Scooter’s Story
Scooter came to SAFE early in 2012 as part of a group of Arabian horses seized by Animal Control after terrible neglect. Scooter was one of two stallions in the group (the other being Oscar) and the information SAFE was given about these two in particular was…
Coco is Six Months Old!
Can you believe Coco is already 6 months old? It seems like it was just yesterday when we found out our little 25 year old mare, Sundae, wasn’t just a little round, she was pregnant! That little squirt, Coco has been an independent lady from day one, kicking up her…
Alumni Update: Tabitha (Willa)
We recently received an update from Tabitha’s (now known as Willa) adopter, who tells us that Willa is doing great! She recently lost her old companion, and in the interim while her adopter looks for a new friend for her, has been handling being an only horse very…
Minnie: Smart AND cute
Minnie is growing up to be a fantastic, smart little pony! Stunning, too! Minnie and SAFE volunteer, Lexee, participated in the Groundwork session of the most recent Joel Conner clinic and Minnie was a rock star! She was soft and easy going in a large class of other…
Sienna, the Conundrum
Sienna is one of the safest horses we have for groundwork, but right now, she’s one of the most dangerous to ride. In groundwork, she is soft and willing, and pretty enjoyable to work with. But when being ridden—especially if she gets tight or scared—she can start…
Alumni Update: Banner
We recently received an update from Banner’s adopter, who tells us that Banner has been doing great! Back in fall of 2020, Banner was diagnosed with a mild case of equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), but his adopter tells us that there…
Alumni Update: Roscoe
We recently received an update from Roscoe’s adopter, who tells us that Roscoe is doing wonderfully! She says that he improves with every ride, and that she couldn’t ask for a better horse. The pair recently took a trip to Bolender Horse Park, where they conquered…
Coco’s First Hoof Trim (Photos)
Coco’s First Hoof Trim
Coco had her first farrier visit today, and as you’ll see from the photos below, she was a perfect angel. Her mom, Sundae, was very proud of her!
Tilly’s Passing
We received this beautiful, heartbreaking letter from Tilly’s adopter, who said goodbye to her heart horse after 11 years together. We are so grateful for everything Anna and her family did for this beautiful mare, and we wish them comfort at this very sad time. Dear…
A Sad Goodbye
We are so sad to tell you that we lost Merry to colic yesterday. Late Wednesday morning, Lily noticed that things were not right with Merry. She didn’t finish her breakfast, and was acting oddly, standing with her head down, pawing at the ground. Her vitals and gut…
Mr Mac
Mac’s leg wound is slowly healing, but still requires bandaging and medication. Groundwork is helping him not being so upset with little things. He’s a worrier, and tends to get a little nervous about things like being fly sprayed or gently hosed off. He is good for…
Montana Will Need Time
Montana has a long path ahead of him before he will be available for adoption. We don’t know if he has been haltered before, but given his current reluctance at being approached, we suspect he either hasn’t been haltered or had a less than optimal introduction to…
Freya is Ready for Adoption!
Freya is a healthy mare with good teeth for her age. She has had a dental float, and behaved well for the farrier during her hoof trim. In August, she had her vaccinations and booster shots, and is now ready for adoption as a companion horse. Freya has been moved away…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Jill
Kaya has been putting in a lot of work with Jill, and as a result, she is going beautifully under saddle! Here’s what Kaya had to say: Jill is a joy to ride! She did so well in the clinic with all the other horses in the big arena and stayed calm and with me even…
Getting to Know Darla
Darla is shy, so it takes a few minutes for her to get used to being approached. She can be led, but has a pull back (resistance) issue when on the lead. We’re doing basic groundwork training with her to help her feel free to move her feet. Darla was first introduced…
Jacob Moves Forward!
Jacob is such a sweet horse! He seems very comfortable with people and is very easy to halter and groom. Jacob even got his front feet trimmed by Joel and is starting to allow his back feet to be picked up. Jacob is also starting to understand a flag and sort out the…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Pepper
During the September Joel Conner clinic, Pepper got a lot of work on her education! Lily L took Pepper in the groundwork class and had this to say about the experience: I had the honor of working alongside Pepper at the most recent Joel clinic, which was a tremendous…
Alumni Update: Hickory (Listo)
We recently received an update from Hickory’s (now known as Listo) adopter, who tells us that Listo is in good shape. He enjoyed some grass turnout this summer, but is now back on a dry lot for the fall and winter months. Sadly, Listo recently lost his two buddies,…
Echo is Learning!
Since her arrival at SAFE, Echo’s weight has dropped from 1,100 pounds to a much more height-appropriate 875 pounds. We soak her hay for 30 minutes to decrease sugars and are using hay that is suitable for easy keepers. The hay provides roughage and forage but is not…
Domino Makes Progress
Domino is a very healthy senior horse! He has good teeth and does well on grass and hay with the normal vitamin supplement used for SAFE horses. For paddock buddies, he does best paired with a submissive gelding. He forms a strong connection with mares, to the point…
Daisy on the Upswing
Daisy, our one-eyed beauty, has gained weight since her arrival at SAFE. Her initial weight of 780 pounds has increased to 807 pounds. She’s looking quite a bit better these days, which is very nice to see. Daisy gets nervous about being moved outside her paddock, but…
Cameron’s Rehab Progress
Cameron has settled into SAFE well. We were initially concerned about Cameron’s colon function, and after several weeks of close monitoring now have a feel for his typical manure production. He gets an all-mash diet of Haystack and senior grain which he eats with…
Aubrey Update
Aubrey returned to SAFE without having had dental work in about 3 years. She has been seen by our vet and had much needed dental work to reduce the sharp points on her teeth. Aubrey’s ideal adoptive situation would be a home where there is a steady herd of retired…
Arigato’s Recovery Continues
Arigato came to SAFE with very overgrown hooves and some apparent lameness in her right hind. We have been working with her to gentle her enough to safely sedate her for X‑rays. She has a bulge about one inch below the coronet band. There is a possibility that this is…
Now What’s New with Lacey?
Our sweet little problem child Lacey has been making some great progress as of late. In an effort to obtain some positive behavior changes, we’ve started her back on Regumate for hormone balance so that she doesn’t go into season. On Regumate, Lacey seems more content…
Aunt Teddi
There should come a time in every young horse’s life when the proverbial cord is cut, and access to their mother’s milk is stopped. It’s not as harsh as it sounds: after around 4 months, a foal needs more than just milk to meet its nutritional needs, and as long as…
Barb is Ready for Adoption!
As Barb has matured, she’s started to look somewhat different from the other Fall City horses. She has longer legs and a more refined look, but remains a bit roly-poly. Kaya has been working with Barb to help her stay focused in larger spaces so that she can be ridden…
Alumni Update: Annie
We recently received an update from Annie’s adopter! Annie has entered into the world of Competitive Mounted Orienteering (CMO), which is best described as a mounted treasure hunt. Riders utilize compasses and maps while riding out on a specific course, hunting for…
Alumni Update: Cosmo
We recently received an update from Cosmo’s adopter. Cosmo, now known as Theo, is living his best retired life alongside his gelding friend. We also asked his adopter a handful of questions about this handsome boy, and here’s what she had to say: What is your horse’s…
Alumni Update: Jewel
We recently received an update from Jewel’s adopter, who tells us that Jewel is quite the character and that she is very well loved! We had the pleasure of seeing Jewel at our September Joel Conner horsemanship clinic, which is always a treat. We also asked Jewel’s…
Nyx’s Origins
Nyx’s freeze brand, a hallmark of all BLM horses, is not just pure ornamentation. It actually acts as a unique identifier, and grants a bit of a window into his background. It tells us that he was born in 2006, and that he came from a herd in Oregon. Further…
Meet Montana and Darla
Say hello to our two newest arrivals, Darla and Montana! Darla is about 10 years old, and Montana is a 5 year old gelding. Both were surrendered to SAFE by their owner, an elderly man who suffered a stroke and could no longer care for them. His family was able to…
Caramel is Adopted!
Caramel is adopted! We have tears of joy with the news that Caramel’s foster mom, Trisha, said Caramel has a permanent home with her family! What an amazing gift this is for SAFE and Caramel. We know she will be forever loved, cared for and accepted for the smart,…
Lucca is Adopted!
Lucca is adopted by our very own Jane Millar! Jane has been a huge part of SAFE for many, many years and we could not be more over the moon that she found Lucca. As the Volunteer Manager for over 3 years, most long-term volunteers remember her as the first face of…
Pippi and Aries are Adopted!
Do you recognize the names Jane and Eric? They adopted Breve and Checkers back in July and now they’ve come back for two more horses, Aries and Pippi! That’s right, Jane and Eric now have their own tiny SAFE herd of four! Our very own Pippi, who was born to a rescue…
Alumni Update: Nadia
Leah, age 12, is still riding Nadia in 4H. Last year was mostly pleasure riding since all events were cancelled, but this year they’ve been getting back into competition. She rides Nadia both English and Western for Saddle Seat, Hunt Seat, Dressage, Stock Seat,…
Pearl and Abby are Adopted!
Pearl and Abby are adopted together! We found them a loving family with Diana and Adam. The two get to live out their days as best friends with two humans who adore them. Their gorgeous property is up north in Everson Washington. When Kaya, our Barn and Facilities…
Artie is Adopted!
Artie is adopted and he lives with a SAFE Alumni pony, Ruckus! Jacquie was looking for a companion to live with Ruckus and turned to SAFE searching for a horse buddy. As the Volunteer Manager, I like to ask volunteers if they have a favorite horse at SAFE. Of course,…
Quincy is Adopted!
Quincy is adopted! Annemarie turned to SAFE looking for a friend for her horses, Nick and Ernie. On a sunny day in August they headed to Quincy’s new home. Annemarie said he arrived without breaking a sweat and unloaded like he’s been doing it his whole life. Quincy…
Veronica is Saddled
Over the past several months, Veronica has made great progress in her ground work with volunteer Candi. She is a sensitive mare who is eager to learn and please. These changes allowed for another milestone as she experienced her first saddling with Joel Conner in the…
Merry Update
Merry’s diagnosis of left hind lameness with a sensitive proximal suspensory ligament means that SAFE must evaluate the course of action that offers her the best solution. Treatment of this chronic problem is most likely limited to a surgical procedure called a…
A Summer of Progress for Veronica
Veronica has progressed well in her training. Although she is still a bit shy, she is doing much better about getting caught and haltered, and she will now come up to the fence to be petted and told how pretty she is. Veronica stands patiently while tied and is…
Barb is a Riding Horse!
Kaya has been working with Barb since she arrived at SAFE. Here is what Kaya had to say about her: “Barb is turning out to be an all star riding horse! This sweet, charismatic, opinionated, intellegent pony keeps surprising me every ride. Barb was one of the most…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: George
In September, George and Terry participated in the riding section of the Joel Conner clinic at SAFE. This was George’s first riding clinic, with 3 hours of riding per day over 3 days, and with eight or nine other horses in the arena with him, which can be very…
Rae Riding Videos
No More Pointy Horses!
A wise horse named Honeycutt once said “A horse is a thing that is round, not a thing that is flat and pointy. How can someone look at a horse that is flat and pointy and think it is an okay horse? A pointy horse is probably sad and very, very hungry.” Edward,…
The Return of Aubrey
Aubrey spent two years at SAFE before being adopted as a companion horse in 2018. Sadly, Aubrey’s adopter experienced a medical issue and could no longer care for Aubrey or her elderly gelding, Ro. Upset and unsure what to do, the adopter called SAFE for help. We…
Haltering Esme
Meet our new intake at SAFE, Esme. She is a 6 year old Yakima Reservation mare, who has not had a lot of past experience being lead. Esme is very friendly and interested in people, just a bit frightened by the halter. This is our third day working with her and things…
Meet Daisy
SAFE has been called on to help several owner surrendered neglected horses in the last few weeks. Because of the large number of adoption, we’ve had the space available to say yes to these requests, which is fortunate because these are all horses in desperate need of…