Saddle Up, Lubbock: Refuge Services’ ‘Boots & Buckles’ Benefit Returns April 12

If there’s one thing Lubbock knows how to do, it’s combine a great time with a great cause! Refuge Services, a local nonprofit doing amazing work through equine therapy, is gearing up for its 16th Annual “Boots & Buckles” Benefit—and this year, they’re dreaming big!

When and Where?

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. inside the Texas Tech Frazier Alumni Pavilion for a night full of steak dinners, live music, auctions, and MORE—all to support a mission that changes lives one horseback ride at a time.

What is Refuge Services?

If you haven’t heard of Refuge Services, let me fill you in. Since 1999, this incredible organization has provided equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with special needs, at-risk youth, and veterans. Every week, over 160 clients ride, talk, laugh, and heal with the help of their four-legged therapists.

Their services include:

• Hippotherapy (PT, OT, and speech therapy on horseback)

• Therapeutic riding

• Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) for mental health support

And it works! As one veteran put it,

“Sometimes the horses talked for me and helped show me the path to help my marriage.”

That’s the kind of healing no medication can deliver—and it’s why this event matters so much!

Last year’s Boots & Buckles event raised an impressive $85,000, and this year’s goal is nearly double at $150,000. That money goes straight toward giving children the chance to walk with the help of a horse, and helping veterans reconnect and transition back into civilian life.

What’s in store at the benefit?

A steak dinner from Top Tier Catering, live tunes by Kenny Maines, plus a silent and live auction with plenty of cowboy flair. It’s a chance to kick up your boots for a great cause and witness firsthand how Lubbock shows up for its own!

🎟️ Want in? You can learn more at www.refugeservices.org, or email info@refugeservices.org.

🐴 Come out, have fun, and help Refuge Services keep changing lives—one ride at a time.