October 2024: Manny (along with his pal Diego) has been adopted!
Isn't this just the picture of happiness?!! It's true! And it shows on everyone's faces. Diego and Manny were once neglected and lonely -- emaciated and infested. But during their time with us, each day, they grew healthier and happier, their trust in humans restored. And now they've found their forever home -- TOGETHER! -- with Connie and Jeff. Seeing them thriving is truly heartwarming. This isn't just an adoption...it's the story of lives reborn.
Manny is a 28-year-old Quarterhorse-type gelding who came to us (along with his pal, Diego) through a law enforcement seizure. Manny was emaciated at 1 of 9 on the body condition scale, infested with lice and hadn't seen a farrier in quite some time.
Despite all that, Manny is a very sweet horse and easy to handle. He is steadily gaining weight and doing well, following his foster mom around like a little puppy. We've dealt with his lice infestation, much to his relief! He has also had a pedicure and will soon have a much-needed dental float.
September 2024: Now this sweet and gentle boy is ready to find a home who will give him the love and care he deserves.
October 2024: Diego (along with his pal Manny) has been adopted!
Isn't this just the picture of happiness?!! It's true! And it shows on everyone's faces. Diego and Manny were once neglected and lonely -- emaciated and infested. But during their time with us, each day, they grew healthier and happier, their trust in humans restored. And now they've found their forever home -- TOGETHER! -- with Connie and Jeff. Seeing them thriving is truly heartwarming. This isn't just an adoption...it's the story of lives reborn.
Diego, a 24-year-old gelding, came to us through animal control, along with his pal Manny. Diego was a 3 of 9 on the body condition scale, was badly in need of a farrier appointment, and was infested with lice. Fortunately, he's now putting on weight, has had a proper pedicure and we've dealt with that infestation.
Diego is part Arab, and looks like he could have some draft in him. His feet are large for his size, and he has quite a bit of feathering. He is well-mannered and easy to handle. We think he has had a fair amount of training in the past.
Next up for this sweet boy--a dental float.
October 2024: Diego (along with his pal Manny) has been adopted and is currently with us while his new owners prepare his new digs.
UPDATE 12/12/2024: Maisy's journey has finally led her to her perfect furever home! This sweet girl was first discovered wandering the roads of Skagit County all by lonesome. Although we searched for her original family, no one came forward to claim this precious wanderer.
While Maisy found her first adoptive home, it became clear that something was missing in her life - other woolly friends! Being the social butterfly she is, she thrives on both human attention AND sheep companionship. She came back to us in search of the best of both worlds.
Initially thought to be a Babydoll sheep, Bo-Peep just kept growing! Though her exact breed remains a mystery, one thing's for certain - her personality is as big as her heart. She's never met a human or sheep she didn't want to befriend!
We're overjoyed to announce that Maisy has found her true forever home with Laura and Owen (on the left in the people picture, along with Ellen of New Moon Farm Sanctuary who was a huge support fostering this cutie), where she has not just one or two, but NINE new sheep friends to socialize with! Her days of feeling lonely are officially over as she settles into her new flock, getting all the human love and sheep companionship she could ever want.
Here's to Maisy and her wonderful new family! May her days be filled with green pastures, friendly bleats, and lots of love! 🐑💕
UPDATE 11/4/2024: Bo-Peep (aka Maisy) is back here with us at SAIN. It turns out she was pretty lonely at her new home without any other sheep friends. She's super social and loves human companionship, but also needs some ovine companionship.
It was originally thought she was a Babydoll sheep. But she's grown so much -- it's clear she's not a Babydoll. We don't know her breed, but we do know she's as sweet and cute as can be.
UPDATE: Bo-Peep has been adopted as of 5/10/2024.
Meet Bo-Peep, the little lost Babydoll sheep. She was found wandering out in the county and we believe she is a Babydoll breed. She is between 40-50 pounds and is sweet as can be. She loves people, especially children, and is friendly toward other animals including dogs.
We need to have her assessed by a veterinarian to see if there's anything we need to address before making her adoptable. We'll keep everyone posted!
ADOPTED 9/4/2023: We truly think Rose has found the perfect home. We had so many serious applications for Rose even before we had officially re-assessed her that we never even changed her status to Adoptable. We are confident that Rose has found the best possible how home: Kristy was alerted to Rose by the trainer who we had working with Rose back in the early days of Rose and SAIN. It's been wonderful to have Rose back with us ever-so-briefly, to clean her stall while she's all in your business with her cute curiosity, but it's so much better to know she's off to a great new home.
July 21, 2023: We love Rose to pieces -- she's one of our all-time favorite SAIN horses. But this sweet gal has hit some bad luck when it comes to adoptions. You can read her history below. Her first adopter wound up having a serious accident that left her unable to care for Rose. Then her second adopter had another mare who didn't get along with Rose. They tried and tried to work it out, but no luck.
So 8-year old Rose is back with SAIN and we're grateful that she came back to us. As we always do, we're having Rose assessed physically (she's a wee bit on the chunky side) and behaviorally before we list her as adoptable.
Rose's History
Rose was foaled on May 24, 2015 in Washington, but is offspring of horses from the reservation in Windowrock, AZ. She originally came to us when she was released to Skagit County Animal Control on 11/6/2018 along with Othello and had a body condition score of 2/9 and overgrown hooves. She was always a sweet and curious little mare. After regaining a healthy weight in foster care, we put her in training and she proved herself to be calm and confident, with an amazing heart. We were overjoyed when Rose was adopted in early 2020.
However, she came back to us in 2022 after 2 1/2 years. Unfortunately, her adopter had a serious accident which was interfering with her ability to care for Rose properly. We really appreciate her contacting us and letting us take Rose back in so we can find her another wonderful home.
Today is a magical day for our beautiful Shakira! This lovely Arabian mare with turns 21 years old AND has officially been adopted into her forever home with lucky Pryscilla & Morgen! After coming to SAIN in June 2023, Shakira has blossomed from a shy mare into a social girl who loves her people. Her transformation has been incredible -- from learning basic handling to mastering trailer loading. With royal bloodlines connected to the legendary Thee Desperado, this former broodmare is starting an exciting new chapter as a cherished companion.
Lovely Shakira is an Arab mare, one of two Arabs who came together to SAIN on June 16, 2023. She and Khalil were both born on their prior owner's property and have lived their entire lives there. We are told she is about 19 and was a broodmare. Neither had seen a vet or farrier on a very long time. As far as we know, she was never started under saddle.
This Arab mare is putting on weight and looking good. Best of all, she's becoming more relaxed and friendly and enjoys attention. We've had a trainer working with both Khalil and Shakira, gettting them reacquainted with picking up their feet in preparation for their first farrier appointment in some time and -- success! -- the appointment went great.
January 2024 Update: Shakira has become quite snuggly since coming into our care, and is currently in training for basic handling and trailer loading.
Once this Arab mare has learned a few more life skills, she will be available for adoption as a companion/pasture pet.
March 2024 Update: Well, she'd done it! Shakira has learned to load and ride in the trailer, so she's ready to find her forever home as a companion horse/pasture pet.
We recently received new information about Shakira’s history, including her registration information. She
is registered as Bahijah, and was foaled on 4/6/04. Her last foal, Buckminster Bey, was born in 2018,
and is currently owned by Sanoma Blakeley, who is the youngest female to with the Tevis Cup (at age
18, in 2019), which is a one-day 100 mile endurance ride through the Sierras. Shakira’s dam was also
Khalil’s granddam, making him her nephew. Shakira’s sire’s sire was Thee Desperado, an influential
Straight Egyptian Arabian sire whose portrait was made into a Breyer model.
September 2024: Shakira is currently in a foster-to-adopt placement!
Thumper was adopted on November 19, 2023, along with his pal Blackjack!
They are living with two goats Leo (a SAIN alumnus) and Frank.
Can you imagine what this guy has seen in his long life? Thumper is a spunky senior Arab who came to us as one of a bonded pair. His pal is Blackjack. Thumper and Blackjack found themselves in a situation where circumstances conspired to make it increasingly difficult for their caretaker to provide what they needed.
Thumper is a little on the thin side (3/9 on the body condition scale). He also needs a dental and we are working on getting that scheduled. He was little more difficult for the farrier, but he's getting better with it. He has some rain rot, a pretty good bone spavin on his right hind inside hock and only one baby melanoma under his tail. Like Blackjack, he has been vaccinated and dewormed. Bloodwork and
fecal both came back good.
UPDATE 6/12/2023: Thumper had a much-needed dental that took care of a variety of issues that must have been painful for him. We expect he will be much more comfortable eating and will gain weight more easily now with a soft diet given his well-worn teeth.
UPDATE 8/7/2023: Thumper is at a good weight now that his teeth were fixed. This older gentleman is now ready to find a forever home. He's right about 30 years old but has that Arab spark and beauty and will make a good companion horse despite his age.
Blackjack was adopted on November 19, 2023, along with his pal Thumper!
They are living with two goats Leo (a SAIN alumnus) and Frank.
Do you feel a draft? 😉 Blackjack is a handsome, lovely senior Shire who came to us as one of a bonded pair. His pal is Thumper the Arab. Blackjack and Thumper found themselves in a situation where circumstances conspired to make it increasingly difficult for their caretaker to provide what they needed.
Blackjack's weight is good and he's generally in good condition, likely about 20 years old. He was in need of some good farrier care and he's been really good for his pedicure appointments. He has some sharp points on his teeth and we're working on getting a dental scheduled for him. Like Blackjack, he has been vaccinated and dewormed. Bloodwork and fecal both came back good.
UPDATE 6/12/2023: Turns out Blackjack has heart condition that he's probably had for quite some time, so our vet felt it would be risky to sedate him for a dental. Otherwise, this majestic mister is doing well in foster care...so well that we'll be limiting his access to grass because he has become, to quote the vet, "rather fluffy." 🙂
UPDATE 8/7/2023: This handsome fella is available for adoption as a companion horse. He's truly a gentle giant! Because he went without hoof care for a long time, we're still working on his toe cracks and that's something that his forever home farrier will need to continue to work with.
UPDATE 7/21/2023: Thelma and Louise went to their forever home today! These sweet gal goats have been with us just a short time (you can read their story below), but we sure are fond of them! Louise was in very bad shape when they came to us and had to have a complete mastectomy, but she recovered and they both are happy, healthy and home now. Big thanks to Ellen at New Moon Farm Sanctuary who fostered these lovely ladies for us -- they were in great hands for their recovery. Her goat expertise was key in ensuring Thelma and Louise made it all the way to adoptable.
Thelma and Louise are a sweet bonded pair of Oberhasli goats that were living in a filthy garage, full of broken glass until a kind and caring citizen rescued them. It turned out these goats needed more care than the kind person who took them in could provide -- they clearly hadn't been properly cared for. Louise has a very infected udder which may need to be removed or will cause chronic pain and infection. The infection has also caused her to lose some hair in patches, but it's already begun to heal since we've started treatment. They are receiving excellent foster care from our friends at New Moon Farm for now, but once they are healthy we will need a permanent home for them!
UPDATE: 5/09/2023 Louise wound up having her mastectomy yesterday and she seems to be doing well. It was a pretty extensive surgery, taking 2 hours, and she needed a pint of blood from a donor goat. She was up and walking around today. Once these two lovelies are all well, we'll be looking for a home for them.
UPDATE: 6/12/2023: Thelma is doing really well. Louise is making good progress in her recovery from surgery. These lovely ladies should be all healthy and ready for adoption in a few weeks.
UPDATE 7/8/2023: Louise is all healed up! Both of these great ladies are healthy and ready for adoption! We'd really prefer these two go to a new home together since they are bonded. Louise is the social butterfly (probably due to her having been handled so much for her surgery and post-op care). Thelma is a bit more reserved. But hey, that's why they make chocolate and vanilla.
November 2024: After everything he's been through, Hopper has finally found his forever home - right where he's been all along! 
This is the kind of happiness your support makes possible, so thank you!
This sweet Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse came to us as part of the Graham 27 seizure, one of many neglected horses and a little on the older side. But his foster mom Janiece forged a special connection with this special soul. Day by day, this handsome boy with the natural gaited stride worked his magic... and what started as a temporary shelter became so much more.
Now, Hopper's foster journey has become a "foster fail" of the very best kind. His foster mom couldn't bear to let this special 20-year-old gentleman go, and honestly, who could blame her? Despite his rough past and need for daily Cushings medication, Hopper's loving spirit and friendly nature shine through...not to mention his love of a good trail ride.
Sometimes the perfect match is right in front of you. Congratulations to Hopper and his new forever mom -- here's to many years of happy trails ahead! 
Handsome Hopper came to us from Save a Forgotten Equine (SAFE). This Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse gelding was part of the Graham 27 horse Pierce County Animal Control seizure in November of 2022. We have great admiration for SAFE and have been partnering with with them in horse rescue when we have capacity.
Hopper is approximately 20 years old and 14.2 hands. He sure doesn't seem to have let his run of bad-owner-luck get him down. He's quite adorable, sweet, and friendly. Social and inquisitive, he's always interested in making new friends.
His natural second gear is set to gait rather than trot. This easy-going guy has been diagnosed with Cushings, so he needs daily medication combined with a low sugar/starch diet.
September 2024: Hopper is now in a foster to adopt placement!
After two years of patient rehabilitation and unwavering dedication from his rescue team, Thor, a beautiful Swiss Shepherd with a heartbreaking past, finally found his forever home. His story is a testament to the power of persistence, compassion, and the belief that every dog deserves a chance at happiness – no matter how long the journey may be.
Thor's life began in the shadows of cruelty. He was one of over 100 dogs rescued from a devastating puppy mill situation in Skagit County, where he and another Swiss Shepherd, Frigg, endured some of the worst conditions imaginable. Confined to a windowless outbuilding without proper ventilation, adequate food, or any form of socialization, Thor's early life was marked by severe neglect and isolation.
When Thor first came into rescue care, he was essentially feral – a dog who had never known human kindness. SAIN rescue stepped in following the initial work of the Humane Society of Skagit Valley, providing Thor with everything he needed: a safe foster home, proper nutrition, veterinary care, and most importantly, infinite patience and love.
What makes Thor's story particularly powerful is not just his progress, but the dedication of those who stood by him when others might have given up. His journey reminds us that healing from trauma isn't about quick fixes – it's about slow, steady progress built on a foundation of trust, security, and unconditional love.
Thor's rehabilitation required extraordinary patience. From learning basic trust to mastering simple commands, each small step forward was a victory. While some may have seen a dog too damaged by his past, his rescue team saw a resilient spirit worthy of however long it might take to help him heal.
Today, Thor's story enters its brightest chapter yet. The once-frightened mill dog who couldn't bear human touch is now exploring his new home with growing confidence. While his journey of healing continues, he's now doing it in a place he can truly call his own, with people committed to supporting his continued growth.
Thor's story serves as a powerful reminder: when we refuse to give up on animals who have experienced severe trauma, amazing transformations are possible. It just takes time, dedication, and the understanding that every dog deserves a chance at happiness – no matter how long that journey might be.
Frigg is one of two Swiss Shepherds (along with Thor) who come to our rescue from the recent puppy mill seizure of more than 100 dogs here in Skagit County. Thor and Frigg are males. They are thought to be between 1 and 2 years old. These beautiful dogs were in the worst of that terrible situation of cruelty and neglect, kept essentially in solitary confinement: an outbuilding with no windows, air conditioning or ventilation without proper food and certainly without even meager socialization or love. The woman responsible has been charged with felony animal cruelty in the first degree.
Frigg and Thor have been receiving diligent care and rehabbing slowly, carefully re-entering a better world. But they are scared and it's slow going. So SAIN is stepping in on the heels of the work done by the Humane Society of Skagit Valley. We are providing safe, patient, loving foster homes and all the food and veterinary care these dogs need while they learn to trust humans first, and then move on to the other things dogs need to be good companions, like training. Since they have been getting proper nutrition, they have started to put on weight and were both recently neutered.
Watch the video below...It makes us tear up every dang time. When he first came to rescue, he was essentially feral and wouldn't come near humans at all. To see this much progress, where he will take a treat from the hand of his foster mom while she is in his space...wow. That's remarkable progress. We have a lot of hope for Frigg!
We will support Frigg and Thor for as long as it takes. We anticipate that these dogs will be in rehabilitation for quite some time.
UPDATE: 3/11/2023 -- Frigg is making great strides and his true, happy self is emerging!
Read this update from his foster home.
Learning to Play
Over the last few weeks, Frigg has both taught us a lot about himself and has made great strides of his own in learning how to be a social participant. He has shown us how incredibly social of a dog he is, as well as how graceful and intuitive he is with both our big and little dogs. We started letting our big dog Terra into the kennel with him a few weeks ago because they were about to go crazy if they couldn’t play already! This has gone wonderfully. He wants very badly to know how to interact, not just with her but with us as well. He is still putting the pieces together of how to do that but he observes each moment thoughtfully and is constantly evolving.
Accepting More Human Interaction
Through play time with Terra we realized that he will happily interact with us in a way he hadn’t before. Though he has been eating most of his meals from our hands for several months now, it has seemed functional and robotic like he is just willing to do what he has to do to get fed. He lets us tickle his chin and rub his nose a bit when he eats but only to the end goal of eating his food. We now have realized, though, that the way to his heart is through play. What a happy boy!! When we play with him and Terra he lets us touch him more, he catches snowballs out of the air when we throw them, and he has even started tugging at the rope toy when we offer it to him. His whole demeanor changes. It has been a joy to watch him come out of his shell this way.
Coming Inside
Recently we were able to put up a covered chute from his kennel to the house, which doubles as a play area. It is covered with a net because we were told he has a history of climbing fences, though we haven’t seen him try to do that here. This covered area greatly expands the outdoor space he has access to and allows him to go in and out of the downstairs of our house via a window and custom ramp. The day we first got this up, he got to run for more than four strides in a straight line for the first time in his life. The look on his face made us all cry. He was so happy and eventually, when offered, he came inside after a few nervous tries, had his dinner, and spent the night intermittently crashed out after the biggest play day of his life and peeking in on us cuddled up with his best friend Terra in the downstairs bedroom (we left the door open so he could check things out). He has slept inside the last 6 nights, has already potty pad trained himself, and we believe he is well on his way towards being fully house trained (2 nights accident free now!).
He has also been hanging out with our two little dogs (one of whom is from the same place that he came from). He absolutely loves them and is so gentle and respectful with them. We have been so happy to see that who he expressed himself to be over the last few months is, in fact, his true nature…the gentlest, sweetest, playful big boy, just trying to find his place in this world.
You can check out Frigg's Instagram account here: https://instagram.com/lil_frigg?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
UPDATE 4/21/2023: You probably saw this coming! Frigg's foster parents have made him their permanent pup! We couldn't be happier. 🙂
11/17/2022: Lilly is a chestnut Quarter horse type mare with a body condition score of 3 of 9, which means she is thin but not emaciated. She is one of our Golden Girls -- likely 28-32 years old, based on her dentition, though our vet did say she could have prematurely worn teeth. So far, she seems to be a calm, friendly, sweet mare with a very boop-able nose!
We have been collaborating lately with Save a Forgotten Equine (SAFE) and she came to us through SAFE, where she wound up with her gelding friend Declan when their family's circumstances made it difficult for them to care for the horses. She has been a broodmare in the past, and has not been ridden since she reportedly bucked someone off 13 years ago. SAFE had her evaluated by their vet. Bloodwork was fairly normal, she was dewormed and dusted for lice (precautionary). She will be seen by a farrier shortly. She will have her vaccines and dental float at the end of the month, giving her the opportunity to put on some weight.
We are just getting to know more about Miss Lilly while she's in foster care. We will post more details soon.
January 6, 2023: Lilly is now at a healthy weight and is up-to-date on her vaccinations and dental...and that means she's ready to find her new home. Given her age, Lilly's not going to be a rider, but she's such a sweet girl, she'll make a fantabulous companion horse. And that nose!! You'll be wanting to give that sweet schnozz a pet every time you walk past her. It makes us smile every single time.
May 25, 2023: Lilly was adopted and went on the ferry to live at her new home on Guemes Island!
Rusty is a pet-quality kunekune type boar who came to SAIN with several other pigs. All of the pigs were all moderately to severely underweight and in need of deworming and veterinary care to address a variety of issues. Rusty has been in good hands at his foster home. He's all healthy, out of the ol' procreation game, and ready for a new home. game.
Kunekune pigs stand roughly 24 in tall. An adult Kunekune can weigh between 130 and 440 lb. They have a docile, sociable nature and are frequently kept as pets. Their short, upturned snouts discourage rooting, and they do not challenge fences.
Roger is a pet-quality kunekune type boar who came to SAIN with several other pigs. All of the pigs were all moderately to severely underweight and in need of deworming and veterinary care to address a variety of issues. Roger has been in good hands at his foster home. He's all healthy, out of the ol' procreation game, and ready for a new home. game.
Kunekune pigs stand roughly 24 in tall. An adult Kunekune can weigh between 130 and 440 lb. They have a docile, sociable nature and are frequently kept as pets. Their short, upturned snouts discourage rooting, and they do not challenge fences.
Warrior was adopted by a loving family in October 2022!
Warrior's Story: Warrior is a young male pet-quality kunekune type pig. His mama was pregnant when she came to our rescue along with several boars and sows. As you can see, Warrior is hardly a pig "let" anymore. He has been growing impressively and was recently castrated.
Kunekune pigs stand roughly 24 in tall. An adult Kunekune can weigh between 130 and 440 lb. They have a docile, sociable nature and are frequently kept as pets. Their short, upturned snouts discourage rooting, and they do not challenge fences.
Jasper was adopted by a loving family in October 2022!
Jasper's Story: Jasper is a young male pet-quality kunekune type pig. His mama was pregnant when she came to our rescue along with several boars and sows. As you can see, Jasper is hardly a pig "let" anymore. He has been growing impressively and was recently castrated.
Kunekune pigs stand roughly 24 in tall. An adult Kunekune can weigh between 130 and 440 lb. They have a docile, sociable nature and are frequently kept as pets. Their short, upturned snouts discourage rooting, and they do not challenge fences.
Thor was with us for just over a year before finding his forever home. He continues to enjoy his loving home where they appreciate his big, goofy nature. Thor is a true SAIN Success Story!
Thor was in rough shape when he came to SAIN in 2017. He is a beautiful black Quarter Horse gelding foaled approximately in 1999, measuring 14.3 hands. He was seized by Skagit County Animal Control in September of 2017 along with Betty, Frank, Einstein, and Junior. Thor had overgrown feet, many bot eggs, thrush, and a body condition score of 3-/9. The previous owner petitioned to attempt to gain custody back, but the courts awarded Thor to Skagit County.
Patient, calm, and steady as she goes.
Gracie is an 18-year old buckskin Quarter horse mare with four black socks and tips on her ears. She stands at 15 hands and weighs 1300 pounds. Gracie came to us with her stablemate, Forest (a former SAIN horse) whose owner is dealing with a serious ongoing health crisis.
HEALTH: Gracie is up-to-date on all vet care and has had no notable medical issues.
EXPERIENCE & BEHAVIOR: Gracie is described as a calm, slow, patient trail horse who is good with kids and inexperienced riders. She is not a fast horse and dislikes galloping. You might even call this lady a wee bit lazy -- she's solid, but just not going to take you on a thrill ride. She loads into a trailer easily and is easy to catch.
Gracie quickly found a new home and was adopted on 5/8/2022!
These mostly pet-quality kune-kune type sows came to SAIN (along with 5 boars, two other sows and 6 piglets). All of the pigs were all moderately to severely underweight and in need of deworming and veterinary care to address a variety of issues. These gals are currently in good hands in foster care where they are convalescing to regain weight and health.
By March, these gals had regained their health. They have now been adopted!
These friendly, pet-quality kunekune type boars came to SAIN (along with 5 sows and 6 piglets) and two other boars, Roger and Rusty. All of the pigs were all moderately to severely underweight and in need of deworming and veterinary care to address a variety of issues. Once they had their first vet appointment, we took care of a few issues and they are no longer in the procreation game.
They have now gone on to a happy new home!
These sows came to SAIN (along with 5 boars and 3 other sows). All of the pigs were all moderately to severely underweight and in need of deworming and veterinary care to address a variety of issues. These gals are currently in good hands in foster care where they are convalescing to regain weight and health.
Peggy is still being super protective mama, but the piglets are definitely growing!
None of these girls is available for adoption yet, but they probably will be soon. If you're interested, you could get started on your application for adoption here.
Update 5/8/2022: Peggy and Peppa have been adopted.
These gals are a bonded pair of donkeys who were removed from their home because their former owner was not caring for them properly. You know the Body Condition Scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being emaciated? These two were at a 9. They needed their teeth floated and had some foot issues related to neglect. So we'll be working with them in foster care to get them healthy and sound.
Said to be in their 20s, they are very sweet gals who just need a little time to adjust to new people and surroundings. They did very well for their hoof trims (they were deemed angel donkeys, not demon donkeys, by our farrier), and have enjoyed getting some brushing and love from various people in their foster home. They are also becoming more vocal, which their foster mom finds pretty dang adorable.
Since they are so bonded, we'll be keeping them together in foster care. When they're in adoptable shape, we'll want them to be adopted together, as well.
UPDATE January 22, 2022: Lucy and Ethel have settled in nicely in their foster home. They aren't super happy with their low sugar hay, but it's really important for us to help them get to a healthy weight. It's hard to tell if we're moving the needle yet, but we certainly have a long way to go.
UPDATE June 21, 2022: Lucy and Ethel have made great progress and they're ready to find their forever home! Lucy has always been social but Ethel is coming out of her shell, too. She even enjoyed nice scratches from strangers during our recent Tack Sale event. They are at a healthy weight now but their adopter will still need to monitor their diet -- no turning these two loose on grass! And we did say "these two" because these ladies are bonded; they need to stay together.
UPDATE September 6, 2022: Lucy and Ethel are moving into a foster-to-adopt situation where we will support their care for a period of time. If all goes well, they will be adopted at the conclusion of the foster-to-adopt!
Cosmo was adopted December 16, 2022 after about a year with us here at SAIN. We're ecstatic that this sweet, lovely horse has found a forever home with Jeanine...just in time for Christmas!
This guy is adorable! Cosmo is a sweet and gentle 16-year-old Quarter horse type gelding. He was emaciated from lack of food, landing at about a 1.5 or 2 on the 1-9 body condition scale. As is the case with many neglected equines, he needed his feet done (which has happened). Once he has more weight on him and can be safely sedated, he'll need his teeth floated. Poor guy also has rain rot. He has been dewormed and received most of his vaccinations.
Now that he's in a safe and loving place, he just wants to be near his foster people. He is happy to be in a stall with food in front of him. He enjoys getting in a good roll and some nice rubs from his foster family. And he has the best manners! "When it was time to put him away, I didn’t even halter him; he just walked next to me back to his stall and went in as if he’s been here for months, not hours," his foster mom told us. "Then he nickered at me when I brought him his dinner. He is so sweet."
Cosmo has a long road to wellness in front of him. We'll certainly keep you updated on his progress.
UPDATE January 22, 2022: Cosmo has now been fully vaccinated and he's putting on weight at a reasonable pace. He is now fully vaccinated. Soon, he'll get his teeth floated and he really needs it. We can tell he's a bit uncomfortable.
UPDATE April 8, 2022: We are so excited to say that Cosmo has had his teeth floated and he's at a healthy weight. We're currently assessing him for riding, which means he'll soon be ready to find his forever home! We'll keep you posted!
Update May 8, 2022: Cosmo seems to be having a little lameness that we're in the process of evaluating. We're going to work on figuring that out and addressing it before he's ready for a new home. He's staying in his attentive foster home for now.
UPDATE August 2022: Cosmo is doing better! He is no longer footsore when standing and walking, but still a bit lame at the trot. We are so happy to see the improvement!
UPDATE September 6, 2022: Cosmo is now available for adoption as a companion horse! He has continued to improve and finally no longer looks lame. Had a new farrier out and he dug out the sub-solar abscess Cosmo had had in his right front. This big love of a horse is ready for his new home.
Well, this new resident with us is in foster care while he recovers from his neutering surgery. He was a stray so we don't know everything, he is probably a LaMancha cross, likely less than two years old. We are just beginning to evaluate him so he'll be in foster care until he's ready to be adopted. Leo is very active and likes to butt! Our vet estimates that he will get to approximately 70 lbs. He is currently a tad underweight (2.5/5 body condition score with 3-3.5/5 being ideal).
Update 4/7/2022: Leo's butting got him into a bit of a pickle. He got one of his horns caught somewhere and it tore completely off -- poor guy. It was pretty frightening to see, but our unicorn is healing up well. Has he learned a lesson? Too soon to know.
Update 5/8/2022: Leo's broken horn is growing back so he may not be a unicorn forever. But the best news is that he has been adopted by his foster mom!
Annie is an Appaloosa mare who was seized by Skagit County Animal Control on July 19, 2019. Annie had a body condition score of 3/9 and severely overgrown feet on intake. Her right ear is split and she has stringhalt, affecting her left hind leg. In rehab, she achieved a healthy weight and we got her up to date on her vaccines as well as dental and farrier care.
Annie was with us for about 15 months and found her forever home in November 2020.
Rusty and Olivia (who saved up and paid for his adoption fee herself!) found each other and now Rusty is living his best life out on the Olympic Peninsula! What a great story. We're thrilled for both of them.
You can read a little about Rusty's history with us below.
We can't get enough of this sweet and kindly older gentleman! Rusty is a lovely 27-year old palomino Quarter Horse type pony gelding standing at 14 hands. He has a great temperament, despite having gone without the attentive care a horse of his age deserves. He may be a golden oldie, but definitely is not a rust-bucket! Rusty could be a fun horse for an intermediate, confident child (light-weight), or could be a leadline pony for a confident younger child just learning to ride -- details in our assessment notes below. Don't forget to watch the videos!
He came to us from Skagit County Animal Control in January 2021 with a 2-3/9 body condition score. His feet were in poor condition, chipped and cracked, with thrush throughout due to poor diet and the extreme muddy conditions he had been in.
But Rusty's life is looking up! We're happy to report that he is now at a healthy weight, enjoying his soaked senior grain and alfalfa cubes or pellets, in addition to pasture and the occasional nibble of hay. We're super happy that his feet are on the mend, and so is Rusty.
We recently put Rusty through his paces under saddle and he seems to be doing really well with smaller, light riders. You know...we mean kids. :-). Here's our assessment of this adorable love:
Started him off with a less experienced 12-year-old and she was able to handle him but he really wanted to go. He was good with a 5-year-old boy on the ground and under saddle, but he tends to walk out and get ahead of his handler. The 12-year old ponied him with her horse, and he did fine with that.
We also had a very experienced 13-year-old girl put him through his paces, followed by her 9-year-old twin sisters. Results: good steering, good brakes, and lots of gas in the tank. May have been a gamer in the past but tends to drift around barrels, especially the last one. Walks out and wants to go faster, but can be ridden on a loose rein at the walk once he understands that is what he is being asked for. Has a “comfy” rocking horse lope. May have been trained for neck reining, doesn’t move off the leg (tends to think that means go), but with regular work may figure it out. Could just be a bit rusty (ha, ha!) on his cues.
Rio was a popular SAIN-ster from the moment he came to us. What this adorable 10-year old mini donkey john lacked in stature, he made up for in personality! As a result of many years of neglect, Rio had foundered our farrier made good progress getting his hooves back into shape.
Rio was adopted in December 2019 and now lives with his pint-sized buddy, Pooh Bear.
Standing at 14.3 hands, this sweet but scared senior sorrel Quarter horse came to SAIN in February 2019 with Mazy and Peter. He was underweight, with a body condition score of 4/9, had overgrown hooves, and white line disease.
Patrick regained his health in foster care and in December 2020, nearly two years after he came to us, Patrick was adopted and went to Oregon to live with another SAIN alumni horse, Willow.
Chocko found his forever family in 2014.
Koda was adopted in 2012.
Button is a tall, leggy, sweet 2005 Thoroughbred gelding. He was adopted by his foster mom in 2013.
Deja was a 9-year old bay mare who was polite, friendly, and easy to ride. She came to SAIN with her young foal, Moon. Deja was adopted in 2014.
Peter was a 15 year old, 14 hand grey quarter pony who was super friendly and sweet. He found his forever home in May 2019.
Einstein is a 2008 Buckskin Quarter Horse gelding who stands at 14.1 hands. After rehab and then training with Valenti Horsemanship, he gained confidence and found his forever home.
Betty (on the left in the photo above) was one of our long running foster horses. This golden girl is a 1999 registered Quarter Horse. Her registered name is COME ON LUCK and she stands at 15 hands. Betty was seized by Skagit County Animal Control in September of 2017 along with her pals Einstein, Thor, Frank, and Junior -- all of whom were adopted long before she was.
When she came to us, she was in especially poor shape with overgrown feet, a fractured infected tooth, loose stool, a hoof abscess, thrush, and a body condition score of 1+/9. Because of a previous leg injury which led to chronic lameness, Betty could only be a companion horse/pasture pet.
With love and the right care, Betty regained her wellness (other than her lameness) and she finally found a loving forever home with Amigo, who is also a senior Quarter Horse.
Adoption Fee $250
Companion Horse
Talia is a sweet and lovely senior Quarter horse type mare, about 26 years old and she stands 15.1 hands with a star we can only call a supernova. When she came to us through Skagit County Animal Control in March 2020, she was underweight (body condition score of 3/9) and had overgrown feet. But rehab has been good to Talia. She's at near perfect weight and her teeth are in very good shape for her age (though she's missing two).
Given Talia's age, we think she's best suited to be a companion horse only. She's doing really well in her foster home, but she'd be ever so grateful to find a forever home and she'd dress up any pasture, we think.
Talia is also available for our Foster to Adopt program.
Jana was adopted in 2013 by a truly loving family! She will has great life with two goats, two horses, a little boy, and a mom and dad!
April 8, 2024: Dallas finally found what we know will be her true forever home with Janet!! They spent some time getting to know each other and it's a wonderful match. We're thrilled to death -- even if we'll miss our daily Dallas hugs.
Dallas is an adoptable horse! She came back with us in September 2022. She is an appendix, (Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse cross) mare, approximately 26 years old and stands at 14.3 hands. When she came to SAIN back in December of 2011, she had a body condition score of 2.5/9, as well as a few old abscesses and a puncture on her hoof. After she regained her health, Dallas was adopted out.
Unfortunately, her adopter was no longer able to care for her so she is back with us. We are told she was last ridden in June 2022 and that she was a good trail horse, and is still sound, though they've had difficulty maintaining her weight, of late. We are making arrangements to have Dallas checked out by a vet for full evaluation as soon as possible. Until we know more, she'll remain in Rehab/Assessment.
December 30, 2022 Dallas is now an adoptable horse! She has gained at least 60 pounds, has her old personality back, has been fully checked out by our vet, had her dental and also a proper pedicure. Just today, she is back under saddle and ready to find her new home! She is doing so great! This golden girl has plenty of giddyup in her. She's a little rusty with her riding manners, likely due to not being ridden in awhile. But she's picking it back up quickly and is well-suited to light trail riding and arena work. But because she needs some guidance as she gets reacquainted with the riding game, she's probably best suited to an experienced rider.
September 13, 2023: Dallas continues to do well in foster care. She has some arthritis -- not unusual for a gal her age but is still good for light riding. In fact, she'll be more mobile if she can find a home where she'll get more light riding. Just like us humans, keeping those joints mobile, well, keeps those joint mobile.
January 2024 Update: Due to her arthritis, Dallas should not be ridden hard, but she is still up for light riding duty, either in the arena or on easy trails. She was used as a lesson horse previously, and could be a lead line horse for a young rider. She loves attention, is easy to handle on the ground, stands nicely for the farrier, and loads and hauls well. In the herd, she is the QUEEN, so should not be housed with another dominant mare in a small space.
