Latest SAFE News
Jupiter’s Soundness Evaluation
by Lily Leitkowski | Mar 1, 2024 | Jupiter
Jupiter’s great red spot, as it were, is a slight hitch in his step that we first noticed when restarting him under saddle. In our efforts to better represent our riding horses as we move them into the ‘adoptable’ category, we had our vets out to evaluate Jupiter’s…
Artie Shaw, Friend to Many
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 29, 2024 | Artie
If SAFE had class superlatives, Artie would definitely win ‘friends with everyone.’ He is the horse that most other horses (at least if they’re geldings) first meet, and for good reason. Artie’s mellow demeanor around other horses helps introduce even the most…
Theo’s First Groundwork Session
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 28, 2024 | Theo
We speak a lot about time here at SAFE — specifically as it relates to giving a horse the hours, weeks, months, years they needs to gain. Gain weight, gain confidence, gain the skills and tools they need to be successful going forward in life, be it as a companion or…
Rest in Peace, Scotty
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 27, 2024 | Scotty
It is never easy to announce the passing of one of our horses, and harder still when the passing is so unexpected. Scotty left this earth last week, following a sudden and painful colic. This was his third colic in five months, in addition to the ulcers we had been…
Introducing “Safe at Home” Community Assistance
by Bonnie Hammond | Feb 27, 2024 | Announcement
For the past 19 years, SAFE has helped hundreds of horses and their owners through our Community Outreach Program. This safety net program was created to provide short-term assistance to horse owners struggling to care for their animals, with the ultimate goal of…
Alumni Update: Mason
by Cathy Olson | Feb 23, 2024 | Mason
Mason is looking great and loves his home with adopter Lori M. Mason is great at groundwork and knows what to do, so he has a job as a groundwork trainer for new volunteers at Lori’s barn.
Frosting’s Trick
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 23, 2024 | Frosting
What better way to jumpstart your weekend than to watch Frosting exhibit her new trick? No smoke and mirrors — just a smart little mare who learned she could get scratches in exchange for curling her lip, and with that knowledge, is ready to do so on command. You…
Inula, Teacher and Student
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 22, 2024 | Inula
Inula’s ringbone will keep her from being a riding horse, but it doesn’t mean that she can’t develop and hone her skills on the ground. While she is still young and relatively new to everything, Inula has been a fast learner. Our first impressions of Inula, when she…
Groundwork with Blanche
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 21, 2024 | Blanche
Blanche has begun her foray into our training program, where she is proving to be a quick study. Based on how she is for the handling we’ve done so far (tremendously reasonable and very sweet), it maybe shouldn’t have come as such a surprise that she would be…
Reseeding, Thanks to Nature’s Seed
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 21, 2024 | Announcement
Will you be reseeding your pastures this spring? SAFE will, thanks to a generous donation from Nature’s Seed, who are providing us with many bags of their Pacific Northwest Horse Forage Seed! Visit Nature’s Seed’s page for lots of tips for successful reseeding!…
An Update on Roy
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 20, 2024 | Roy
After playing in the arena with Mirana this weekend, the next day, Roy was more sore on his feet than he has been in a while. He has been out of glue-on shoes since early January, and has been mostly sound since then (a few off steps here and there, but nothing…
Field Trip to Bridle Trails
by Lily Leitkowski | Feb 19, 2024 | Artie, Edward, Pepper, Tiva, Veronica, Violet
Winter Washington weather (say that five times fast) does not often conjure visions of sunshine and blue skies. But every so often, the metaphorical stars align to grace us with a January or February day that feels more akin to early summer. Such was the luck…