Rae

2018 Warmblood type mare
Type of Rescue: Born at SAFE to a rescue mare
Intake Date: 11/1/18
Adoption Date: 4/22/23
Length of Time with SAFE: 4 years 5 months

ADOPTED!! by Christina

Rae was the second filly born at SAFE Harbor in 2018. She’s the spitting image of her dam, Mina, and even had Mina’s sweet personality. Poor Rae has had some health issues and injuries in her first couple years of life, but she continues to improve and is a champ for the vet! Rae really blossomed into a nice riding horse and traveled to multiple off site clinics. 

Alumni Update: Rae

Alumni Update: Rae 

Our Alumni team recently checked in with Rae’s adopter Christina. Here’s what Christina had to share:

I think Rae is still settling in nicely. Oddly enough, she has been stretching her “Boss Mare” muscle a bit which has been both hilarious and aggravating, depending on the day. My old girl Mocha is still the undeniable lead mare.

Currently, we are dealing with a lot of pent-up energy as we navigate a period of “time-off” due to her losing a shoe and her hooves not having enough growth for new shoes and boots are back ordered for months.

Rae is a sweetheart, we love having her around, even if she is more of a pasture pet at this current moment. She is so gentle with the nieces when they visit and love on her. We’re looking forward to scheduling a spot in one of Joel’s clinics this year.

Alumni Update: Rae

Alumni Update: Rae 

December 2023

Check your surroundings… the holiday shenanigans may sneak up on you when you least expect it — just ask Rae!

Alumni Update: Rae 

From Christina: Rae says pre-dinner/post-ride snacks hit different on these chilly fall days (especially when your friends aren’t invited to the buffet and are jealously thundering around their paddock!)

 

Rae is Adopted!

Rae is Adopted! 

Cute, fuzzy, Baby Rae

Our nest at SAFE is never empty — when one leaves the coop, another one (or several!) are waiting in the wings to fill their spot. But for babies born at SAFE, the empty nest syndrome is perhaps a bit more acute.

With Nova off at training, Rae was our last SAFE-born baby on the property. But like any young adult, she was ready for the next step. Rae had been to clinics both on and off property. She had ridden outside. She was gentle in so many ways. The only thing missing from her life was a forever home.

Rae and Christina

Until Christina. Christina came to see Rae while she was under saddle with Terry at an on-site clinic. She watched a full day of miss Rae, and wanted more. The second time she came to visit, it was to make proper introductions and put a ride on herself. Rae has historically not been the most motivated horse when it comes to moving out, but with Christina, her expression stayed pleasant and she got — and kept — going.

It was quite set after that. Rae’s sweet velvet head (along with the rest of her) would be going home with Christina, who would provide her a most loving home alongside new horse siblings, and some chickens.

After some work trailer loading, Rae was ready to go. The big day came, and Rae put on a brave face and loaded without too much fuss – the human who wants to anthropomorphize in me says any hesitancy in her could be attributed to the fact that she was embarking on her biggest journey yet, how could you not be a little nervous? But after some practice loads to really get her comfortable, the doors were shut behind Rae, and she was off to her new home.

Since then, Rae has been settling into life with her new family very well indeed. When the chickens clustered at her feet, she did not fuss. And when her new sister, Mocha, wanted to share a hay pile, Rae said “sure.” Our little baby, who had at times struggled to fit into a group, was now the belle of the ball.

What a lucky match Rae has made! We couldn’t be happier for our sweet girl to have found such a soft place to land amongst two and four-legged friends alike.

Rae-dy for adoption!

Rae-dy for adoption! 

Our sweet, velveteen Rae is ready to find her forever home! This sweet-as-pie mare has come a long way from being baby Rae, and we are looking forward to get to share what makes her so special with adopters.

Rae is exceptionally brave, and would likely make a wonderful trail horse because of it. On her first ride outside the arena, she conquered many obstacles – puddles, bridges, cats and dogs – with barely a blink. Like a seasoned pro, she took these new experiences in stride with a can-do attitude and nary a sideways glance at things that might have startled even some of her more outdoors experienced cohorts.

She has trailered off property several times, and has participated in multiple clinics, both on and off site — a real jet setter! Even in new environments surrounded by new horses and lots of activity, Rae keeps her cool. She stands well for the vet and farrier, and is great to handle on the ground – any adopter will have to promise to give her kisses on her nose, as she loves them. She is currently in front shoes, and will need to remain shod as she is prone to tender-footedness when barefoot. Rae will also need allergy shots on a monthly basis to help with her summer itch – but don’t let this scare you, never has a horse been more compliant or gentle for her monthly pokes! 

Rae will nicker at you when you come to take her out of her stall in the morning, and plays well with other horses during turnout. She’s a big sweetheart with a lot of love to give. She looks forward to meeting potential adopters! 

All Grown Up

All Grown Up 

There is one certainty in this life — time will pass. Sometimes like molasses (often when we are in less than pleasant situations, reclined in the dentist’s chair, or when waiting on an important phone call — the seconds slug along) but more often than not it seems that time is a train car rushing past, leaving us winded and wondering how that thing back there is now here, and now gone.

All this to say, Rae grew up in a blink.

There are those who remember her birth with the clarity of a recent memory, cutting through four years worth of time to recall the exact moments she was shepherded into this world as a dark, long-limbed creature, fantastical in her proportions as all new foals are.
And so to see her now, so well-formed and adult, it is hard to parse that she was ever that gangly little thing, who did not have a rough start herself, but did have her own trials and tribulations as a youngster. Rae was the most accident prone of her two compatriots, and ended up with various allergies and sensitivities that made her an easy target for the moniker “poor little Rae.”

But what feels like a scene from a movie where the bookish, unassuming character metamorphoses into a stunning model-esque version of herself, such was the transformation Rae underwent with the same perceived immediacy as said character removing her glasses and shaking out her ponytail (and why is their hair never tangled, by the way). One moment, Rae was an awkward baby, the least aesthetic of her kin, and the next she was a doe-eyed adult, sleek and beautiful, kissed by youth rather than kicked by it.

Her disposition is, generally speaking, as soft as the fuzz that is beginning to coat her, now that winter is fast approaching. She can have an opinion, as is perceived standard of her nature as mare, but remains more on the sweet side of the sour patch kid — sour for a blink, then full-sugar. She is the perfect horse to pamper, as she shines up like a new penny (or really, more like an oil slick with her sleek black coat). In most every aspect, Rae is pleasant to deal with — her susceptibility to itchiness means that she is a rewarding girl to scratch most of the time, but even if that was not the case, she would be a wonder to pet, soft and sweet.

Rae under saddle is working on life. Like a teenager, she wants to do what she wants to do, when she wants to do it. Making something as strenuous as moving out seem like a good idea to Rae holds about the same interest as taking out the garbage most days. The end goal will be to make life, as in upward movement, as exciting as attending an ice cream social — or whatever teenagers are doing these days.

Now, all grown up, Rae is ready for the next step of her life, one featuring a forever home with someone who can watch her grow through the next chapters of her life.

 

 

 

Training Update: Rae

Training Update: Rae 

Rae, who was born at SAFE in November of 2018, has blossomed into quite the nice mare! This summer she has been in regular work in preparation to meet adopters — when she’s not out grazing with her buddies Nova and Valentine, she’s in the round pen going over trot poles and learning to guide off of her rider’s leg and respond to their seat, among other things. Check out a snapshot of Rae’s movement below:

 

Our Baby Rae

Our Baby Rae 

Rae is doing very well this winter. She has been a good citizen with a few new members of her turnout herd. Rae keeps “her nose clean” in the herd and is never in the middle when things get energized. She is polite when meeting new horses and over all very easy to match up with others. In the field, as the other horses ran around getting to know the new members, Rae stood on a high spot in the field and kind of watched a bit in bewilderment. I think she decided they were all acting a little too dramatic and thought it best to stay out of their way. Of course, all was settled quickly and was a great example of a fairly well-adjusted herd citizen. She’s been raised well by her fellow horses and the proof is in the fact that she has little to no anxiety around meeting and integrating with new horses.   

Riding Rae

Riding Rae 

Rae is coming up on her 3‑year-old birthday next week, November 1. How fast does time fly! She is just transitioning from being ridden by Joel to Terry as we come into the winter months. Over the past year, she has been worked each month in which Joel visited and ridden a max of 2–5 times each visit. Coming into winter, we will work her lightly her 2–3 days a week with some time off during the holidays. She made the transition to a new rider very easily. These days Rae is much easier to ride than she is to handle on the ground, which is kind of funny. It also demonstrates how skilled Joel is working with young horses under saddle, compared to how easy it is for those of us who are still learning to perfect this horsemanship can leave braces behind and not recognize them. Rae has a bright future and we are looking forward to confirming her has a riding horse and offering her for adoption in the months ahead.

 

Poor Rae Rae

Poor Rae Rae 

Rae recently was seen limping on her front right leg. We had our vet out to look at her and she was diagnosed with white line separation. We treated Rae four times a week with Venice Turpentine, but when out farrier came out a week or so later, she noticed a large and sensitive stone bruise in Rae’s right front hoof. With this diagnosis, we began wrapping Rae’s foot in an Epsom salt poultice duct tape boot and turning her into a stall at night. Rae handled being separated from her filly herd very well and is a quiet, well-behaved horse in her stall. She seems to be walking a lot better lately, but we’re still being very cautious!

The Young Ladies at Play

The Young Ladies at Play 

They grow up so fast! Here are Nova, Rae, and Pippi at play, with Cassidy tagging along.

thank you to Dirtie Dog Photography for these gorgeous photos!

And Just Like That, They’re Yearlings!

And Just Like That, They’re Yearlings! 

It’s hard to believe that our three resident bundles of joy were born over a year ago! Nova, Rae, and Pippi have blossomed into beautiful young ladies, full of life and personality. We have enjoyed watching them grow and are looking forward to seeing what their futures hold. They’re leading well and standing patiently (usually) for their vet and farrier visits. They still have some “baby antics” that they use to try to see if they can get away with things, but they all seem very smart and figure things out quickly.

The trio are ready to fly the coop for now, and we’ll be sending them to foster soon where they can continue to grow up and learn how to be horses. Our current setup is not ideal with the number of volunteers we have that need to work around them in their pasture daily. The girls could gain bad habits from accidental reinforcement of pushy behavior, so we want to minimize that possibility. We have a foster home picked out and we just need to finalize a few things before sending them away to grow up.

It’ll be difficult to say goodbye, even though we know it’s only temporary. We’ve gotten used to being able to watch them grow up in our own backyard, so not seeing them every day will be a little sad at first. But it’s for the best, and we know they’ll enjoy their new place. Assuming all goes to plan, we’ll bring them back in about a year and a half to begin groundwork and working toward starting them under saddle.

The Babies are Growing Up!

The Babies are Growing Up! 

It’s hard to believe how fast our little foals are growing up. It seems like just yesterday that they were trying to figure out how their legs work. Today they are three confident, adventurous, happy-go-lucky fillies who are ready to take on the world. And they’ve finally grown into those long legs.

All three babies have now finished their series of initial vaccines, had a few visits from the farrier, and know how to lead. They are enjoying being turned out in their large paddock 24/7, and they’re learning valuable lessons in equine behavior from their Aunt Renee and Aunt Angel. Renee teaches them boundaries and body language. Angel teaches them about kindness. And together, Angel and Renee teach lessons in herd dynamics and what it means to be a good friend.

We have enjoyed getting to know their little personalities. Each of them is an individual and very different from the other two. Pippi is the clear leader of the baby pack. She is the most confident of the three foals when it comes to exploring new things and meeting new horses. Renee is doing a good job of keeping her in line, as she does get a little pushy with the other horses. Pippi and Angel have become very close friends. You’ll often find the two of them snuggled up close and sharing a haynet.

Nova is darling. She’s tall and beautiful, just like her mom. She has a sweet, dainty personality and enjoys people, although she can be leery of new things at first. Out of the three babies she is the least self-assured and that’s how it’s been since the day she was born. But her confidence is growing. She’ll stand quietly to have her feet trimmed, she’s leading well, and she tolerates being dewormed (preferably if it’s followed by applesauce).

Rae is as cool as they come. She’s easygoing about everything, loves everyone, gets along great in a herd, and has a very laid back outlook on life. Nothing seems to bother her too much. She has her mother’s gentle nature and enjoys human interaction. It took Rae a while longer than the others to fully shed her baby fuzz, and for a while she was the “very cute but kind of goofy looking” one. But today she is a stunning, dark, shiny filly. She’s the smallest of the three, and we do not expect her to reach the same mature height as her 15.2hh dam.

Raising three foals has been a laborious, expensive journey, and it’s definitely not something we would have chosen to do if this situation hadn’t been handed to us already in the works. But these babies have been delightful additions, and we look forward to seeing what kinds of horses they grow up to be.

Angel keeping watch over one of her charges

Pretty Nova!

Cutie pie Rae

Three Weaned Babies

Three Weaned Babies 

It took some work and a fair amount of brainstorming, but we weaned all three babies over the course of about a week and a half. First Nova, then Rae, and finally Pippi. Even though Pippi is two months older than Nova and Rae, we opted to wean her last based on herd dynamics, the personalities of all the mares involved, and space available. Each of the weanings was relatively uneventful, and the little amount of drama that accompanied each one was over within an hour or two (with Nova’s weaning there wasn’t much fuss at all). Pippi seemed to take it the hardest, but having her new buddies Rae and Nova there for comfort made a big difference. Nova seemed more upset about losing her aunt Mina than she was about being separate from her own mother.

The three fillies are now hanging out with matriarchs Angel and Renee. They’ll be learning lessons about how to be a horse from these ladies who have been there and done that. At some point in the near future we’ll send them to foster where they’ll be able to grow up in a quiet place with room to romp, and we’ll bring them back when they’re 2‑year olds to start introducing them to groundwork in preparation for becoming riding horses. For now, though, we are happy to have them right where they’re at because they’re a constant source of amusement. No doubt about it, though, raising babies is a lot of work!

Sunshine!

Sunshine! 

It’s hard to believe that just over a month ago it was 13 degrees at Safe Harbor Stables, and this week the thermostat is hitting 80! The horses are enjoying it tremendously and taking every chance they can to sun bathe.

The downside to this beautiful weather is that horses still wearing their winter coats can dehydrate quickly when it’s hot outside. We’ve been keeping a close eye on ours to make sure they aren’t getting overheated. Provide access to fresh, clean water for your horses at all times–and monitor to make sure they’re actually drinking it.

Welcome, Spring! We’re all happy to see you.

 

Why are there foals at SAFE?

Why are there foals at SAFE? 

Why are there foals at SAFE right now? Because this year, we rescued three mares who were pregnant. We have not changed our stance against breeding, nor did we have anything whatsoever to do with the breeding of these mares.

One of the three mares, Asha, came from an Animal Control seizure in which she and another mare were removed from a situation of neglect and starvation. Her foal was born Sept 1, so she was likely bred in October 2017. This mare was seized by Animal Control on Jan 30, 2018 and was signed over to SAFE on April 15, 2018. 

The other two mares, Luna and Mina, came from a large band of 21 horses (including 9 stallions) who were roaming free on a property that was foreclosed upon and resold. These mares gave birth on Nov 1 and Nov 3, which means they were bred in December 2017. We were brought in by Animal Control to help disperse this herd in April 2018. Because they were exposed to stallions, we had to assume that all the mares in the herd were pregnant when we took them, and this was confirmed by veterinarians after they were rescued.

Furthermore, whenever we intake a colt or stallion, that animal is gelded as soon as it is physically possible to do so, and usually before the horse even comes to our farm. The only intact stallion to ever set foot on our farm in Redmond was Valor. He was gelded on August 9, 2017.

So, to recap:

1) SAFE does not breed horses
2) SAFE does not keep intact colts or stallions
3) SAFE does, however, rescue pregnant mares

If you or anyone you know has questions about SAFE and the work we are doing, please ASK. We operate 100% in the public eye, so if there’s something you’re curious or concerned about, just ask. It’s that simple.

Now let’s get back to enjoying those beautiful babies!

Rae and Mina Outdoors 

Jessica Farren took these lovely photos of Mina and Rae enjoying the great outdoors. The mares and their fillies spend each day outdoors on the grass.

Two Healthy Fillies Born at SAFE

Two Healthy Fillies Born at SAFE 

Exactly two months after the birth of Pippi, we welcomed two new lives into the world!

Mina delivered a lovely black filly on November 1, 2018 at 11pm. The diminutive little girl with no white markings was christened “Rae” in memory of our dear friend Raven. Rae is healthy and full of life, and momma Mina is taking wonderful care of her.

The very next night, Luna decided she was going to follow in her best friend’s footsteps and have her baby too. She waited until 2:30am to give birth to a tall strapping bay filly that has been named Nova. The delivery went well, and both mom and baby are healthy.