SAFE Horses
SAFE News and Updates
First Bath for Millie
Now that summer is here, Terry has the opportunity to teach Millie another new skill: getting used to the hose.
New Photos of Fancy
Vibrant Valor and the Case of the Sticky Stifles
(Valor photo by Sundee Rickey) Unfortunately for Valor, his mother, Nashville, did not bless him with strong stifles. Since his arrival at SAFE we have worked to help cure him of his locking stifles (upward fixation of the patella), a condition that can cause a horse’s hind leg to appear to get stuck in place and unable to flex. He has gone through specific rehab programs designed to help him…
June Volunteers of the Month: Beck Wren and Monique Goodrich
Superstars in the outside world often lead flashy lives and are immediately identified by their flair or outspokenness. At our barn, being a superstar is a more modest gig. SAFE superstars are here every week, rain or shine. They blend in to the rhythm of life here, doing chores with a smile and not calling attention to themselves. This is why we try to shine the spotlight on our dedicated…
Teddi’s Surgery Fund
It was a little more than a year ago that we met Teddi. She came to SAFE as part of a large Animal Control seizure situation involving six neglected horses, and it was clear from the start that Teddi had had a pretty rough go of it. Her eyes were full of sadness. She seemed to believe that no one would ever love her, or treat her with kindness. Thankfully we were able to change Teddi’s mind…
New Video and Update: Kat
We have taken things slow with Kat since she returned to SAFE. First we needed to get her dental updated and put her on a weight gaining plan. She was not getting enough calories before coming back to Safe Harbor so Melinda, our Herd Health Manager, set up a plan to slowly introduce more food and calories for Kat. It took a few months to get to her ideal weight and we then were able to start…
Training Update: Asha
Dear Asha has come home to Safe Harbor and started her preparation for saddling. She is pretty troubled about things like the flag so I am working on getting her relaxed and hooked on to me. It takes her some time each workout to find peace with me and not overacting but each time gets a touch better. She is getting her girlish figure back after giving birth to her filly Pippi last fall. With an…
Video & Training Update: Kat
Kat has made a wonderful transformation since her return back to Safe Harbor earlier this year. She was pretty skinny when she came back so the first thing was to get her healthy. Melinda, our Herd Health Manager, set up a refeeding plan to increase her calories. We also tested her for Cushings which luckily came back negative. It took a few months for her to look like her old self but soon her…
Pasture Time for Millie
Millie has spent a great deal of her life in the company of her sire, Boss Hoss. Terry’s been helping her adjust to an independent life without her parent nearby. These videos are from Day 1 and Day 2 of Millie’s transition to a new life as an individual, learning to enjoy pasture time.
Millie Week 4
Things are Looking Up for Gunnar!
We have all fallen in love with Gunnar! This handsome half-Arabian is as sweet as they come. At the time of his intake we were told that he was 11 years old, but physically he looks like an older gentleman and his dental revealed teeth that look much older, as well. He is still stunning and sprightly, but you can tell that he’s not a spring chicken. The puzzle pieces all fell into place when we…
Tabitha has been adopted!
We are so pleased to announce the successful adoption of sweet Tabitha, now called Willa by her new family. This mare is in her element, loving long rides on the trails with her owner Alyssa and companionship of her retired 25-year-old draft mare, Ray. She has been busy on many adventures and Alyssa says she is impressed by how calm she was for the transition home. They are having a blast…
Just a Picture of Hickory and Fran
Pogo has been adopted!
Small but mighty Pogo has found a home! Julianne reached out to SAFE interested in adding this pint-size cutie to her family as a driving horse and family pet. She and her family came to meet him and were fully informed of his current behaviors and the progress he’d made, but that he still needed some work. Having some experience with manner training, Julianne took the lead and worked well with…
Training Update: Zoe
To give Zoe the best chance at finding a home, we decided to give her a few weeks of professional training with Nick Donohue. This time will allow her a few more life experiences and make her ready for a great home to adopt her. All the updates from Nick have been good. She already had a fairly good foundation but needed to find more acceptance of the leg and bridle. She also needed to find more…
Girl Scouts magically turn cookies into hay!
Girl Scout Troop 42212 of Redmond, WA visited Safe Harbor Stables when they were thinking about a nonprofit to support with their cookie sales and they fell in love with SAFE. To say these girls are enthusiastic about horses is an understatement. They enjoyed their tour of the farm and each girl had a chance to meet our darling Renee, who patiently accepted all of their pets and scratches. Each…
Dottie and Piper, Living the Good Life
Dottie and Piper are living it up at their foster home! They get to be friends with all kinds of farm animals, they have acres to roam and graze on, and they have a foster family who adores them. Piper is getting to be a big girl. She’ll be two years old in June and she is just about ready to come back to SAFE to further her education. Once Piper comes home, she’ll get started with groundwork,…
Alumni Update: Rhythm
Rhythm became a SAFE horse back in 2010, surrendered into our care because of a life-threatening injury caused by barbed wire. His adopter Hillary gave us this update on her boy recently: The first photo is of the day I brought Rhythm home from SAFE, while the second is one of Rhythm just the other day. It’s hard to believe I have had this amazing horse for going on 10 years now. Thank you SAFE…
Alumni Update: Dusty
Climb on into the Wayback Machine because today we’re catching up with a horse that was adopted from SAFE in 2010. Dusty came to SAFE as part of an animal cruelty case when he was a young stallion — just look at him now! His adopter Beth A had this to report: A couple of old dogs learning new tricks! I adopted Dusty from SAFE in 2010, he’s 19 now. A few months back, I told my trainer that…
Cameo Video May 2019
Millie Week 2
Luna Starts Work
Luna will be heading to training this summer to be started under saddle. She is currently getting in shape and working on preparation to be saddled. This beautiful athletic mare will be available for adoption after she is started. She is a sensitive and smart girl who at this time will do best in a home with a professional or experienced rider who has experience with young and green horses.…
May Volunteers of the Month: Scott Bailey and André Cabrera
Scott Bailey, Horsemanship volunteer and more! Scott Bailey can be in jeans saddling up his favorite horse Justin one day, and waltz into the Heart of the Horse auction looking dapper in a suit the next. Scott mainly works horses in the Horsemanship program now, but he started on a chore shift and has spent plenty of time cleaning stalls. In addition, he is always eager to pitch in and help when…
Alumni Update: Biscotti
Biscotti was born at SAFE way back in 2008. At age 10, he’s fulfilling all his promise as a wonderful riding horse for the daughter of his adopter, Tracy. Here are some photos she shared with us:
Alumni Update: Bucky B Lucky
It gives us great pride to share that SAFE alum Bucky B Lucky, now known as Lorenzo, and his adopter Ruth Geppert-Jelinek were named Champions of the English 18 & up division for the 2018–2019 Donida Farm English/Western Schooling Show Series. The pair were also awarded the Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Incentive Program series Reserve Championship for the season! Great work as always, you two!…
The Cutest Little Bunnies!
Sunny and Shasta got dressed up for their annual appearance at the Frank Lumber Easter Party! SAFE is grateful to Laurel and John at Frank Lumber for their many years of support!
Millie’s First Video 4/26/2019
Welcome, Millie and Hoss!
The latest additions to the SAFE herd are a pair of Arab horses who were surrendered to SAFE after their owner suffered a stroke and could no longer care for them. Boss Hoss is a 20 year old pinto Arab stallion, and Millie is his 11 year old daughter. The two are in reasonable shape, but they were living hard prior to their rescue. Hoss is a little thin, and his dropped pasterns are a concern to…
Three Weaned Babies
It took some work and a fair amount of brainstorming, but we weaned all three babies over the course of about a week and a half. First Nova, then Rae, and finally Pippi. Even though Pippi is two months older than Nova and Rae, we opted to wean her last based on herd dynamics, the personalities of all the mares involved, and space available. Each of the weanings was relatively…
Slim’s Metamorphosis
It’s been a little over a month since we took in this handsome draft horse and his friends. Slim has been fun to get to know (spoiler alert: he’s pretty great). He came in underweight, scruffy, matted, and covered in rain rot. But with TLC and elbow grease, he’s blossoming into a beautiful Belgian. Since arriving at SAFE, Slim has gained back most of the weight that he needed to be at a normal…
