Skye has come a long way from the horse she was when she first came to SAFE. Back then, she was so accustomed to being shut up in a stall all the time that the relative freedom of a stall with an outdoor run was very strange and scary to her. Everything scared Skye at first, even the sound of velcro would make her jump out of her skin. She had to learn the simplest skills, like walking on a lead line, and her insecurity made her dangerous, as she had a tendency to jump towards her handler when frightened. Luckily she had two things going for her: her intelligence and the patience of her trainer, Brittney. 

Brittney worked with Skye nearly every day and taught her many skills that will help her throughout her entire life. Today, Skye moved on to the next phase in her training. She’s off to a new foster home where she will continue her ground work training with David Z, a competitive trail rider who has started three mustangs and has 10 years experience training horses. David came out to meet Skye at SAFE Harbor Stables and spent some time working with Skye and Brittney in preparation for taking her on as a foster. He then spent a few weeks getting his property ready for her arrival, building her a secure paddock adjacent to his round pen so she can easily and safely be moved for her lessons.

Before leaving SAFE Harbor, Skye was given a light sedative in preparation for her trailer ride. She was somewhat skeptical about loading, but she was persuaded to get in with a little food. She made the trip uneventfully, and unloaded at her new foster home without a problem. She’s settled in well.