Arionna’s First Rides
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…
Alumni Update: Blanche (Joule)
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…
Alumni Update: 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…
A Lovely 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.…
Remembering Thelma
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…
The Importance of Circles — Joel Conner
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,…
Alumni Update: Bliss and 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.
Brownie’s Glow Up
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…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Mahina
Dye “the last unicorn” black, and you have Mahina, with her long elegant legs and big doe eyes. I (Lily) had the opportunity to bring Mahina into the groundwork portion of the August Joel Conner clinic, and over the course of our three days together became even more…
Mateo’s First Saddling
From stallion to gelding, from unsaddled to saddled, this year has brought big changes for Mateo. This handsome fella has made big strides (no pun intended) when it comes to being able to act appropriately around other horses, which has made spending time with him in…
SAFE Has Big News to Share!
The property SAFE currently operates from has been leased by us for about the last 9 years. It’s been a great home, but there are a lot of risks involved in leasing, especially for a nonprofit caring for horses. Stability is vital. Which is why we are so proud to…
Alumni Update: Henry (James)
One of our SAFE Alumni Team volunteers recently checked in on Henry (James) and his adopter, Marion: James is so lucky to have Marion as his owner. She absolutely loves him and dotes on him. She boards him at a hunter/jumper barn and the trainers seem to be very good…
August Joel Conner Clinic Report: Ranger
Carrie S has been working alongside Ranger on the ground, and recently brought him into the groundwork portion of the August Joel Conner horsemanship clinic. Here’s what she has to say about this special, spotted guy: “Ranger participated in his third Joel Conner…
Growing Paloma
To make a Paloma cocktail, you combine tequila, grapefruit, and lime. Our little Paloma’s ingredients would look a bit different: a good deal of curiosity mixed with a generous pour of joy de vivre, topped with a strong sense of self, and garnished with a dash of…


















