Training Update: Frosting Moving the Hind
There are, according to Buck Brannaman whose style of horsemanship we follow most closely, multiple ways of moving the hind. 5, specifically. One of them, and in my opinion one of the most mystical, involves bending the horse using the rein only and simply… waiting for them to figure out that you’d like them to rock their hindquarters, please. Truly nothing speaks to a horse’s intuition and…
Introducing Ciara
Before she came to SAFE, Ciara was living alongside her filly, Inula, in a mud pit of a paddock. She was yet another of the Gig Harbor horses to arrive here back in May, and yet another who was afflicted by the same poor coat, long hooves, and lack of clean living conditions that also plagued her herd mates. But when she stepped off the trailer that Saturday in May, her luck began to change.…
Introducing Harissa
Some stories, by their very nature, take a bit longer to tell than others. Harissa’s story will be one of these, especially when framed alongside the others she came in with, who are steadily trucking along in their training, checking off boxes and working towards true domesticity. On the property from where she came, Harissa was living in the four mare herd alongside Mirana, Meadow, and Wren.…
Introducing Inula
Inula was the youngest of the Gig Harbor horses, and despite not being a literal baby, she still had a youthful element about her that we made note of from our first meeting. A subsequent dental put her in her 4th year this year, but when you compare her to a horse like Addie, who was newly 5 when she came under our care, Inula felt so much younger. I don’t mean to make this out to be a bad…
Introducing Mirana
Mirana, along with Meadow, was one of the matriarchs of the Gig Harbor horses we picked up this past May. She was part of the largest herd on the property, a group of four mares living in a scrubby paddock. They, like the others on the property, were lacking in clean water, and their only sources of shelter were buried in thigh-deep mud. Mirana likely had at least ten years on the rest of her…
Jax is Adopted!
Yet another happy ending for a member of the Graham 27, as we said our goodbyes to Jax last month as he made the journey to his new home. From the beginning he proved himself as one of the most easily adoptable of the bunch (not that a horse’s singular value is in riding, but in this realm he was pretty safe and relatively uncomplicated, traits that take a bit longer to nurture in some), but his…
Remembering Meadow
Meadow was one of the 7 Gig Harbor horses who came to SAFE in May. Likely the oldest of the group, she was believed to be somewhere in her 20s. She was the most gentle of all the horses on the property, allowing us to halter her from day one, and give her a nice thorough brushing as soon as she arrived at SAFE. Unfortunately, a little less than a month into her stay here, Meadow suffered from a…
Rest in Peace, Alumni ‘Strider’
Heartbreaking news posted to the SAFE Alumni Facebook Page by Michel, Strider’s adopter, on August 16, 2023 Strider When I woke up yesterday, I did not know it would be your last day. When the day comes, We are always wishing for more. I remember the day I first met you, You were across the arena doing groundwork. I remember that big, beautiful head, turning my way. I came in with a group of…
Introducing Wren
Wren came to SAFE back in May as part of a 7 horse rescue from the Gig Harbor area. She was living in a 4‑horse herd, and while initially curious, she was somewhat cautious around people at first, preferring to keep her distance. But after her arrival here and those those initial days working with her, catching her with a rope in the round pen and beginning the halter starting process, Wren…
Jet-Setting Addie
Here’s a limerick for you: There once was a young mare from Graham, Whose coat was a dark shade of tan, And if ever you knew What was good for you You’d adopt sweet miss Addie from Graham! Me calling Addie, a bay horse, ‘a dark shade of tan’ aside, I am very serious when I say we are all waiting with bated breath for Addie to find the person who is going to take her home. Over the last few…
Tiva These Days
Recent observations regarding Tiva: Her shoulders, in particular, are rather itchy this time of year, and she is not opposed to a little mutual grooming if you would be so inclined to scratch, yes, just there, above the elbow. A gentle mare, she rarely ever uses teeth, and those whose hides are a bit less thick much appreciate and prefer the ‘stiff upper lip’ technique to the ‘barber shop shark’…
Introducing Lancelot
Lancelot, along with his 6 other cohorts, were living in squalor in the area outside of Gig Harbor when we picked them up this past May. Lance’s paddock was a mud pit surrounded by broken and bent panels. His only source of water was from a dirty trough, and the ribs protruding from beneath his coat showed that he was not getting all the calories he needed. Lance was a stallion when we got him,…
Alumni Update: Ben
Here’s an update from Ben’s adopter, Lisa G: Uncle Ben, the ever-melty when kids are around. My niece is a horsewoman in the making and helped me muck stalls, feed, and groom! She led both my horses all around the field and Ben was just soooo gentle with her (much better than he is with me! ). I just love this guy so very much.
Training Update: Artie Changing Eyes
Much like watching a plant grow, it is difficult sometimes to see the change in something unless you can clearly see from where you began. Sure, you know it’s different, but how different can be hard to quantify without a comparison. We first met Artie as a untouched stallion, one whose extreme amount of self-preservation came by way of necessity. When you’re defending a band of mares, it works…
Training Update: Riding Veronica
Veronica has a mane nearly as long as she is tall, with a forelock that practically tickles her nostrils. On hot days, she loves to splash in her water trough, both front feet fully in and pawing, giving herself a two-for-one pedicure and face wash. She loves a good roll (the length and severity of which corresponds directly to how clean she was just beforehand), and playing around with her…
Pen Click Training
Trypanophobia is the fear of needles — and while I’ve yet to meet anyone who is fond of getting poked, some have more of an issue with it than others. The same goes for horses. Some hardly blink. Be it IM or IV, you’d be hard pressed to get a reaction out of our more stoic residents. But with others, you’d swear they could smell a needle they way they react. As is standard, the anticipation of…
Tanis Continues to Soften
The year is moving right along, and so is Tanis, as she continues to build confidence in herself and trust in people. This time last year, only a couple people could catch this mare; fast forward to this moment, and she loves face pets, has found more comfort and curiosity around people and recently realized that she kind of loves a good nose kiss! Tanis’s confidence is showing more and more;…
Alumni Update: Pyrrha and Valentine
A recent photo of Valentine, on the left, and Pyrrha (Zelda), on the right, on a sunny day after being bathed.
Poppy’s Cool Trick
No, you didn’t miss a chapter: Poppy wears a saddle now. More on that story and process later. But in the meantime, please enjoy this fun little “trick” she learned during the course of her training. This is one smart cookie of a mare. Believe it or not, this was perhaps the fourth or fifth time only performing this exercise — including the times she was actually on a line!
Training Update: Moshi in the Outdoor Roundpen
Moshi has been under saddle for several months now, and is coming along very well. Recently, she had her first rides out of the walls of an arena when we put a round pen out in the big outdoor arena. While a round pen is still a contained environment, it is a less controlled environment outside those walls, and can feel a bit daunting for some horses. But Moshi was undaunted by this new…
Introducing Rojo!
Ever since Sparky came under our care in 2022, we held the idea of another mini donkey coming through our program who could be the second pea to Sparky’s pod. Donkeys do best with their own, and we could think of no better way to improve his quality of life than by introducing a friend who looked like him and talked like him. But we are a rescue, and by nature those needing help seek us out, not…
Alumni Update: Ajax
Ajax is very happy in his home with Gary and Nancy. He and his horse friend, Cheyenne, are very bonded and enjoy the retired life – both being about 29 years of age. Ajax has hypothyroid and is on medication.
Training Update: Frosting in the Snaffle
Frosting is really coming into herself as nice little mare! Hers is truly an ugly duckling story — it is hard to believe the scraggly, ratty little creature who arrived at SAFE is the same mare who stands before us now, a true beauty. But looks aren’t everything, and we would love Frosting just as much had she not had such an impressive metamorphosis. She was started under saddle earlier this…
August Volunteer of the Month: Tracy Carrithers
Congratulation to our August Volunteer of the Month, Tracy! We are so fortunate Tracy found SAFE, and agreed to start volunteering in one of the coldest, wettest and muddiest times of the year, January (2022)! Every Wednesday PM, Tracey greets us with their warm, welcoming smile and a great attitude. Tracy has been such a dependable and amazing team player, always willing to jump in to help…
Declan: Companion
After giving it a fair shake, Declan told us that he was done being a riding horse, and would very much prefer the companion lifestyle. And we, as responsible stewards of his care, listened to him. To recap: it was clear pretty early on in his training that he had some soundness issues, and after having him examined by our vets, we felt that he could be well managed as a light riding horse with…
Montana’s New Friend
There lives a permanent resident here at SAFE, one who is not kept within the boundaries of a fence. She stands with her head down all day, grazing a spot on the lawn that stays perpetually green beneath her feet. She doesn’t move at all, so well behaved is she. You could go as far as to call her statuesque — actually, you could go as far as to call her a statue, and you’d be correct, for…
Alumni Update: Freya
Here’s an update from a recent visit to Freya’s home. Freya is a companion horse to a Paso Fino named Mocha, who is lightly ridden. The two are very bonded and Freya will call and pace when Mocha is out, but she is only out for short rides, so is not gone long. A recent dental indicates Freya may have some arthritis in her jaw. She also may have sweet itch. Manuela is bathing her with a special…
Special Sienna
Sienna has many fans here at SAFE. It’s not difficult to see why — she’s a true gentlewoman of a horse, with a kind demeanor that makes her easy to be around for even the most novice of horse people. Oftentimes when polled on who is their favorite horse, volunteers won’t hesitate to name Sienna. On her way in from grass, volunteer Bob paused to share about some of what makes Sienna so special…
Esme’s First Trail Ride
Esme started her time at SAFE as a curious, yet standoffish mare, spending her days playing chase with Jacob and Edward out on the grass field they shared. She was challenging to catch, requiring a practiced (and patient) touch. And while there are still some days where she enjoys giving you a literal run for your money, Esme’s progress in so many realms has been astronomical. She has remained a…
Arrow up to Date
It’s tremendously satisfying when we intake a new horse and can speedily get them up to date with all their care and keeping. This process can take anywhere from a few days (not very common, but there are some rare times when the stars align and the horse is gentle enough that we can get them all squared away before you can say ‘wow, their intake quarantine period is already over?’) to several…
