorous process… lots of boring trot…

Redmond Reporter: Playing it SAFE Around Horses

  Playing it SAFE around horses: Equine rescue organization moves to Redmond Originally published April 13, 2017 By Samantha Pak, Redmond Reporter Click here to view story on the Redmond Reporter website When Save a Forgotten Equine (SAFE) first started in 2005,…

Stella’s Rehab

Stella has been a very good patient during her rehab work! She is calm and relaxed and has taken this all-in stride. Her volunteer rider, Casey, has been doing canter work as part of Stella’s strength building program. Unfortunately, she is showing some discomfort at…

Dyna: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

Our sweet mare Dyna came to SAFE right before the big move to our new facility. By no fault of her own we failed to post about her story and properly introduce her. We hope to rectify that now! A woman who had owned her for just a year surrendered Dyna to SAFE due to…

Raven: Health Update — Refeeding

Lisa has been working with Raven and SAFE’s Herd Health team to care for Raven. Here is a a recap from Lisa about Raven’s journey so far here at SAFE: Raven came to SAFE in January severely underweight, having come through two nasty bouts of colic while in the care of…

Ruckus is Adopted!

Congratulations to the Hiner family on their adoption of Ruckus! The Hiners were looking for a companion for their 15 year old retired racehorse, Aurie, also known as The Great Face. Aurie and Ruckus have developed a wonderful friendship, and the two are inseparable!…

Cameo: Joel Conner Clinic Update

This was Lindsay’s first clinic with Joel and Cameo. They did very well and it was a great experience for Cameo. Here is what Lindsay had to say about Cameo in the clinic: Cameo was a very good girl in the Joel clinic! She started out a little tense — lots of people…

Jessel: Training Update

Our baby girl Jessel is growing up to be a fine young riding horse! She has spent the winter in Ellensburg with Joel Conner. He has been fostering her and riding her part time. Since she is so young we don’t want to put too much pressure on her to be in full training…

Marta: Foster Update

We have been so busy moving Safe Harbor Stables that we have neglected a few very important updates. Our sweet mare Marta has a new foster home. Marta’s long term foster mom and dad, Eileen and Andy, cared for her for many years as if she was their own. They loved her…

Vida: Joel Conner Clinic Update

Here is what Sara had to say about working with Vida in the clinic: This was my first time working with Vida, and I was very impressed by this mare. She has a lot of try, and was always paying attention to my feel (even if she did not always respond to it physically).…

Prince: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

Lori had this to say about her work with Prince in the clinic: I entered Prince into the riding portion of the Joel Conner clinic on March 18th and 19th. Prince is new to some of the tasks that were asked of him. He performed the yielding the hindquarters and…

Nala: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

A lot has been happening with Nala girl! Once we moved to the new facility, we had enough room to move her back to the main barn and get her back into rehab and training work. Lindsay took her on as her riding project and did a fantastic job getting her going walk…

Gracie: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

Erika had this to say about her work with Gracie in the clinic: This clinic was the second one that I’ve participated in with Gracie. She is such a sweet mare, and I really can’t say enough good things about her. She connects with humans very quickly, and will try…

Mason: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

Lori had this to say about her work with Mason in the clinic: Mason and I attended the Joel Conner clinic on March 18th and 19th. I entered Mason in the groundwork portion of the clinic. Mason did a wonderful job of moving out of my way while doing the groundwork. We…

King: Training update and Joel Conner Clinic

When King arrived at Safe Harbor, he was frightened of every noise and every person who approached him. Our efforts to gentle him and gain his trust are really showing and now you can hardly tell he is the same jumpy horse that came to us. Now when you approach his…

Raven: Herd Health Update — Treating Rain Rot

Below is a report from Lisa on Raven’s rain rot and the care she is receiving from SAFE to heal: Raven came to SAFE in January not only severely underweight, but with one of the worst cases of rain rot we have seen. Huge patches of her back, hips, and rump were…

A Home For Every Horse videos

A Home for Every Horse (AHFEH) traveled to Woodinville, Washington in June of 2016 to visit Save A Forgotten Equine (SAFE) to create videos highlighting all of the hard work rescues are doing inside of the Equine industry. Overview: video:…

Training Update: Stevie

Stevie left for Ellensburg last week to begin training with Joel Conner. He was a good boy, jumped right into the trailer and was calm and not stressed even though he was traveling alone. He arrived and settled in well. I spoke to Joel about him and he said that he is…

Training & Health Update: Cameo

Cameo is coming along really well in her rehab work and she is now ready for the weight of a rider. Volunteer rider Lindsay was excited to help Cameo take this next step and helped her have a happy and easy ride. Here is a video of her first ride back: 

Jewel getting some body work

The cold weather has been hard on all of us. The horses and volunteers had to endure a few weeks of abnormally low temperatures for our area and we are all looking forward to warmer spring and summer months! One of the biggest problems is the very hard ground in our…

Health Update: Gracie

We are so happy to report that Miss Gracie is feeling happy and healthy! When the winter weather hit and turnout became limited, the amount of time outside or grazing for the horses was drastically shortened. While we work very hard to rotate all of the horses out…

Training update and Video: Vida

Here is an update of Vida’s progress from her volunteer rider, Jolene: Vida got her first lesson in tying yesterday. She did really good. Only pulled once and though she meant it, she came off it and was really good. While she was tied I worked on taming that wild…