Umamusume fans save sick racehorse’s life from slaughterhouse

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Players of the popular game Umamusume: Pretty Derby recently joined forces to raise money and prevent a retired racehorse from being put down.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a hugely popular mobile game where players collect and train horse-girl characters. It has a dedicated fanbase who work hard to help their characters win races against others.

It’s become incredibly popular in Japan and around the world, leading to an anime adaptation and winning the award for Best Mobile Game at the 2025 Game Awards.

Fans of the game Uma Musume are deeply connected to the characters, who are inspired by actual racehorses. Recently, they united to help a retired racehorse avoid being euthanized, demonstrating their strong dedication to the animals that inspire the game.

Umamusume fans raise funds to save horse from slaughterhouse

Risk is a former racehorse who was rescued by Ana, a Brazilian anime enthusiast and equestrian athlete known as ‘Jumping with Ana.’ She shared online that Risk was sick and unable to continue racing.

Apparently, Risk’s previous owners sold him to a slaughterhouse because they no longer wanted him. Ana’s social media posts indicate the slaughterhouse was open to selling Risk to someone willing to take him, which could have saved him from being euthanized.

Ana immediately turned to social media, posting on X and Instagram to ask for donations to save Risk. She needed 2,800 Brazilian Reais – about $516 – to buy Risk from the slaughterhouse and bring him home.

Ana’s most popular fundraising post went live on December 9th, and just two days later, on December 11th, she had raised enough money to rescue Risk and provide him with a loving new home.

Friends… I still can’t believe it… WE REACHED OUR GOAL! ❤️ Any extra funds will go directly towards the treatment of our beloved Risk! ❤️ You all helped him, and I am eternally grateful! ❤️ If you’d still like to contribute to his treatment, the fundraiser will remain open! No pressure at all! We’ve already achieved so much!

— caju com queijo (@anapizzaiola) December 11, 2025

She responded to criticism on X by explaining that she was able to rescue a small, beautiful horse. She believes life is precious and worth protecting, and clarified that her actions weren’t about exploiting a situation, but about doing everything possible to help.

Ana largely credited her success to the Umamusume fan community, as many of them actively shared information about Risk’s situation in her comments section.

Responding to criticism from PETA about the game, she tweeted that fans of Umamusume were instrumental in helping her rescue a horse. She expressed gratitude for their support, saying they were essential to her ability to save the animal.

“Cygames and Umamusume fans are doing more for animal welfare than you guys,” another replied.

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A post shared by Vidigal 🙂 (@jumpingwith.ana)

This isn’t the first time fans of the virtual horses, known as Umas, have shown support for the real-life racehorses that inspire them. Back in July, they sent a remarkable 2,500 kilograms of fresh grass to Haru Urara, a Japanese racehorse, as a way of cheering him on as an underdog.

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2025-12-13 01:19