Rio

Rio was a Quarter Horse that was born in 1990. He was a ranch horse, privately owned, who was diagnosed with EPM, a rare disease caused by parasites that produce neurological symptoms including lameness and muscle atrophy. The disease is manageable but not curable, and in Rio’s case it meant he could no longer be ridden. Rio's owner fostered one of the Sunrise horses, and they both were evacuated to Sunrise during the Lake County fires, along with his good buddy Moe. Rio and Moe were an inseparable duo until Moe passed on a couple of years ago. Rio thrived with the loving attention of his many human fans. He was a wise, calm, no-nonsense elder statesman among the SHR herd.