Training Update: Rope work with Esme
Esme has had a busy summer, spending much of her time learning to wear a saddle (some days, it’s easier than others) and drilling the groundwork basics on the regular. One big hurdle for Esme has been getting comfortable with the rope touching her — her back, her…
Gabby Meets the Halter
Trisha has made such amazing progress with Gabby, that we got behind on sharing her last milestone! Here you see Gabby realizing a halter is no big deal.
Tilt is Adopted!
Tilt was adopted in March 2021 along with another horse friend, Valentine, a 16 year old sweet chestnut mare, but due to unfortunate circumstances, both made their way back to SAFE. Tilt was only back at SAFE for a few short months before catching the eye of one of…
Montana’s Mountains and Valleys
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same applies to the education (or re-education) of some horses. Montana’s arrival at SAFE coincided with the end of summer last year, where we were spending lots of time picking up fallen apples from our trees and starting to think…
Alumni Update: Aiden
Maeve and Copper (formerly named Aiden) in a July 4H gaming show. What a photo!! Next stop for these two is the Pierce County and State fairs!
Training Update: Edward
In addition to his work under saddle, we have been spending some time sending Edward over trot poles to aid with strength and conditioning. It is always a treat to watch the floaty way horses move over poles, and this handsome boy is certainly no exception! Check it…
Cramer Making Strides
Cramer has made some huge strides (but with legs his length, maybe it’s just a normal stride for him) the last several months here at SAFE. It wasn’t all that long ago that he was first learning to walk from paddock to round pen, a relatively short distance that once…
Hooves of Glass
Remember when Darla blew an abscess, way back in January? The shockwaves of that are still being felt all the way now in August. There was a sweet spot a few months back where she was sound, and we thought that we were in the clear. But it was not to be. Shortly after…
Pen Click Training
Trypanophobia is the fear of needles — and while I’ve yet to meet anyone who is fond of getting poked, some have more of an issue with it than others. The same goes for horses. Some hardly blink. Be it IM or IV, you’d be hard pressed to get a reaction out of our more…
Tanis Continues to Soften
The year is moving right along, and so is Tanis, as she continues to build confidence in herself and trust in people. This time last year, only a couple people could catch this mare; fast forward to this moment, and she loves face pets, has found more comfort and…
Alumni Update: Pyrrha and Valentine
A recent photo of Valentine, on the left, and Pyrrha (Zelda), on the right, on a sunny day after being bathed.
Poppy’s Cool Trick
No, you didn’t miss a chapter: Poppy wears a saddle now. More on that story and process later. But in the meantime, please enjoy this fun little “trick” she learned during the course of her training. This is one smart cookie of a mare. Believe it or not, this was…
Training Update: Moshi in the Outdoor Roundpen
Moshi has been under saddle for several months now, and is coming along very well. Recently, she had her first rides out of the walls of an arena when we put a round pen out in the big outdoor arena. While a round pen is still a contained environment, it is a less…
Introducing Rojo!
Ever since Sparky came under our care in 2022, we held the idea of another mini donkey coming through our program who could be the second pea to Sparky’s pod. Donkeys do best with their own, and we could think of no better way to improve his quality of life than by…
