Good News about Phoenix!
We are excited as to how well Phoenix’s recovery has progressed! We are now riding him daily for about 45 mins of walk and trot work along straight lines, and he has remained sound through it all! Our next steps include introducing turnout in a small pasture; trotting around the entire arena (up to 1–3 laps with walk breaks); cantering along straight lines, and in 3–4 weeks, large circles! After…
Video: Lucky Under Saddle
Lucky is going beautifully under saddle! He has strengthened over his top line and built up a good amount of muscle over his back. He is holding a nice self carriage and has an easy walk, trot, and canter. Lucky is ready to show First Level dressage this year and and with the right rider could begin schooling Second Level movements. He still needs some strengthening to hold himself through the…
New shoes for Cameo
We have been working with farrier Jake Cowden to help Cameo’s club foot by adding shoes. We’ve been making very slow and subtle changes to her hooves, but already we are seeing signs of improvement. She is striding better in the front with lots more toe flip instead of jamming her right front into the dirt. She continues to become more calm and relaxed. As Cameo becomes more balanced and feels…
Finn, Making Progress
I have been riding Finn for about a month now. He is a gentleman for tacking up, he stands for mounting and dismounting, walks off and halts when asked and yields his hindquarters and shoulders from both the leg or guiding reins. He is comfortable at the walk but has some hesitation when asked to trot. We have been working to get him sound and comfortable and we have found that the shoeing…
Ben has a sweet spot…
…and Steph knows right where it is! This is a happy horse. Ben is steadily gaining weight and winning the hearts of our volunteers! He is a sweet boy and very smart and willing to work. We are just lightly working him at liberty and adding a little bit of groundwork off the rope halter. He needs to gain more weight before we can ask much of him but for right now we are working on simple…
January Volunteer of the Month: Lisa Garr!
Congratulations to our first Volunteer of the Month for 2015…Lisa Garr!! Lisa began volunteering in February of last year, starting with a weekly chore shift and then promptly added a second shift. It wasn’t too long before Terry saw what an asset Lisa could be for the SAFE team. Lisa soon became a Barn Assistant for Terry to help with all sorts of projects around the barn, including grooming…
A rough month for Lola…
Lola has had a difficult month. She was becoming sour to work at the trot and canter about 4 weeks ago and we starting to question the saddle fit, other things that might be causing her discomfort and possible behavioral issues. She had been going so well this change in work ethic was very frustrating and confusing. A week ago she showed signs of pain in her front right hoof. We had the vet test…
Bridgit training update from Kim Lacy
From trainer Kim Lacy: “Bridgit is doing well. She’s very sensible, she just has a lot of energy. Now that we are doing more “work” she is better focused. The biggest issue with her right now is she is pretty weak in her hind end and over her back and she does get sore easily. So I have to be careful. She also trips a lot and has a bit of a hard time balancing a rider. I keep her rides short and…
Kai Update
Kai is doing wonderful for both his riding work and behavior. He is getting to spend a few nights a week in the arena for turnout which has been great for his energy level and training rides. We are working right now to clear up some thrush in his front feet. Wet weather and thoroughbred feet are always a tough combination but we are staying on top of it and getting it cleared up. He is being a…
Video: Nala in hand and under saddle
Karma Liberty Work video
Karma and Terry have been working together at liberty since Karma’s rescue. If you recall, when she came to SAFE, Karma didn’t want to have much of anything to go with anybody. Working with her at liberty, Terry has established a beautiful bond with Karma and is showing her that a good relationship with humans is possible for her. As trainer Laura M put it so well, “Those two have a really great…
Emmy Under Saddle Video
Here is the lovely miss Emmy working under saddle with SAFE volunteer rider Steph W. Does she look to you like a fun horse to ride? She must be because everyone who rides her says they never want to climb off her! What a beauty!
Lovely Karma
Here are some recent photos of our girl Karma, who continues to make phenomenal progress in partnership with Terry. In the under saddle photos you might notice that there is some string tied around Karma’s nose…Terry explains, “That string holds the bit up in Karma’s mouth. Karma was extremely abused before coming to SAFE. She has many issues and she still carries a lot of her stress in her…
Pretty Cameo
Video: Ben at Liberty
Skittles and volunteer rider Erika
Introducing the 2015 SAFE Board of Directors
First off, I want to thank all of our supporters and volunteers for making 2014 an amazing, incredible year for SAFE. We are finishing the year in such a strong, healthy place, and we truly did it as a Team. I am so proud of this organization and what we have been able to accomplish together! There are some exciting changes taking place at SAFE in 2015 to be announced over the next few days. I’d…
Rocky Update!
Thank you to Rocky’s wonderful foster mom Kellie for this update on our boy! Rocky is gaining weight, as evidence by the picture (somewhat) and his medium blanket (which is now very tight). He is eating about 3+ flakes of hay at day. (We just keeping putting more in front of him, so, free access to hay). Mainly Timothy with whatever Alfalfa/orchard grass mix he will eat. He seems to prefer…
2014 Volunteer of the Year: Ann Amort
At the end of every year, SAFE looks back at all the great volunteers and has to make the difficult decision of who to recognize as Volunteer of the Year. We have so many people that give their time, energy, love, compassion, and support to SAFE. This past year we had one person that really stood out. Please celebrate with us in honoring Ann Amort as 2014 Volunteer of the Year! Ann has been…
2014 Q4 Impact Statement
New Horses Intake Date: December 18, 2014 Ben (Pierce County Animal Control) Nala (Pierce County Animal Control) Placed Horses Strider Skye Euthanization None
More Nala photos
Ben has been identified…
We’ve checked Ben’s tattoo and discovered that he is a 2004 gelding named Babe Hoolihan, bred in Washington state, and raced twice as a three year old. (He came in dead last in both races, so obviously horse racing didn’t suit him.) In 2009, he was rescued from an abusive situation in South Pierce County in which he was being beaten and starved. He was rehomed shortly thereafter to an individual…
Nala Intake Photos
We picked Nala up today from the Pierce Co Animal Control holding barn. She loaded into the trailer without a fuss, and made the successful trip to Poulsbo where she will begin working immediately with trainer Matt Olson. Here are her intake photos, along with video of Matt working with her after her arrival at Sandamar Farm.
Ben at Safe Harbor
Ben arrived safely at Safe Harbor Stables and Terry & Laura spent some time with him, getting him cleaned up and taking photos. As we suspected, this guy is a sweetheart!
Ben Intake Photos
We picked up Ben today from Pierce County Animal Control. He’s a 12 year old Thoroughbred gelding, tall, chestnut, with a blaze and one hind sock. He was picked up by Animal Control after a pizza delivery driver found him running down the road — he was in pitifully thin condition with a BCS of 1.5. He’s been in AC custody since August and has made a decent recovery, but he still need to gain…
Thank you Pilchuck Vet Hospital!
Over the course of the past year, SAFE has been extremely fortunate to have received donated veterinary services from Pilchuck Veterinary Equine Hospital. Their expertise and generosity has made it possible for us to perform diagnostic work on horses that we wouldn’t have been able to afford—or even justify—without their help. It’s hard to sufficiently express what an honor it is to have the…
The Paddock Paradise Project
Turnout. Every horse owner wants to provide more of it, but that’s often easier said than done. Land is expensive, and here in the Pacific Northwest, our winters and our horses can turn a lovely pasture to mud faster than you can say “What happened to my lovely pasture?!” Here at Safe Harbor Stables, we struggle with the same issues…we have 12 horses in residence at any given time, and limited…
SAFE Values Statement
SAFE is currently going through an exciting period of development and growth, and as a result, we’ve had the opportunity to take a closer look at who we are and why we choose to do the things that we do. Having defined these values for ourselves, it seemed to make good sense to share them with the people who support our mission and make our work possible. The resulting document — our Values…
Owen Training Update
Owen’s work under saddle with trainer Matt Olson is proceeding right on schedule…our curly boy is now walking, trotting, and cantering with a rider. If you’ve been following Owen’s story, you’ll know that we’ve all been a bit surprised at how well he’s done in his training…almost “too well” if you can believe that… So it’s actually been somewhat of a relief to us that Owen has started to…
November Volunteer of the Month: Karen Wegehenkel
The SAFE horses are all beautiful in their own way, and no one has done more to convey and share that beauty than equine photographer Karen Wegehenkel. Karen’s photographs are so beautiful, in fact, that it might surprise you to learn that this professional equine photographer donates her sessions and her work to our organization on a regular basis! We met Karen in 2011, and not long after, she…
