Training Update: Kai

Kai is going very nicely for trainer Joel Conner in Vancouver WA. He’s made some great improvements, both in the ground work and riding over the course of his tune up training. There was a little setback a few weeks back when Kai cut his chin while playing over the…

What a Jewel!

It may or may not be a secret but I LOVE this little mare SO much! She has grown into the cutest little quarter horse mare. She looks like a little miniature version of Finn and we all love his nice hindquarters! We recently brought both Jewel and Stella in from…

Training Update: Misty

Misty is really turning into a lovely horse. Her attitude while working is very steady and constant. She is ridden by a few different riders throughout the week and is well behaved for their different styles and abilities. We’ve been trying her barefoot for the last…

Training Update: Lola

It’s been a but of a rough year so far for Lola. Her feet become very uncomfortable while she was barefoot and unfortunately we did not correct the issue fast enough. She became sore on her right front and had to take some time off riding. We’re working on a new…

Cameo: Sister Moonbeam just wants to dance

I had the chance to chat with trainer Laura McCorkle who’s done a lot of work with Cameo over the past months and has seen the slow but steady transformation that this lovely mare has gone through. Laura laughs when she talks about Cameo’s “ice princess” demeanor,…

Video: Anderson Post-Gelding Training & Exercise

We’ve been monitoring Anderson’s progress since his gelding surgery last week. Dr. Hannah Mueller is supervising his post-operative forced exercise, which will help reduce swelling and encourage drainage and healing of the surgery site. During this exercise, she has…

Emmy Released to Rehab

Emmy was released from Rainland Equine into the care of her Aunt Kyle, who will be overseeing her rehab at Feature Farm for the next several weeks. To give you a clear picture of what that will involve, here is the discharge information from Rainland outlining the…

So far is SO good for Ben!

Some horses just have that sparkle in their eye from the moment they arrive at SAFE. Within the abused or neglected body is a personality that’s just waiting for the energy and life to come back. Since the day he arrived at Safe Harbor, Ben has been one of those great…

A Real Einstein

As we’ve gotten to know Einstein better, we’ve come to understand that he’s a pretty amazing horse. When he first arrived at Safe Harbor, after three weeks in Animal Control custody, he was pretty unsure about just about everything, so he spent his first few days…

New shoes for Phoenix

A pair of new glue-on shoes have really helped Phoenix’s tender toes! And look how well-behaved he was for his hoof preparation! He knew that farrier Jake Cowden was not going to hurt him. He’s such a sweet and trusting horse. So far he seems to be a lot more…

Sweet Relief for Annabelle

Before her rescue, Annabelle had not had proper hoof care for some time. Her hooves were terribly overgrown and split, making movement quite uncomfortable for her. Dr Hannah gave her a preliminary trim while she was at NWESC, but today she got a full and proper trim…

Einstein’s Glue On Shoes

Einstein is being restarted as a riding horse at Safe Harbor. So far he’s been very good but we’re taking things slowly because he still needs to gain a bit more weight and muscle. We also had to take some steps to help him be more comfortable on his feet, starting…

Ruby: Home at last!

There are moments that make our hearts overflow…and announcing the adoption of a SAFE horse is definitely one of those moments! We are delighted to tell you that our sweet Ruby found her forever home! Just one year from the anniversary of her rescue and intake, Ruby…

Two New Intakes at SAFE

Taking possession of new horses is one of the most challenging parts of our job. Usually, even when a horse has been neglected, it’s had some degree of handing. And loading an unfamiliar horse into a trailer can be a challenge, but with patient efforts, we usually get…

Training Update: Cameo

Cameo has officially grown up!! She went on her first real trail ride and did very well! She had a few jumps here and there but overall it was manageable and she came home a bit more mature then when she left. Couldn’t be more pleased with how grown up she is acting…

Hollywood Hills Schooling Show — May 2, 2015

Nala, Misty, and Karma competed at the Hollywood Hills English/Western Schooling show this weekend, and all three girls were amazing! Nala won the English Walk/Trot Reserve High Point for our age division at her very first show!! She earned that award with a first…

Farrier/Foster Update: Finn

Finn has really been giving us fits trying to figure out how to keep his hooves comfortable! Our amazing farrier Jake Cowden recently decided to take Finn on as a foster horse, moving him to his home to be able to closely monitor him and make more frequent and subtle…

Einstein and Ivy at play!

Sometimes goofy horses just need time to be goofy. But look at how deftly Ivy moves Einstein around the arena.…almost as if he were…a cow? Does Ivy have a secret past as a cutting horse?

It gets better

How’s this for an amazing transformation? On the left, Rocky at intake, Sept 2014. On the right, Rocky today. He’s come so far and overcome so much, but Rocky is still very, very unsure about people, especially strangers. We’re looking at bringing him back to Safe…

Emmy’s Surgery is Successful

Update: Bone fragments successfully removed. Remainder of joint looks good. Surgery uneventful, tolerated anesthesia well. She was “smart” standing up after. She will be assessed for status and comfort tomorrow AM to determine if she can be discharged.

Nala at work and play

Thank you to Jessica Farren for these lovely images of Nala at liberty in the arena and working with Terry on the ground. 

Hello Dottie!

Thanks to the efforts of Team Dottie, we are kept well up to date on the progress of our girl. Here are some recent photos of Dottie in her foster home: 

Emmy says thank you!

Thanks to an amazing group of people who pitched in their monetary support, Emmy is going to get the surgery she needs to remove the bone chip from her stifle. The surgery is scheduled for April 21st and she’ll be transported to Rainland Equine the night before to get…

Phoenix under saddle

Phoenix had the opportunity recently to don the western tack and enjoy a ride with new volunteer rider, Jolene. Doesn’t he look handsome? 

A field trip for Misty, Lola, Cameo, and Nala

Misty, Lola, Cameo, and Nala had a little field trip today, leaving Safe Harbor with their riders and walking down to the nearby Hollywood Hills Saddle Club. There’s a schooling show coming up at HHSC on May 9th that we’re planning to bring horses to, so Terry wisely…

Aiden at Donida

Look who I ran into yesterday at the Donida schooling show! It’s Aiden! He competed in the hunter classes and did a terrific job. 

Marta and Shay greet springtime

Spring has sprung, apparently, and what better way to celebrate than letting the ponies into the pasture! Yesterday Marta and Shay enjoyed a very serious bit of rolling and then took off and galloped a few laps around the pasture. Their foster mom Eileen took this…

Einstein Intake Photos

Einstein is a 15 year old Quarter Horse gelding seized by Animal Control for lack of care. He’s already gained about 50 pounds since he was taken from his home, and he’s starting to shed his scruffy starvation coat. His hooves are going to need a lot more care as they…

Kai Training Update

Kai is doing “amazing well” during his tuneup training with Joel Conner. We couldn’t be happier with his progress and how soft, relaxed, and balanced Joel has him going. Take a look at these fun photos of Kai getting accustomed to a rope being thrown from the saddle…

Lucky in Love

Obviously, adoptions are special to us…nothing makes us happier than being able to announce that one of the SAFE horses has found a home. But every so often, an adoption will fall into place that just reaches into our hearts and gives a little squeeze. An adoption…

New Board Members: Welcome Lara Lutz and Meghan Hoey!

We would like to introduce two new additions to the SAFE Board of Directors: one, a familiar face, and the other, a new friend! Lara Lutz has been involved with SAFE since the day she opened her home and heart to a rescued mare named Amber, way back in 2010. Since…

March training update: Karma

I cannot lie, this horse is my favorite to ride and work with at Safe Harbor. She is very smart, sensitive and loyal. We continue to progress every week with more consistent riding, light aids and very soft contact in her mouth. We have restarted Karma using the style…

March training update: Misty!

Misty is going very well for her volunteer riders. She is working on good ground manners and we have had little to no problems managing her behavior at Safe Harbor. She did have an allergic reaction a few weeks ago to what we could only guess was a bee sting. It…

Ben training update

Ben has been getting some good work with our volunteer riders. He is a very interesting fellow who has a playful side that has to be carefully managed. He is not for an inexperienced horse person. Even walking him to and from turnout requires the handler to be mindful…

Video: Ben Jumping (baby fences!)

Ben really seems to enjoy free jumping! Terry set up this little jump chute in the arena, and Ben was more than willing to show us how easily he can soar over a 6″ cavaletti! Go Ben go!

Letters from friends: Skye and Strider

We were delighted to receive some very special mail last week that included letters and photos from two adopted SAFE horses, Strider and Skye! They both sound very happy in their new home! First a letter from the big horse himself: Hi SAFE Friends, It’s Strider! I’m…

March training update: Cameo

Cameo has improved so much over the past several months. She’s become very steady under saddle and seems so much more mature. She is lovely to handle and work with now that she has lost that flighty edge. She has really settled into the ground work and being ridden on…

A Message from the President: “Am I crazy?”

“Am I crazy?”   This was the title of the document SAFE’s president, Debi Shatos, shared with the Board of Directors last September. Our resounding answer was “NO!” The potential craziness in question outlined a plan to lease the house adjacent to Safe Harbor Stables…

Chip’s First Day in Foster Care

Chip was moved from Safe Harbor to a foster home in the Maple Valley area, where he now shares a huge field with an older horse named Jesse. Here’s a video of his arrival and meeting Jesse for the first time:

Who saw this coming?

Owen has been adopted, and it will probably come as no surprise to anyone that his adopter is SAFE Executive Director Bonnie Hammond. It was never our intention that Owen would end up spending his first spring and summer as a SAFE Horse on Bonnie’s farm in Silverdale,…

Kai in training

Kai left on Tuesday to spend a month in training with Joel Conner, who was recommended to us by Buck Brannaman. Kai made the 3 hour journey to Vancouver WA without a problem (thank you Chris T for hauling him!) and settled in nicely at Joel’s farm. The next day we…

Welcoming Ivy to Safe Harbor!

Ivy has just arrived at Safe Harbor after 60 days in the care of the vets at NWESC. She’s part of an active Animal Control case, and although she’s currently in decent weight and condition, another horse seized from the same owner had to be humanely euthanized due to…

A happy home for Skittles

We talk a lot about dreams coming true for our horses when we finally get to send them off to their new home, but we’re happiest when an adoption can make a dream come true for the human side of the new partnership as well. Susanne M has supported SAFE for quite some…

Aiden Update!!

Here’s a note we received from Aiden’s adoptive family: “Aiden has been here at our house for a couple of months now with his new buddy. He is continuing his training and we are getting ready for the upcoming show season. He has been doing lots of trail riding,…