Rio's Refuge

09/03/2026

Nobody stepped up for this boy, so we are. 💔

He’s sitting on a Tennessee feed lot and his time is officially up. We can bring him to safety, but we have to bridge the massive 2,400 miles between him and the refuge.

We urgently need to raise $5,000 to cover:

• His bail to secure his immediate release from the lot
• Cross-country transport from Tennessee to Oregon

If 50 people give $100,
200 people give $25,
or 1,000 people give just $5,
his freedom ride is booked.

Sponsor a couple miles to get him home and be the reason he gets to see another day. ❤️🐎 We truly cannot save him without our community.

🔗 **Donation link in bio**
💸 **Venmo:** Rio's Refuge
💻 **PayPal:** [email protected]
🔁 If you can’t donate, **sharing is free** and helps us beat the clock.

08/28/2026

Seeing a discarded racehorse move with this much quiet trust is the ultimate reward. But for every horse that makes it to this stage, dozens more are standing in kill pens waiting for someone to step in.

We can only take in and retrain these incredible thoroughbreds because of our rescue community.

If you want to help us step in for the next horse before their time runs out, consider donating today.

🔗 **Tap the link in our bio to donate or become a monthly sponsor.**

Update: We have also added a link to donate directly through Facebook. Rio's Refuge is a registered 501c3 nonprofit, which means all donations are 100% tax deductible. ❤️

08/27/2026

Sometimes it is not about fundraising for your own rescue, it's about supporting the rescues fighting the same fight with you.

Canada is still accepting sla*ghter shipments, and these two were on the next truck in under 30 minutes. RACE Fund is coming through yet again to help get them safe, but they need some help, and we're helping advocate for them.

They are not safe until they are fully bailed and off the lot, and anything helps. Support link below. ❤️

🚨🆘🚨🆘🚨🆘🚨🆘👉 Folks these two thoroughbred mares Classi Amour and Classi's Prix Trix deadline is today. We have put a deposit on them to keep them from shipping to Canada but we must raise $3450 ASAP to cover their bail and transport. Correction, these mares will be going to JWE in CO. These mares have been at the lot for almost a month. Let's get them all of the way home and to safety. Please consider a donation to help us help them and please share. You may donate here or our PayPal Donation link is https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LFDFCY2X4RUYQ
Thank you.

08/23/2026

From racing, to a k*ll pen, to narrowly missing a one-way trip to a Mexican sl*ughterhouse.

KitKat arrived at the refuge with a broken back, fusing hock joints, and a broken spirit.

After a year of rehab, both physical and emotional, he has made his recovery and is ready to take on a job.

What will he love most? Put your guesses in the comments!

Follow us for more exciting updates on his progress. ❤️

08/14/2026

Waited two long weeks for this moment. Clifford was such a good boy for his drain removal today. The relief is real!

Follow us to see the rest of his healing journey.

08/03/2026

It took months, but this is what trust looks like.

When Scullyism arrived, he was terrified of anyone getting near his head, a common sign of past trauma. We've spent every day since then just showing him that he's safe here.

Small moments like this feel like huge victories. It's a reminder that with enough patience and kindness, they can learn to trust again. Thank you for being a part of his journey.

07/30/2026

Who would complain about this seat in the house?

Our new paddock project is in full force with some bonus perks for the horses! 👀

We have raised $346 towards our total cost of $1890 to install this. It includes our $685 equipment rentals, our posts, concrete, and no-climb fencing. So far, we have dedicated portions of fencing to the following sponsors: Lindsey, Megan, Jen, Jenna, and Ulrica. ❤️ thank you so much for your support! If you would like to be a part of this expansion project, send in a sponsorship of your choice and we'll put your name on it. ❤️

Donation Links in Bio ❤️
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VNMO:

07/26/2026

An eventful week at the rescue:

We took KitKat and Scully into the vet, and found some answers!

1️⃣ Despite KitKat's back fracture being fully healed, he still was showing intermittent lameness, so we had him further evaluated, and found our answer. His hock joint is fusing together (poor guy) causing a lot of pain, so we started injections to make him more comfortable. Three days later, he is feeling MUCH better!

2️⃣ Scully was uneventful- he was given a full clean bill of health and is cleared to go into his training in August!

3️⃣ Now for the unplanned vet call- CLIFFORD.

I went out to do chores and found the worst laceration I've ever seen in my time looking after horses thus far. (Picture at the end of the video so the squeamish can click out before.) We still haven't figured out how he could have possibly done this, but he is all stitched up and is resting for two weeks while it heals. We are monitoring him for infection and keeping a very close eye so he doesn't get any further complications.

So with that said, we've been busy, and apologize for the silence. More updates to come next week! Happy Sunday, friends! ❤️❤️❤️

07/17/2026

Best birthday trade-off ever.

07/13/2026

The face was a bonus. The soft eye is everything.

Scullyism took this trend and turned it into something much more. He knows he's okay. 🤍🐎