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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Riding Out with Artie
Artie has spent a great amount of time under saddle recently, and while he has been on the occasional traipse around the property, he had yet to explore the big wide world… until now! We at SAFE are lucky enough to be situated beside a park, which means we…
July Volunteer of the Month: Amy Quackenbush
Congratulations to our July Volunteer of the Month, Amy! It’s a joy to have Amy at the barn, she always greets you with a smile and her passion for SAFE is infectious. She started out on the Thursday AM team, but quickly started filling in on her other “day off”…
Joel Conner Horsemanship Clinic
October 25–27
More info >
Holiday Open House and Craft Sale
Dec 8 from 12–3pm
More info >
November Clinic Report: Pepper
Candi K has worked with Pepper since her return to SAFE, and has the following to say about their time spent together, specifically about their time in the riding portion of the November Joel Conner Clinic: “Who doesn’t love a little spice in their life? Pepper…
November Clinic Report: Scotty
Kaya M rode Scotty in his first Joel Conner Clinic this past November, and has the following to say about their rides together: “Scotty really proved that he’s a confident and capable riding horse this weekend! I’d only ridden him a couple times out in the big arena,…
November Clinic Report: Bijou
Sara H worked alongside Bijou in the groundwork sessions in the November Joel Conner Clinic, and had the following to say about their time together!: “Who says old horses can’t learn new tricks? Bijou is a sweet and sensitive old gal who recently spent several days…
November Clinic Report: Frosting, Wren, Veronica, Artie, Esme
We finished off 2023’s training program horsemanship clinics on a high note. The incredible dedicated volunteers were like a well-oiled machine over the intensive five days. Wednesday and Thursday, we got our hands on 21 SAFE horses! From the barely haltered to those…
November Clinic Report: Sienna
Sue C worked with Sienna during the November Joel Conner clinic, and has the following to say about their experience together: “The lovely and sage Sienna was my groundwork partner for the November 2023 Joel Conner clinic. Sienna is a kind, experienced mare who is…
Alumni Update: Lucca
Lucca and her adopter, Jane M., enjoyed trail riding this fall. Here, Lucca and Jane took a couple laps through Farrel-McWhirter Park before the rain. 10/15/23