Safe at Home Success Stories

The Safe at Home Community Assistance Program provides short term assistance that allows horses to stay with their owners and not end up in the rescue pipeline. Sometimes all that’s needed to keep at horse and its owner together is just a little bit of a leg up…that’s what Safe at Home is designed to do.

Not a lot of the work done by Safe at Home gets shared with the public because we think it’s important to preserve the privacy of the people who come to us for help. But from time to time, we’re given permission to share a success story, so that is what this page is designed to do. Please read on to learn more about how SAFE has been able to help keep horses safely at home:

More Than Adoptions: How SAFE Supports the Journey to the Right Horse

More Than Adoptions: How SAFE Supports the Journey to the Right Horse

by | Jul 28, 2025 |

At SAFE, we are proud to help horses in need find safe and loving homes. But a lot of what we do happens behind the scenes, conversations, consultations, and quiet moments spent helping people figure out what kind of horse (or donkey!) is truly the right fit for them.
Sometimes these talks lead to a visit or an adoption. Other times, they don’t. But we believe that even when an adoption doesn’t happen, every thoughtful conversation can make a difference, by helping someone avoid the heartbreak of a mismatch or by guiding them toward a more fulfilling relationship with horses down the road.
One of those conversations happened a few months ago, when Elizabeth reached out to SAFE about Inky, an adorable miniature horse we had available for adoption. Elizabeth had recently lost a horse that had been a companion to her donkey, Samwise, and she was looking for a new buddy for him.
After chatting for a while and learning more about her situation, we encouraged her to consider not just any companion, but maybe another donkey or a longear, like a mule. Donkeys and horses can cohabitate just fine, but in our experience (and in theirs!), donkeys truly seem to thrive when they have a fellow longeared friend.
We don’t always hear back from people after these conversations, so receiving an update from Elizabeth weeks later was not only a surprise, it was a heartwarming reminder of why this work matters. She graciously allowed us to share part of her message:
“I talked to one of the volunteers for a while and decided to pass on Inky and look for another short donkey or mule. ‘They’ say donkeys only thrive with other longears. I’m here to tell you—they are right for once!”
“I found an unhappy mini molly mule (it’s so fun to say) on Craigslist and got her home the next weekend. She’s the smartest animal I’ve ever met, and I’m slowly earning her trust. But my donkey, y’all—he’s SO HAPPY now. He just oozes contentment… talking to the volunteer, really helped focus my search”
Elizabeth named the new addition Arwen, a 34″ silver dapple mini mule, and her transformation since arriving is nothing short of a glow-up. From trust-building to carefully tailored nutrition, it’s clear that both Arwen and Samwise have found happiness—and each other.
At SAFE, we believe this kind of thoughtful matchmaking matters, even if we aren’t the ones making the adoption. Sometimes, the best outcome is helping someone recognize what their current horse truly needs, or pointing them toward a better path—even if it means saying no to the horse they initially inquired about.
We’re grateful to Elizabeth for sharing her story—and her photos of a truly adorable pair. And we’re grateful for every one of you who reaches out with questions, conversations, and a willingness to do what’s best for the horses in your life.
If you’re thinking about bringing a new horse home—or just want a second opinion—we’re always happy to listen, and to help.
Gelding Success Stories

Gelding Success Stories

by | May 10, 2025 |

As part of our ‘SAFE at Home’ program, we offer up gelding vouchers, sponsored by the Marion and Richard Grant Foundation. These vouchers allow for horse owners who would otherwise find it cost prohibitive to geld their stallions to do just that. Below are several recent success stories of happy new geldings:

Bentley:

“I have recently gone through some big life changes which have affected my financial situation in a major way. 

With spring fast approaching I knew that having Bentley gelded was a huge priority and when I took him on, I certainly didn’t foresee these changes coming. I also have two mares at home which made this procedure even more urgent as it is very important to me that I’m not a contributing factor for any horses ran through auction or the kill pen.

I reached out to SAFE to see if they had available funds to assist in the cost of having Bentley gelded as my kids and I were doing everything we could think of to keep from having to part ways with any of our beloved horses and I knew our situation was only temporary. I needed a helping hand during a really rough patch and SAFE really came through for me. Kellie was such a pleasure to deal with as well! I scheduled an appointment with the vet of my choice and SAFE paid the cost.

I cannot thank SAFE enough for the opportunity to be able to keep Bentley in mine and my kids lives.”

Salut:

“This is Salut. He’s a homebred Hanoverian eventing prospect who just turned 1 on 4/25. He was gelded in March as a part of the gelding grant and we are so thankful to SAFE for the opportunity to participate in this program!”

 

Altinero:

“Altinero is doing well since being gelded and enjoying the beautiful weather. Thank you so much!”