Anchoring love at the Reigning Grace Ranch
Rio Verde welcomed Reigning Grace Ranch to the Box Bar Ranch as an intermediate home while their new 20 acre ranch was being prepared at 172nd and Rio Verde Drive this spring. Reigning Grace was started in 2009 by Christopher and Amanda Moore, and pairs at-risk youth with formerly abused horses to experience the life therapy both share with one another. 75% of the children in the program are in foster care or child protective services programs. Most of the horses have been rescued and rehabilitated from abusive and neglected backgrounds. Reigning Grace Ranch is a registered equine rescue in the state of Arizona.
What do at-risk kids and neglected horses have in common? Both have lost trust in those who had them in their care. How do you get that back? Reigning Grace pairs each child with a mentor and a horse. One of the first things that happens is the horse picks the child, not the other way around. Kids are placed in a circle, and the horse “goes to” the child that will be his for the 7 weeks of sessions. During the process the child along with their family learn the skills of a working horse ranch: Hard work, problem solving, leadership, self-esteem, responsibility, life skills, character development and the calming therapy of a horse.
