Kraken's German cowboy Philipp Grubauer volunteers to save endangered horses

By Evan Bell

Modified Aug 07, 2024 19:24 GMT

Seattle Kraken star Philipp Grubauer may be known for his work between the goal posts; however, he also does quite a bit of charity work in his free time. Specifically, Grubauer is heavily involved in a charity called SAFE, or Save A Forgotten Equine, which helps to rescue and care for mistreated horses.

In addition to taking in horses who are neglected and in need of care, SAFE also takes in wild horses that are rescued by the Bureau of Land Management, a federal agency. As he explained in a recent interview with NHL.com/de, if wild horses that are rounded up and rescued aren't adopted, they're often euthanized.

As a result, Philipp Grubauer and the other 150 or so volunteers make it their mission to help give these rescued horses better lives. Sometimes that means getting his hands dirty and doing work like cleaning out stables, other times his work involves repairing barns and various other facilities that house horses.

In either case, the mission remains the same, to give rescued horses the best lives possible:

"Our goal is to give the horses a better life so that they can be horses again," Grubauer said. "That's why they go through a program with us, because it takes time to rebuild trust between humans and horses.... We have had great success with it.

"Before the last season, we had 42 or 43 horses with us; at the end of the season there were only 13 left."

Philipp Grubauer opens up on his passion for horses, which developed during his childhood growing up outside Rosenheim, Germany

While caring for horses and volunteering time with rescued horses may not be the norm for an NHL star, Philipp Grubauer has been passionate about horses since he was a kid.

Growing up, Grubauer saw farms with horses and riding stables as a kid. This fueled a desire to one day own a horse of his own. Currently, the Kraken goalie owns a 19-year-old American Bay Quarter Horse named Tucker with whom he's developed a close bond with since adoption.

"I've always been interested in horses. Where I grew up, outside Rosenheim, there were lots of farmers and horses and a riding stable just around the corner. Horses have always fascinated me. I always thought they were beautiful and wanted to have one just to pet it."

In addition to his charitable work with horses, Grubauer also has his sights set on building a ranch after he eventually retires from hockey. While retirement is still a ways off, and isn't at the forefront of his mind right now, the 32-year-old netminder has already been nicknamed the German Cowboy.

During the offseason, Grubauer is working with SAFE every other day, and according to the Kraken star, during the season, if he isn't scheduled to play a game, he spends his day at the stables enjoying time with Tucker.