The Redemptive Journey of Reigning Grace Ranch
Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek
What comprises a good love story? Longing, struggle, connection, perseverance, wholeness and steadfast commitment — Reigning Grace Ranch is just such a story. What began as a couple’s quest for healing their marriage spilled out into their community to heal and serve both horses and humans.
Amanda and Christopher Moore have known each other since childhood, when they were partnered as competitive dancers. They grew up and got married, but ultimately grew apart. Amanda felt she didn’t know Christopher anymore.
“We were really struggling in our marriage, and I think we hit rock bottom when he [said,] ‘Okay, I’ve broken this, and I need to fix this,’” she shares. “‘What can we do together that will allow us to have something we share in common?’ When you’re ready to lose everything, it’s a big eye-opener. I wasn’t perfect, either. There was a void in us. We started with two Tennessee walker horses, and that’s what started the journey.”
Equine Connection
As Amanda worked with her horse, it became clear that she couldn’t fool her steed’s instinctive sense. This resulted in times when the horse did not want to be ridden.
“Horses have this way about them,” she explains. “If you’re trying to work with a horse and trying to cover up [turmoil] inside you, they pick up on that and that’s when they become difficult. Horses are all about survival; in order for them to trust their human, they need to make sure that human is looking out for them. So for me, I had to really sort through my stuff to even have the relationship I wanted with my horse. Horses make you humble.”
Within a couple of years, the pair bought land in Rio Verde, where Reigning Grace Ranch is now located, and began observing and feeding wild horses. What started with feeding two horses soon grew to a hungry crowd of 67.
In 2009, as development in the area increased and the state planned to cull the wild herd, Amanda and Christopher took action. They sought out rescue operations and purchased a 15-acre property to ensure the wild horses’ safety.
Along with the horses came neighborhood children and teens who began lending a hand around the growing ranch. Amanda, who has a background in education, noticed that as the kids mucked stalls and hauled feed, they started opening up about their lives — some with stories of trouble at home, bullying at school, drug use and self-harm.
“I told Christopher, ‘There’s something about these horses that is making these kids open up and talk about their problems in such a way that I’ve never seen before,’” Amanda says. “We started down this road to find what it is about horses that makes you just completely become mindful and present about where you’re at, that helps you put your guard down and be honest. It was crazy cool. Christopher and I were growing together and learning [about the nature of] horses as fast as we could. That was the beginning of the ranch right there.”
Grace Abounds
The name “Reigning Grace” came to Amanda in a middle-of-the-night epiphany.
“I was told that we were supposed to start a ranch and name it exactly how it’s spelled,” she recounts. “And we were supposed to work with rescued horses and kids that needed to be rescued.”
Reigning Grace Ranch became a nonprofit in 2011. Amanda and Christopher set out to heal, strengthen, and instill a sense of intrinsic value and purpose in everyone who participates in their equine-assisted experiential learning programs. They also adopted two young daughters, adding to the love story unfolding at the ranch.
Over the years, the ranch has hosted hundreds of children referred by local trauma associations, foster programs, schools, therapists, doctors and churches. Their programs include:
- The eight-week “Wanted” program for children ages 8-17, offering Christian-based mentorship
- Programs for youth ages 5-24 with disabilities, including adaptive riding
- The Wild at Heart Riding Club, an after-school program for girls ages 12–24
“When the kids go to the paddock, the horses will pick them out, and the horses will be similar to the child,” Amanda shares. “The kids are longing for relationship, and they find that in the horses because of their live feedback — they are more attuned to our nonverbal communication than we are. The horses aren’t afraid of hurting someone’s feelings. They reflect what is happening with the child, and then we can talk about it.”
In addition to the young people she serves at the ranch, Amanda is even considering a Silver Riders club for retired seniors.
“For many people who have retired, their identity was in what they did for a living,” Amanda observes. “They’re struggling because they don’t want to just go play golf. Some older riders may have disabilities and others want to ride to keep their bodies physically strong. We’re considering it.”
While there are just seven full-time staff — all trained to be mentors — there are approximately 200 volunteers who pitch in to keep everything running smoothly. Amanda credits the community of volunteers and donors who give their time and treasure for the sake of the Reigning Grace Ranch mission.
Ranch Refuge
This equine oasis at the edge of the Tonto National Forest is a place for youngsters to get away from the pressures of school, life and social media, but the rhythms of caring for horses and hearts are restorative for volunteers and visitors, too.
“It’s interesting because God presents things to us in the only way we’re going to learn,” Amanda observes. “He knew this [ranch] was the way to get Chris’ and my attention for whatever purpose he needed us for and, in doing so, he made it purposeful for everybody else participating in it, as well.”
Two years ago, the Moores opened an outdoor Cowboy Church on the property, attracting up to 200 attendees weekly. Amanda shares the story of a mosaic art project in which children participate, using shattered glass as a metaphor for how pressure can lead to beautiful transformation.
“We talk about how God uses our brokenness to create a beautiful mosaic masterpiece that we couldn’t create on our own,” she explains. “There’s beauty in the brokenness, and He has created beauty out of brokenness here. Sometimes you wonder how you’re going to get through something, and then you look back and say, ‘Wow. I wouldn’t be who I am or be able to help others had I not gone through that.’ It’s redemptive. God can redeem the most awful situation, even though it can take a while for the human eye to see. This is beauty.”
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