SAFE Horses
SAFE News and Updates
Valentine is Adopted!
We are pleased to announce Valentine has found the perfect home! Sandy and her family are very familiar with SAFE horses having adopted two before Valentine. Sadly, Farley, passed away early this summer and while the neighbor’s horses provided some comfort to Zelda (formerly Pyrrah), they were looking for a friend to bring more joy to her life. The friendship started last month with barely any…
December Volunteer of the Month: Linda Goldman
I’m excited to announce Linda Goldman as our last volunteer of the month for 2022! I feel very fortunate to work with this kind, funny, patient, hardworking, mellow, go with the flow, do whatever needs to be done lady! Linda started volunteering in May 2021 and immediately started filling in on shorthanded shifts and then after only a few months of volunteering, took on the Shift Lead role when…
Alumni Update: Aries, Breve, Checkers and Pippi
All four horses, Checkers, Breve, Pippi and Aries were adopted together and are living together on a lovely farm up in Skagit County. They are impeccably cared for, in great health, and are living in ‘horse heaven.’ So wonderful four horses were adopted by the same loving family.
Rae-dy for adoption!
Our sweet, velveteen Rae is ready to find her forever home! This sweet-as-pie mare has come a long way from being baby Rae, and we are looking forward to get to share what makes her so special with adopters. Rae is exceptionally brave, and would likely make a wonderful trail horse because of it. On her first ride outside the arena, she conquered many obstacles – puddles, bridges, cats and dogs –…
Sparky’s New Friends
Since Sparky arrived last May, we’ve tried pairing him with a few friends for company. At first it was Ruckus, a pony, but he was adopted shortly after we paired them up. Then we tried our minis, Sunny and Shasta, but they had their routines and little home and decided they weren’t keen on sharing it with the new guy just yet. Sebastian was the first horse we introduced, because of his gentle…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Bandit
Kirsten AL worked with Bandit at the November Joel Conner clinic, and had the following to say about her time spent with this nice old gal: “Lessons learned … Ms. Bandit Bay can be both a student and a teacher. In haltering and working with this 25-year-old quarter horse mare, I was quickly schooled in the fact that this gal prefers not to be in tight quarters with other horses as she turned…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Brandy
Sue C worked with Brandy during the last Joel Conner clinic, and had the following to say about her time spent with this special mare: “This weekend I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Brandy during the groundwork portion of the Joel Conner clinic. Brandy is a 27 year old quarter horse mare who has had little training with groundwork, and is very tied to her paddock mate Bandit.…
Alumni Update: Justin
Justin is doing very well! He spends his days in a pasture with his young friend, Linus, and comes inside to a comfy stall at night. His adopter enjoys seeing Justin’s personality continue to shine through the longer she has him.
Barb, in Summary
Here are some things about Barb, otherwise known as: Barbie, when she is behaving like the doll – Barbra, with a stern intonation, i.e., when she’s exercising her right to be impatient – Bobblehead, when she’s silly (which is quite often, being newly four and all) – Barbarella, when, well, whenever. We do really like nicknames here at SAFE. No matter what you call her, this little mare is…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Darla
Kaya M, who has been working with Darla for a while now, brought this lovely white mare into the riding portion of Joel Conner’s clinic recently. Here is what she had to say about their time spent together in the arena: “I literally can’t say enough good things about this mare. She handled all of the clinic like she’d been doing it her whole life, even though it was only her second clinic. Darla…
Time with Tanis
Meghan N has been working with Tanis over the last several months, participating in two Joel Conner clinics alongside her, and has the following to say about this sweet mare: “Tanis is a big hearted mare with a whole lotta try! She has been busy since coming to SAFE earlier this year; and this past weekend participated in her third Joel Conner clinic. Leading up to the clinic, Tanis worked so…
Goodbye, dear Cameron
We lost our dear Cameron today. We noticed he was not walking steadily, and was unweighting his left hind and dropping his right hind pastern. He had bounding pulses in both hind legs and his heart rate was at 70 bpm. When Dr Renner arrived, it had increased to 80s (double normal range). He was in a grave amount of pain that we could not control and it was determined he would continue to suffer…
Bijou, Companion Horse
After her intake quarantine was over, we began to get to know Bijou. With her sweet eyes and gentle personality, we were excited to learn a bit more about her. It is not uncommon that horses come to us without a history to speak of, and we must rely solely on assumptions and the little bits of insight that they give us based on their reactions to things. To handle on the ground, Bijou is…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Declan
Kaya M has been working with Declan, and had the opportunity to take him in the groundwork section of the clinic this past week. Though he is a new arrival here at SAFE, he is gentle enough that he is able to get right to work in our program! Here’s what Kaya had to say about their time spent together over the weekend: “This is one special horse! The amount of try and motivation that Declan…
Joel Conner Clinic Report: Cramer
Has there ever been a sweeter horse? Ok, I’m biased. But I think, objectively, that if there were a spectrum of sweetness, he’d definitely fall in the top percentile of the bell curve. There is just something about him, a gentleness, radiating outward. He has a heart to match the rest of him, big and full. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: he has come such a long way. It’s…
Chip and Dale Find a Permanent Home
Chip and Dale found a permanent home helping teens and adults with early recovery from screen addictions! The two boys will be permanent fosters at reSTART, who will cover the expenses for their care, in return the two just get to be horses and enjoy the easy life. reSTART Rise-Up Ranch offers an inpatient program to help adults struggling with screen addiction including video game, blockchain…
Alumni Post: Bean
Bean and her two four legged friends are lucky enough to have 2 acres to graze, run around, and kick up their heels. Bean is the queen of the herd, and her friend, Midas, has two bites on his butt, reminding him of his place. Michelle (Bean’s adopter) said the children love riding Bean because she’s so gentle and patient. It makes us happy to see how much love surrounds Bean. [gallery…
Hay for Our Herd
Hay prices in Washington have DOUBLED since March 2022. But for this year’s Fall Into Winter Hay Drive, we have a generous group of donors who have pledged to match EVERY DONATION YOU MAKE (up to $35,000) Can you help us reach our goal by the end of November?? Every penny of your tax deductible donation goes straight to the horses’ mouths!!! SAFE’s Fall Into Winter Hay Drive is the one and only…
Alumni Update: Ruby
Ruby enjoys her life on 17 acres of pasture and forest. About a year ago she lost her best gelding friend. To help her cope with the loss two young mares how lost their mother came to live with Ruby. She is now a fantastic mom who is quite strict with their behavior and is definitely in charge of the herd. Ruby is a well-loved horse and we are happy she is living her best life with Sophia.
Limelight Pet Project: King Domino Seeks a Castle
Domino, our regal old gelding, was featured recently on the Limelight Pet Project. As always, they do a wonderful job of showcasing our herd, through their interviews and photo sessions. Here is what they had to say about our sweet guy, Domino: “Meet Domino. He is a 26-year-old Registered Paint Quarter Horse who is waiting for his forever home with our friends at Save A Forgotten Equine in…
Artie is a Riding Horse
Well, it’s official: our sweet, handsome little Artie is a riding horse, and we couldn’t be more proud of him. Lexee N has been working with Artie for the last few months, and has been a huge part of this guy’s transformation. She calls him “Artie the wonder pony!” and says his tagline could be something like: “Coming to life under saddle in all the right ways!” Emphasis on ‘life.’…
Meet Declan!
It has been a busy start to the fall (more like Winter, with this change in weather) here at SAFE – our phenomenal Outreach team is working hard behind the scenes on rescuing a vast number of horses from dire situations, and we have welcomed, and are preparing to welcome, a few through our own gates. Our newest arrivals come to us from Yakima, and while animal control was involved with the case,…
Beva and Aspen Thrive and Survive
Beva and Aspen were owned by an elderly woman who collapsed in her home and was hospitalized in early October, leaving the horses to be cared for by a neighbor. Animal Control was called out about the horses’ condition, but found hay, water, and shelter on the property and a pair of horses that seemed pretty spry. They gave the neighbor feeding instructions and told the individual to contact…
Alumni Update: Mina
A note from Mina’s adopter, Elissa” “We are happy to report that Mina continues to thrive — and we continue to be completely smitten with her, of course. She is enjoying an easygoing life that suits her easygoing attitude. She spends each day with her older ‘brother,’ Watney, in their 3+ acre field that is surrounded by other horses on each side, and adjacent to the smaller field for our herd of…
Alumni Update: Pippi, Aries, Checkers and Breve
All 4 horses were adopted together and are living together on a lovely farm up in Skagit County. According to our volunteer that visited them, they are impeccably cared for, in great health, and are living in ‘horse heaven.’
2024 SAFE Open House Dates
SAFE holds a quarterly Open House in which we invite our supporters and neighbors to come for a visit! Here are the dates we’ve chosen for 2024: 2024 Open House Dates: April 27, 2024 June 15, 2024 September 28, 2024 December 8, 2024 Time: Noon to 3pm Location: Safe Harbor Stables 10407 192nd Ave NE Redmond WA 98053 Admission and parking are free to these family-friendly events. Guidelines for…
Joel Conner Clinic in November
Interested in expanding your horsemanship knowledge? Do you wonder what goes into preparing our horses for adoption? Join us, Friday November 11th — Sunday, November 13th for our quarterly horsemanship clinic with Joel Connor. Schedule: — Groundwork 8AM-11AM — Riding 11:30–2:30PM — Colt Start with SAFE horses following the riding class Not only will you have the chance to learn from Joel, but…
November Volunteer of the Month: Kellie Larsen
Most Volunteers of the Month spend their time onsite at SAFE in some capacity. However, this month we recognize a member of the behind-the-scenes SAFE Community Outreach Team who shoulders the responsibility of reviewing all the Community Outreach Applications submitted online by horse owners across WA state and sometimes beyond. These applicants are seeking help with rehoming their horses,…
Camille and Sebastian, peas in a pod
Camille and Sebastian could be styled as storybook characters in the furry flesh. Two older horses, brought together by virtue of poor circumstance, united under shared healing. She, an ex-carriage horse, standing at a cool 18 hands, a true gentle giant. He, whose past is entirely unknown to us, but whose last experience with humans before he arrived here was watching them leave him behind,…
Jacob is ready for adoption!
Our sweet Jacob is ready to meet his human! He is a primarily easy-going guy who would thrive in a home with an intermediate rider who is looking to ride frequently – because he is still green and learning boundaries, he will do best in a home where he is in regular work. He has proven to be level-headed on walks outside the arena and quite brave when faced with new and unfamiliar circumstances,…
