Alumni Update: Henry (James)
October 2023 Update on James’ weight gain progress at almost 3 months after adoption! The first photo shows him when he initially arrived, while the second photo showcases his current appearance. Notably, he has been successfully building muscle in his shoulders and…
Getting to know Scotty
When we intake a horse who we know for a fact has had a riding background, we are equal parts hesitant and hopeful. There is a chance that what the horse has been taught will make for a relatively easy re-start — the mere fact they have been saddled before eliminates…
Independent Inula
A few months back, we split up the Gig Harbor horses around the property — integrating them into herds, or otherwise facilitating a change of scenery from the paddock they’d been quarantining and living in up until that point. Mother and daughter, Ciara and Inula,…
Ciara’s Saddling Journey
Ciara came to us as part of a larger seizure in Gig Harbor, alongside a tableau of horses who, aside from their lack of proper care and handling, were, as is the nature of all living creatures, of varied personalities. The ‘easiest’ of the bunch were Ciara’s daughter…
Say Hello to Jupiter
Animal Control seized Jupiter back in December of 2022, but his case was ongoing for so long that we were prevented from talking about him until very recently. He, much like the others who were a part of his seizure, was placed in a foster situation where SAFE…
Goodbye, Tanis
Tanis, beloved SAFE horse, was laid to rest last week under a warm blue sky following a sudden and painful colic. As is the case with colics, they can escalate quickly from seemingly mild into devastating rather quickly. We first noticed something was amiss around…
Arrow Goes to Foster
As winter approaches, more horses find themselves in precarious situations. Older horses and hard keepers become more difficult to maintain away from pasture, and we tend to get an uptick in calls from Animal Control hoping to place horses with us along with owners…
Welcoming Harper and Cookie
Horses that come to us by way of Animal Control are often times kept quiet as the case moves through the legal system and all that that entails. Harper and Cookie are two such cases — these mares received shelter at SAFE months ago, but we have only been cleared to…
Watch Over Me
Horses come to us for different reasons. For many, it’s a first step toward a new and better life. Others get their chance for some much needed peace and caring, and a chance for us to rewrite their final chapter. Dorothy is one such horse. Dorothy is a beauty of a…
Brandy’s Hobbies
Brandy, one of the matriarchs of SAFE, will turn 30 this July according to our records. So what is she getting up to so far in her 30th year? Well, first and foremost, keeping close with BFF Bandit. While Brandy finds a lot of support in humans, and has made great…
A Bath for Montana
What’s brown, off-white, and dark bay all over? A dirty Montana! This guy earned the nickname of ‘cat’ last summer for two reasons: he was known to sunbathe on the regular, and he had an uncanny ability to look clean(ish) despite spending so much time in the dirt,…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Veronica
What a fun little sports car riding horse Veronica has become, we should call her our little red Miata! She was very well behaved throughout the recent clinic. We worked a lot on improving her hindquarters and true unified walk. When she gets in balance, the trot and…
March Joel Conner Clinic Report: Sienna
Catherine N worked Sienna in the March Joel Conner clinic, and says the following about her experience: “I worked Sienna in the groundwork for the March Joel Conner Clinic. I feel like we were both nervous at first, but quickly settled in. Sienna, I felt, was able to…
Alumni Update: River
SAFE Volunteer Debbie M recently visited with SAFE Alum, River; his humans, Wendy and David Z; and “big sister”, Ameli, at their beautiful 5‑acre property in Snohomish. River arrived at SAFE in December 2012, along with two herd mates as part of an owner surrender…















