Victoria & Bucky B Lucky
Our volunteer of the month for July is Victoria G! Victoria has been a Sunday volunteer for over a year and has recently taken over Sunday morning turnout and feed in addition to barn chores. Her quiet nature is appreciated by our horses and her help is appreciated by all! Please join us in congratulating Victoria!
My kids had grown up and left the house and I was looking for something I liked to do. Then I remembered — I used to ride! My grandfather probably put me on a horse before I could walk because it was so much easier to drag the grand kids around the farm on a horse then to actually keep track of them one by one. I always rode on the farm and then when we were in Africa we had a wild ass (not me!) named Millicent who was super good with kids but not so much when she needed a bath… My sister has the stitches in her head to prove that. But I don’t think she remembers that.
My first horse of my very own was a 14 year old Arab named K‑Raiboss. He was 2 years older than me and he totally took care of an idiot who didn’t know what they were doing. One time on a trail ride (no helmet and no one knew where we were) a motorcycle rider jumped out of the bushes and he spooked and even while we were up in the air I could practically see him thinking “Darn, I have the kid with me!” and he deliberately went down on his shoulder to let me step off before he landed hard on his side. He was the best horse ever!
I am constantly amazed by the horses at SAFE who have come from such abusive situations that will come up to you and delicately take a carrot from your hand. They may come in untrusting and scared but are so willing to give you a chance. Even after knowing that some humans are not so nice.
It makes me happy that I can take a part in helping the horses grow into what they can be. I’ve had the opportunity to do some site checks on adopted horses and have looked up their histories. From former bucking stock to Animal Control seizures I believe that SAFE always has the best interest of the horse in mind. If they are able to rehab they do so. If the horse will forever be in pain they are willing to make the hard decision to euthanize.
SAFE is my “Happy Place” and after a long stressful week at work, a little (a lot!) of picking up of poop picks up my spirits and I am ready to do it all again. Especially with some horse kisses along the way.
