Abby and Andrew at SAFE with Baxter

Introducing our volunteers of the month, Abby and Andrew! Abby and Andrew are a couple that have been volunteering once a week at SAFE for about a year and a half now. They come on Friday mornings and are reliable, efficient, and always cheerful! They have also taken over training of new volunteers and helped work with the horses as well. They are a huge asset to SAFE and we wanted to say thank you for their dedication and hard work! Here is a little more about Abby and Andrew, in their own words:

Abby:

I love horses. I’ve loved them since I can remember.  Volunteering at SAFE gives me an excuse to be around them, and to be outdoors and active. I believe that domestic horses are around because we (read: people) bred and produced them, and that therefore we are responsible for their wellbeing — from birth till death. I also take a lot of inspiration from people like Bonnie and Jaime, who give so much of themselves to this organization. I adore each of the SAFE horses — but I have a real soft spot for thoroughbreds, and for the older horses we get in. Jasmine and Lil’ Miss were the first SAFE horses I worked with one-on-one, I’ll always remember them. When not volunteering, I’m probably doing Science at the UW, schooling dressage with my own horse, or in the car driving between those three places!

Andrew:

I love animals, but I wasn’t a horse person until I met Abby. I’m humbled by the horses at SAFE that have retained or regained trust in humans after suffering so much abuse and neglect. It’s hard to pick a favorite, I like them all for one reason or another! Like Abby I have a soft spot for the older horses who, after a life’s worth of work, are discarded. These horses are owed a place to retire and peacefully live out their remaining years.

Chore duty? Always an adventure! Last year, on my birthday, it rained so hard I was soaked to the bone within minutes. Abby and I had to shout at each other to be heard over the wind and rain. We always bring lousy weather to the SAFE farm!

Other days of the week I’m a student at UW.