October Joel Conner Clinic Report: Artie
The October Clinic with Joel was Artie’s 3rd Riding Clinic for us and Artie has settled into the routine. He has not only learned the ropes of the clinic but has also relaxed greatly while waiting for others during the 3 hour session. From saddling to warm up to…
Welcoming Cooper
About two weeks back, a couple in the Maple Valley area awoke in the middle of the night to find that there was a loose horse in their yard, sidled up to the pen beside their own horses. In the morning, they took to local Facebook pages, “is this your horse?” Though…
Bijou Goes to Foster
Over the hills and across the pass, to R&B Ranch Bijou goes! Longtime SAFE volunteer Blair recently purchased a beautiful property in sunny Ellensburg, and wanted to take in one of our companion horses to winter alongside her herd. She had previously seen Bijou…
Week in Review: October 20 — 27
Another week: done. This was a busy one, but aren’t they all? We had Joel Conner here for our last clinic of 2024, picked up a new horse (more on him later), and had all the things going on that normally go on here at SAFE.
Seven Year Sienna
To know her is to love her. The ‘her’ in question is Sienna of course, but if you had to make an educated (or even uneducated) guess, it’s likely you would have reached that conclusion on your own, for Sienna is tremendously easy to love. Something about Sienna…
A is for Artie
A is for Artie, and also for Asking ourselves how this Awesome guy hasn’t been snatched up yet? This 11 year old Yakima Reservation Horse stands at an Admirable 13.3, but don’t let his status as a short king have you writing him off — he is a stout and hearty dude!…
Week in Review: October 14 — 18
Last week at SAFE! Some highlights are featured in the video below: Las
Alumni Update: Bridget
A SAFE alumni volunteer provided this update on Bridget after a recent visit. Bridgit is so sweet. She followed us everywhere and wants to be patted and be the center of attention. Her pasture buddy is Oreo, a mini horse. Oreo prefers not to be patted but be seen from…
Tiva Marie
Tiva’s middle name is Louise. Or Marie, depending on the day and who you ask. Both roll off the tongue, and neither are serious, their function purely decorative. Typically a middle name is invoked when the subject is misbehaving (i.e., ‘Tiva Marie, don’t you look so…
Alumni Update: Jollie (Libby)
Libby, formerly Jollie, has a very good life. She has a mare friend and both are happy and healthy. Their pasture is lovely, Mike has made a pasture paradise for them allowing for them to get exercise and have managed grazing of green grass. He hand walks Libby in…
Sweet Zuri
From where she lounges in her shelter, Zuri hears the rattle of the gate chain as it un-clips to let you in. She greets you with a nicker, perhaps wondering if you’ve brought her a mash, or a flake of hay, or a hand capable of a scratch on the neck. Zuri is like one…
Alumni Update: Tess (Purty Girl)
Kelly has decided to retire Purty (formerly Tess) from riding after she started limping after riding her again recently. Purty is content being on her own and isn’t bothered when the other two horses are taken out to a show.
Week in Review: October 7 — 11
What happened last week? A lot, as per usual. Theo got on his first pair of shoes, and a whole bunch of other horses had their hooves trimmed as well. We had the last of our pop-up tack sales, and the minis went to not one but two events! Many horses got their usual…
Riding Wren
Wren is nice on the ground and nice under saddle, a great mare all around. Here is a recent clip of her going under saddle — check it out!
Moshi Riding Video
Moshi is coming along well under saddle, and is ready for her forever home. She is a forward ride, and still needs a good amount of support, so needs a rider with some experience with green horses. She sure is a cute pony!
Alumni Update: Echo
Brittany and Echo are doing great! Brittany owns a boarding/training facility where Echo resides. Echo is not only the pleasure riding horse for her daughter, Addison, she is now being used as a lesson horse for the business. Echo has come a long way in her training…
Alumni Update: Daisy, Cookie & Harper
Daisy, Cookie and Harper recently received a visit from one of SAFE’s alumni volunteers. It was reported they were all relaxed and very interested in scratches and snuggles. Daisy is very bonded to Cookie and Harper, so they generally stay in the same area where they…
Week in Review: October 1 — 4
Another week is in the books. Last week we shepherded in October with a jam-packed schedule. Some of the highlights from last week’s 40-odd hours: New horses Oreo, Ranger, and Mabel had their second visit with the vet, this time for dentals and some more thorough…
Nova’s Hoof Trim
One of the first warning signs that something was different about Nova back before her spay was her sudden inability to have her hooves trimmed. She had been seeing the farrier every 6 weeks for years, but one day she could not handle the touch of a familiar hand on…
Alumni Update: Opal (Bella)
At 18 years old, Bella (formerly Opal) is beginning to show her age with a few health issues, but overall, she is healthy and well cared for by Lys. The two like to go on trail rides and Bella enjoys hanging out with her paddock mate, a Friesian mare.
Week in Review: September 23 — 27
A lot goes on at SAFE each week, and not all of it is reported on in depth. But in an effort to give you a glimpse into what a typical week looks like, we are compiling just a few of the moments into a weekly summary video. Check out last week’s below: …
Welcoming Oreo, Ranger, and Mabel!
SAFE welcomed three new faces this week, and what cute faces they are! Hailing from Pierce County, these escape artists came under Animal Control’s notice because they kept breaking out and getting loose. After multiple instances of this with no preventative measures…
Mahina Making Progress
As the days grow shorter, so does the list of Mahina’s ‘firsts’ here at SAFE. First time walking through the barn aisle, check. First time having her teeth floated, check. First (and second!) trims by the farrier, check and check. She has really shown herself to be a…
Barbie Dream Horse
Barbie’s Dream Horse was named Prancer, and technically she was cremello. But it’s hard not to look at these beautiful pictures of Winter and not conjure up images of the toy you’d bring to show and tell. If one thing is true about Winter, it’s that she is calorically…
Alumni Update: Mesquite
Mesquite shares a fence line, as well as turnout, with an Arab/QH cross. Mesquite gets four carefully measured feedings around the clock to maintain good gut health. He’s experienced a number of colic issues and this procedure is keeping colic at bay. Both Cory and…
Adopt Edward!
Edward is more than ready to meet people who are ready to meet him. Could that be you?
WASART Presentation
As part of on-going educational opportunities for our SAFE volunteers and community, we have been offering presentations by various individuals and organizations throughout the year. Recently, we were pleased to have the Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART)…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Bijou
Carrie S worked alongside Bijou in the August Joel Conner Clinic, and said the following about the nine hours they spent together over the course of the weekend: “I had the privilege of working with Bijou for the first half of the August Joel Conner clinic. It was my…
Ain’t No Bugs on Me
Yesterday may have been Friday the 13th, but the creepy crawlies are still out. That’s right, it’s botfly season. These pests have it really figured out — they lay their eggs on the legs and sides of horses, places where they are likely to be ingested by the pass of…
Zuri’s Before and After
Transformations are par for the course here at SAFE, but as they often happen so incrementally, it can be challenging to remember the ‘before.’ When Zuri was first seized by Animal Control back in March of this year, she was about as low on the body condition score…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Sienna
Carrie S worked alongside Sienna in the August Joel Conner Clinic, and had the following reflections about her experience with this beautiful mare: “I had the privilege of working with Sienna in the August Joel Conner clinic. This kind and sensitive mare has made…
Frosting Soft Feel Work
Frosting has come a long, long way from her days as a scraggly little filly, and has blossomed into quite a nice riding horse here at SAFE. Check out a video from one of her more recent rides, where she has begun work in the soft feel.
Alumni Update: Violet
Violet’s adopter, Lexee shared this update with us: On a beautiful August Sunday I took Violet on her first longer trail ride and man was she awesome! Lots of hills, walkers, dogs and bikes and she took them all in great stride. She even let some young kids pet her -…
Trixie at Foster
It isn’t very often that we send horses out to foster, but every so often a circumstance will arise where it makes sense. When Rae’s adopter reached out about needing a companion for Rae, we were happy to find a match. At sleepaway camp (aka foster), alumna Rae is…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Barb
“Working On The Volume Dial” by Candi K “The August Joel Conner Clinic brought another opportunity for Barb and I to work on our connection and skills in the world of horsemanship. We enjoyed being in the outdoor arena where there were a lot of horses and plenty of…
Mahina’s Hoof Progress
Mahina means moon in Hawaiian and much like a moon, this bright mare continues to wax. Unlike a moon, there is no sign of her waning. Mahina’s curriculum grows by the day as she learns more about what it means to be a good equine citizen. Now that she is able to be…
Lacey & Lise
Lise A has been grooming Lacey for the past little while, and has the following to say about this special mare: “One of the baby name meanings of “Lacey” is cheerful. And a descriptor used in a dictionary definition of “Lacey” is a web. I was offered the opportunity…
Alumni Update: Tilt (Korra)
Julie recently shared this update: Because of my busy schedule, Korra (Tilt) and I haven’t had much time to work together so things have been moving slow. Today, however, was our first ride outside of the round pen! Korra was curious but calm. She’s going to make an…
Winter and Wren, Sitting in a Tree
Winter, who was without horse friends for a number of years, was recently introduced to some herdmates here at SAFE. As you can see, Wren took to her immediately, and the two quickly became thick as thieves. In the herd hierarchy, Winter has shown herself to be a…
Jupiter Out on the Trails
Jupiter, brave Jupiter, recently hit the trails to showcase how all his hard work in the arena has paid off. This guy didn’t miss a stride on his recent trail walk, taking up the lead with the calm cool collected attitude of a seasoned pro. True, it wasn’t exactly his…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Deja Vu
Having the chance to work with Deja Vu — a horse who has not had much in the way of experience with this style of horsemanship — during the recent Joel Conner clinic was a challenging and tremendous learning experience for the both of us. At first, working Deja…
Inula’s New Friend
It’s a common expression that horse’s are a girl’s best friend, but some horses are certainly more inherently suited to the role than others. Inula is one such horse, whose natural sweetness propels her into instant BFF status. This cutie has been hanging out at…
Alumni Update: Pearl
Pearl is a happy and healthy gal. She and her adopters, Diana and Adam, go for walks, do obstacles, groom and just like to hang out together. Pearl loves all the horses in her heard at the stables she lives at.
Haltering Progress with Mahina
On her long legs, with a long neck upon which perches a delicate inquisitive head, Mahina in some lights resembles an exotic bird more than an equine. And much like a bird, Mahina arrived at SAFE quite flighty, and with a reluctance to being caught. She was curious…
Theo’s Jolly Good Time
Theo is by far the most playful guy on the property right now, the perfect storm of a growing, goofy gelding. When he’s not napping (which is frequently) he is trying to engage one of his herdmates in a bit of roughhousing or a game of chase. Otherwise, he is finding…
Alumni Update: Flynn
Adopter Kirsten shared an update on Flynn: A few pictures of Flynn. We recently had a “Painting with the Ponies” event at the barn and he was a popular pony. I think Flynn was very impressed. .
Upcoming WASART Presentation
Saturday, September 7th from 12–3 at SAFE Harbor Stables As part of our educational opportunities for volunteers, we are excited to host The Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART) at SAFE next month for an afternoon of learning how they help animals in need.…
Alumni Update: Freya
Freya is enjoying her retirement and living out her days as a companion to herd mate Mocha. Manuela loves Freya very much.
Brandy’s Manure Mystery
Trying to troubleshoot a horse’s gut, when it’s in disarray, can feel sometimes like assembling a puzzle acquired from Goodwill. With missing pieces and dog-eared corners, trying to figure out how to put it all together can be daunting. Recently, seemingly out…
Alumni Update: Doolin (Finn)
Finn, formerly known as Doolin, lives with three full size horses, one being Inula, a SAFE foster. They are all healthy and happy and get along well together. Shannon enjoys working Finn in the round pen regularly and sometimes ponies him along when she rides the…
