Rapidan Equine Sanctuary

06/05/2026

It’s $5 Friday! As we enter the summer months, we look forward to keeping the herd cool, calm and fly-free 😎

With a herd of 12, we go through a LOT of bug spray. If you have the means to contribute $5 for us today, that helps contribute to us keeping the herd protected from pests. We also use fly masks and boots as well as preventative measures like fly predator. Here’s some photos of our herd looking like super heroes in their gear!

06/02/2026

Tracker Tuesday!

Beans is still making it very clear that he is not a fan of wearing his tracker, so we’re continuing to work on finding a solution 😂

Meanwhile, Frank has been happily collecting data for us! Since our last update, his daily mileage has been:

Day 7– 2.66 miles
Day 8 – 2.07 miles
Day 9 – 2.42 miles
Day 10 – 2.25 miles
Day 11 – 2.88 miles
Day 12 – 2.30 miles

At first glance, those numbers may not seem like much. But keep in mind that Frank lives in a half-acre paddock with a track system, so every mile is made up of lots of laps, grazing, exploring, and keeping an eye on what everyone else is doing!

So now we’re curious…

Based on what we’ve seen so far, how many miles do you think Frank will average over the course of a month?

Drop your guesses in the comments! Winner gets bragging rights.

05/29/2026

It’s $5 Friday!

When the community comes together, small gifts make a BIG impact. Are you able to spare $5 to help our herd?

05/29/2026

We know this familiar (handsome) face!
Sonny is up for adoption through our friends at Equine Welfare Society and we can’t wait for him to become a very lucky person’s heart horse ♥️

Meet 🐴SONNY🐴 who is now available for adoption in Keswick at Equine Welfare Society!

TB Gelding
3 years old
16h
Green; started under saddle
Adoption Fee: $1,000
*Located in Keswick, VA*

Sonny is a rescue to rescue transfer who has been with our training partners, Equine Welfare Society, for the past few months. Born into a breeding program and rescued from a neglect situation, Sonny is young, healthy, and doing well under saddle. He needs someone with experience with green horses. This handsome gelding has lots of potential and his entire life ahead of him. Please complete an Adoption Application and make plans to meet him in Keswick at EWS. We'll help you with the process. https://www.jotform.com/260125070496049

05/28/2026

We were so grateful to show our friends at Northern Piedmont Community Foundation around RES. As a young nonprofit, we are incredibly glad to be part of a community that uplifts and supports organizations like ourselves trying to make a positive impact!

05/27/2026

Frank Tracker Update!

Well… it’s safe to say Beans has not exactly been the ideal tracker participant. 😂 We’re still working on figuring out the best way to keep his tracker attached long term.

Thankfully, Frank has been a much better sport about the whole thing and has kept his on without issue so far!

Here’s what Frank’s movement has looked like over the last several days:
Day 1 — 2.25 miles
Day 2 — 1.4 miles
Day 3 — 1.49 miles
Day 4 — 3.11 miles
Day 5 — 2.41 miles
Day 6 — 2.38 miles

Based on the data we’ve collected so far, it appears that Frank is actually moving more than Beans! It’s been really interesting to see how much these little guys travel around their paddock throughout the day.

Now the big question is… why do you think Frank moves more? Is he more active? More curious? Or is Beans just better at conserving energy?

05/22/2026

Happy $5 Friday from some of our Golden Girls! We’ve had a busy few weeks and are enjoying the cool weather (for now) before the summer. If you haven’t taken part in $5 Friday yet, today’s a great day! Rapidan Equine Sanctuary depends on the generosity of our friends and family and we’d love to include you in our circle! A small donation can add up to a world of good for this amazing herd. Thank you!

05/19/2026

Last week, RES participated in our first-ever Give Local Piedmont! We learned so much and are excited for next year. RES is in Culpeper county, which is in the northern Piedmont region of Virginia. We are thrilled to have joined forces with the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation so we can spread the word about and the other initiatives NPCF hosts. NPCF has been around since 2000 and has been helping deserving community organizations in the area raise funds and awareness since then. Thank you, Northern Piedmont Community Foundation for !

Last week we made our own unique art (Thanks, Frank!), we were brave enough to sing for our herd even though we were nervous, and we recognized a superhero in our midst, Captain Equine. Thanks to NPCF, our team, and every single person who donated to support our herd!

05/17/2026