by Lily Leitkowski | Aug 19, 2025 | Arionna
This big, beautiful mare had her first rides this week, and did very well! She’d had several months of preparation, and all that groundwork set her up for success. Because she leans more on the ‘duller’ side of things, the focus for her rides was free forward...
by Cathy Olson | Aug 17, 2025 | Blanche
We recently received an update from Blanche’s (Joule’s) adopter, Elissa: Joule’s first year with us has been an absolute joy. She settled right in with our older gelding, her youth complementing his wisdom nicely. Both horses are friendly with our four little goats as...
by Cathy Olson | Aug 17, 2025 | Pearl
Pearl continues to do well with Diana and likes her boarding stable. Diana has lots of support from other horse owners and Pearl loves having a herd. The Pinto in the photos is Bear, her best bud. Pearl seems relaxed, happy, and healthy. Diana and Adam just had their...
by Lily Leitkowski | Aug 15, 2025 | Wednesday
Wednesday, named for Wednesday Addams, is a bit less goth-looking than her namesake, and much less taciturn as far as her disposition goes. We recently visited with Wednesday (and Venturo, of course) and had the chance to take some glamour shots of this striking lady....
by Lily Leitkowski | Aug 14, 2025 | Announcement
Last week, we said goodbye to a piece of SAFE: we let our old barn cat Thelma go. Though many of our volunteers never even saw her, they heard her croaky meow echoing down from her apartment in the loft, or seen a pair of little eyes tracking them on their journeys to...
by Lily Leitkowski | Aug 13, 2025 | Announcement
Joel Conner is back at SAFE this weekend for another three day clinic. Joel Conner is a remarkable horseman and teacher whose dedication to classic vaquero horsemanship is unparalleled. Following the traditions of Ray Hunt, Tom and Bill Dorrance, and Buck Brannaman,...
by Cathy Olson | Aug 13, 2025 | Bliss, Evie
Bliss and Evie continue doing well, although they are no longer turned out together because Evie tried to kick Bliss. Bliss now has a one-year-old pony as a pasture mate who gets along well with her. Evie is great with kids and enjoys trail riding.
by Lily Leitkowski | Aug 12, 2025 | Brownie
What a difference 6 months makes! Brownie came to SAFE in decent enough shape — not particularly underweight (unlike his herdmate Clarissa, who was incredibly thin), but when you look at the horse who arrived and the horse who is here today, you would not be wrong to...
by Beck Wren | Aug 7, 2025 | Part Time Staff
As assistant to SAFE Executive Director Bonnie Hammond, Beck Wren wrangles calendars, processes your generous donations, crafts updates for members of the SAFEkeepers Club, and strives to keep his inveterate love of puns in check. Beck started at SAFE as a chore shift...
by Beck Wren | Aug 6, 2025 | Part Time Staff
Bob May started volunteering at SAFE in 2021. In 2024, he joined Barn Staff, supporting volunteer chore teams, caring for the horses, and helping maintain the facilities. Growing up in suburban Detroit, his favorite place was “the Farm” in southwest Michigan belonging...
