
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Darla
Kaya M, who has been working with Darla for a while now, brought this lovely white mare into the riding portion of Joel Conner’s clinic recently. Here is what she had to say about their time spent together in the arena: “I literally can’t say enough good things about…

Time with Tanis
Meghan N has been working with Tanis over the last several months, participating in two Joel Conner clinics alongside her, and has the following to say about this sweet mare: “Tanis is a big hearted mare with a whole lotta try! She has been busy since coming to SAFE…

Goodbye, dear Cameron
We lost our dear Cameron today. We noticed he was not walking steadily, and was unweighting his left hind and dropping his right hind pastern. He had bounding pulses in both hind legs and his heart rate was at 70 bpm. When Dr Renner arrived, it had increased to 80s…

Bijou, Companion Horse
After her intake quarantine was over, we began to get to know Bijou. With her sweet eyes and gentle personality, we were excited to learn a bit more about her. It is not uncommon that horses come to us without a history to speak of, and we must rely solely on…

Joel Conner Clinic Report: Declan
Kaya M has been working with Declan, and had the opportunity to take him in the groundwork section of the clinic this past week. Though he is a new arrival here at SAFE, he is gentle enough that he is able to get right to work in our program! Here’s what Kaya had to…

Joel Conner Clinic Report: Cramer
Has there ever been a sweeter horse? Ok, I’m biased. But I think, objectively, that if there were a spectrum of sweetness, he’d definitely fall in the top percentile of the bell curve. There is just something about him, a gentleness, radiating outward. He has a…

Chip and Dale Find a Permanent Home
Chip and Dale found a permanent home helping teens and adults with early recovery from screen addictions! The two boys will be permanent fosters at reSTART, who will cover the expenses for their care, in return the two just get to be horses and enjoy the easy life.…

Alumni Post: Bean
Bean and her two four legged friends are lucky enough to have 2 acres to graze, run around, and kick up their heels. Bean is the queen of the herd, and her friend, Midas, has two bites on his butt, reminding him of his place. Michelle (Bean’s adopter) said the…

Open House and Tack Sale
Sept 27 from 12–3pm
More info >
Bingo at the Barn
Oct 11 from 1–4 pm
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Halter Starting Lancelot
Maybe it had been different at one point, but the Lancelot that arrived at SAFE was not able to be haltered. He was curious, but unwilling to be approached, and very reluctant to be touched. The first step for horses like Lance, those who need to be halter-started (or…

Training Update: Frosting Moving the Hind
There are, according to Buck Brannaman whose style of horsemanship we follow most closely, multiple ways of moving the hind. 5, specifically. One of them, and in my opinion one of the most mystical, involves bending the horse using the rein only and simply… waiting…

Introducing Ciara
Before she came to SAFE, Ciara was living alongside her filly, Inula, in a mud pit of a paddock. She was yet another of the Gig Harbor horses to arrive here back in May, and yet another who was afflicted by the same poor coat, long hooves, and lack of clean living…

Introducing Harissa
Some stories, by their very nature, take a bit longer to tell than others. Harissa’s story will be one of these, especially when framed alongside the others she came in with, who are steadily trucking along in their training, checking off boxes and working towards…

Introducing Inula
Inula was the youngest of the Gig Harbor horses, and despite not being a literal baby, she still had a youthful element about her that we made note of from our first meeting. A subsequent dental put her in her 4th year this year, but when you compare her to a horse…

Introducing Mirana
Mirana, along with Meadow, was one of the matriarchs of the Gig Harbor horses we picked up this past May. She was part of the largest herd on the property, a group of four mares living in a scrubby paddock. They, like the others on the property, were lacking in clean…