Lacey in the Sunshine
Have you seen a cute red mare recently? Even if the answer is ‘yes,’ it’s never a bad time to see another. When the sun is out at SAFE, Lacey never misses an opportunity to find the most optimal spot for a sunbathe. When the light hits her just right, she looks like a…
Jupiter’s Soundness Evaluation
Jupiter’s great red spot, as it were, is a slight hitch in his step that we first noticed when restarting him under saddle. In our efforts to better represent our riding horses as we move them into the ‘adoptable’ category, we had our vets out to evaluate Jupiter’s…
Artie Shaw, Friend to Many
If SAFE had class superlatives, Artie would definitely win ‘friends with everyone.’ He is the horse that most other horses (at least if they’re geldings) first meet, and for good reason. Artie’s mellow demeanor around other horses helps introduce even the most…
Theo’s First Groundwork Session
We speak a lot about time here at SAFE — specifically as it relates to giving a horse the hours, weeks, months, years they needs to gain. Gain weight, gain confidence, gain the skills and tools they need to be successful going forward in life, be it as a companion or…
Rest in Peace, Scotty
It is never easy to announce the passing of one of our horses, and harder still when the passing is so unexpected. Scotty left this earth last week, following a sudden and painful colic. This was his third colic in five months, in addition to the ulcers we had been…
Introducing “Safe at Home” Community Assistance
For the past 19 years, SAFE has helped hundreds of horses and their owners through our Community Outreach Program. This safety net program was created to provide short-term assistance to horse owners struggling to care for their animals, with the ultimate goal of…
Alumni Update: Mason
Mason is looking great and loves his home with adopter Lori M. Mason is great at groundwork and knows what to do, so he has a job as a groundwork trainer for new volunteers at Lori’s barn.
Frosting’s Trick
What better way to jumpstart your weekend than to watch Frosting exhibit her new trick? No smoke and mirrors — just a smart little mare who learned she could get scratches in exchange for curling her lip, and with that knowledge, is ready to do so on command. You…
Inula, Teacher and Student
Inula’s ringbone will keep her from being a riding horse, but it doesn’t mean that she can’t develop and hone her skills on the ground. While she is still young and relatively new to everything, Inula has been a fast learner. Our first impressions of Inula, when she…
Groundwork with Blanche
Blanche has begun her foray into our training program, where she is proving to be a quick study. Based on how she is for the handling we’ve done so far (tremendously reasonable and very sweet), it maybe shouldn’t have come as such a surprise that she would be…
Reseeding, Thanks to Nature’s Seed
Will you be reseeding your pastures this spring? SAFE will, thanks to a generous donation from Nature’s Seed, who are providing us with many bags of their Pacific Northwest Horse Forage Seed! Visit Nature’s Seed’s page for lots of tips for successful reseeding!…
An Update on Roy
After playing in the arena with Mirana this weekend, the next day, Roy was more sore on his feet than he has been in a while. He has been out of glue-on shoes since early January, and has been mostly sound since then (a few off steps here and there, but nothing…
Field Trip to Bridle Trails
Winter Washington weather (say that five times fast) does not often conjure visions of sunshine and blue skies. But every so often, the metaphorical stars align to grace us with a January or February day that feels more akin to early summer. Such was the luck…
Declan is Adopted!
The word ‘failure’ does not typically have positive connotations, but when placed in conjunction with the word ‘foster,’ it takes on a whole new meaning. When Sue called to let us know she was a failure (a foster failure, that is) we could not have been more…
Bijou Seeks a Valentine
This Valentine’s Day, Bijou is looking for love! And by love, we mean the forever home she deserves. We sat down with Bijou to talk about who she is with the hopes of finding her the perfect match! SAFE: Hi Bijou! We were hoping you could tell us about yourself.…
Jupiter in the Outdoor Arena
Jupiter falls under the somewhat rare category of horse we get in at SAFE, which is ‘previously ridden, relatively uncomplicated.’ Don’t get us wrong, there are ways in which Jupiter needs assistance both on the ground and under saddle, and there certainly exists a…
Q1 Report Card: Artie
Notes: Artie tends towards the dull side, but has a lot of try. He will work hard knowing a break is coming. Poll shyness — can be reactive to things in that area, especially if they are sudden. Has come a LONG way with this. Can be reactive to flag by his poll or in…
Frosting Gets Floated
One of the very best things about rescuing young horses is that we are able to shape so many of their formative experiences in a positive way. Frosting had her first dental this week, and was as good as gold. She had a few little sharp points, but nothing that would…
Wren’s Soundness Evaluation
The topography of a horse tells a story, albeit usually one in a language we only partially understand. Each scar, bump, and blemish they arrive with has a history attached. We can draw assumptions, make educated assessments based on professional opinions and our own…
Unicorns Get Ulcers Too
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that unicorns don’t get bellyaches. Scotty, our grey arab gelding, is short only the horn when it comes to resembling a mythical creature. His stately figure and long, flowing locks are something out of a story book. His personality,…
Poppy in the Arena
Each horse at SAFE has a different timeline when it comes to getting where they’re going — be it to live out their days as a companion or to wear a saddle and carry a rider — but for the most part, the milestones they complete and the skills they learn are…
Nova’s Spay
Nova’s journey from foal to adulthood has been a tumultuous one to say the least. She was a delightful and friendly girl for the first two years of her life…but then we started to see changes. Her heat cycles, which started out normal, became problematic. She began…
Theo is a Gelding!
Following a successful surgery this past Wednesday, Theo made the transformation from handsome stallion into arguably even more handsome gelding. The unseasonably warm weather made it a good day for the procedure, and the cushy footing in the arena made for a pretty…
Alumni Update: Rhythm
Rhythm truly appears to be Hillary’s heart horse. They have been together since Hillary was 14 years old. Rhythm is enjoying semi-retired life, having nice, long days in pasture with his 28-year-old pasture mate. Hillary is finishing up her college studies this spring…
Flagging Off Moshi
Last November, 16 horses came to SAFE as part of the Graham 27 seizure — now, a little over a year later, only two remain. Moshi is one of the two (the other being her near-doppelganger, Poppy). Neither of these cuties had experience under saddle, so they’ve spent…
Q1 Report Card: Esme
Health & Feeding: Has a little bit of extra padding at the moment, but as it is winter, will not drop down her food amount. With the introduction of grass in the spring, will lower hay to account for extra calories. Notes: Esme is a sensitive mare. Can still be…
Violet in the Outdoor Arena
Early on in her tenure at SAFE, we marked Violet as brave. Not long after first stepping off the trailer, she was already leading the way on walks across the property, supporting her decidedly more nervous half-brother, Scotty. Her energy was self-assured, even in the…
Q1 Report Card: Veronica
Beginning this year, we have developed and implemented a horse ‘report card’ to be able to chart how a horse is progressing with their training, be it on the ground or under saddle. The intention is to check in with each member of the herd on a quarterly basis in an…
Chip & Dale Seek New Home Together
Chip and Dale, a pair of bonded and extremely huggable senior miniature horses in Snohomish, WA, seek a new home! They are a package deal and come ready to snooze in the sun, get all the scritches, and occasionally have their floofy manes braided. These two came to…
Alumni Update: Tabitha (Willa)
October 2023 Update from Alyssa: I don’t take a lot of pictures or post on FB often, but I’ve been wanting to give an update on the amazing, kind, brave, incomparable miss Willa (formerly known as Tabitha/Tabbi), who came home with me from SAFE almost 5 years ago.…
Alumni Update: Dolly (Rose)
We recently checked in with Dolly’s (now Rose) adopter, Angela. Rose is a very happy, healthy horse. Angela has a busy schedule but still makes time a couple of days a week to groom and ride Rose at the barn. On occasional weekends, a friend of Angela’s rides Rose,…
Volunteer Education: No Hoof No Horse
If you polled our volunteers and asked them what initially drew them to SAFE, the surface level answer would likely be uniform across the board: a love of horses. No shock or surprise there. But digging deeper, the answer would become nuanced between individuals. Some…
Alumni Update: Leonardo
Leo is enjoying life on a 9‑acre ranch with horses, goats, sheep, chickens, dogs and cats. Leo hangs with three other horses in a very large pasture/dry lot. He is an easy-keeper and is on a feeding program that is working well to keep him from being a chunky monkey.…
2023 Volunteer of the Year: Joan Yankis
We’ll say it again and again, volunteers are the heart and soul of SAFE; without them we couldn’t do all that we do, for horses! In 2023 we had over 180 active volunteers who came together and shared their time, skills and hearts, all to better the lives of horses.…
Theo’s First Trim
This golden boy deserves a star to match his pretty coat for how well he did for his first trim this week! Given his gentle personality and sweet nature, we weren’t too worried, but having your legs handled can be a bit of a challenge for even some of our more…
Edward’s Flexion Tests
Have you been wondering what to expect from a soundness evaluation? Wonder no more — Edward is here to demonstrate some of the things that may be asked of your horse at a pre-purchase exam or lameness evaluation. Some good boxes to check before the appointment date…
Harrisa, Blanketed
With this recent snap in cold weather, we are doing our very best to keep the horses warm and happy. Extra feedings, steaming sweet waters and hot mashes, blankets with fill — we set our herd up with these things and more to help them combat the cold. Harissa is…
Sandy Jupiter
It seems an inevitability of horses and horse ownership (or stewardship) that there will come a time when your horse suffers from the most base of afflictions: a stomachache. We can talk about how cruel it is that the design of horses is such that their digestive…
Alumni Update: Rae
Our Alumni team recently checked in with Rae’s adopter Christina. Here’s what Christina had to share: I think Rae is still settling in nicely. Oddly enough, she has been stretching her “Boss Mare” muscle a bit which has been both hilarious and aggravating, depending…
Alumni Update: Bubbles (Bella)
SAFE recently checked in with Bubbles’ (now Bella) adopter Mary. Bella is doing great and follows Mary around like a duckling. She has become best buddies with her pasture mate and Mary’s other horse, Jax. This lucky girl receives regular visits from the chiropractor…
Blanche’s Glamour Shots
Sweet Blanche has been settling in at SAFE nicely, having a nice mellow (and quite mild!) winter. She and Dorothy love to kick up their heels in the arena together, and when she’s not hanging with her buddy, Blanche is always eager to greet you at the gate or the hay…
Introducing Champagne and Theo!
We welcomed two new faces to our herd this week, Theo and Champagne! As they both arrived at SAFE early in January 2024, they are our little babies ‘New Year.’ The name is quite fitting, for while not technically babies, they are likely both under 4 – close enough.…
Artie Loves Sweet Water
What drink comes to mind when you are asked to conjure up the most refreshing, thirst-quenching beverage? Is it a gallon bucket of water with a handful of senior and a little bit of salt? No? Well you must not be a horse then! We give ‘sweet water’ to our horses in a…
Domino’s Electric Pedicure
Every 6 weeks, our horses get pedicures. They are accustomed to the nip of the clippers and the shhhk shhhk of the rasp as it passes over the growth of their hooves, trimming them down to a healthy length. Some try silly little maneuvers on occasion, pulling their…
Lancelot’s Buddies
A stallion’s life is often a lonely one. Most of the time, aside from instances of unregulated group turnout, a stallion is kept apart from a herd. When we first met Lance back in May, he was separated from the other horses on the property, tucked away in a back…
Roy and Mirana’s Arena Time
When we close our pastures for the winter, we switch instead to arena turnout for those horses not in a larger herd paddock. While there may not be grass to much on, the arena has its own list of pleasures, including soft dry sand and a wide open space to run amok in.…
Playful Veronica
Horses are, for the most part, rather boring to watch most of the time (c’mon horse people, you know that objectively, it’s true). When they are not eating, be it at a hay box or with their heads dipped out on pasture, they are usually just standing around.…
Itches From Above
Nova Nova Nova, no longer a baby and, indeed, making that known. I’ve spoken before about Nova’s hormonal struggles, the willingness and sweetness that can flip on a dime to something unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. She is a horse who wants attention and…
The Saga of Harissa’s Swollen Face
Imagine, for a moment, a slightly better than worst-case scenario that might occur at a horse rescue. Your mind probably jumps to something medical, right? Nothing life-ending (that would be more on the worst-worst-case scenario side) but something dramatic enough…
Alumni Update: Rae
December 2023 Check your surroundings… the holiday shenanigans may sneak up on you when you least expect it — just ask Rae!
