Our Story

Gracie's Place is named for our very first horse (Gracie) who was purchased from a rescue. After years of riding lessons, and volunteering our time at a lesson and boarding operation, we decided we were ready for a horse of our own. Gracie became our family horse, and soon entertained friends and family who came to visit, from ages 2-72. We soon found out Gracie required more rehabilitation than we expected. We discovered she had a history of laminitis, and was suffering from severe stomach ulcers. Gracie's recovery was long and expensive, but with the help of our trusted veterinarian, she found healing. Shortly thereafter, we moved Gracie to property of our own while she recovered from a soft tissue injury. It was during this time that we acquired our next rescue who started it all, "Josie" (pictured below). Josie had long, overgrown hooves, and a shaggy coat from severe Cushing's disease, but watching her spirit blossom was a newfound joy. In the short year she was with us, her recovery was astonishing. After Josie fractured her pastern bone, we had to say goodbye. Josie's journey inspired us to help other rescue horses; thus, the idea for the non-profit was founded. We wanted to give horses a second chance at life, whether from neglect or simple life changes. We decided to incorporate education into our rescue format, passing on the knowledge we acquired from years of learning and experiences. We believe educating the public is the first step in reducing neglected and unwanted horses; it gives people tools to address behavioral or health issues, and it ensures they are ready to take on such the large responsibility of caring for a thousand pound animal! Lastly, our rescue gives people resources for a safe home, should they find themselves in a position no longer able to provide adequate care for their equine.

Our Mission

We dream of a community where horses have wonderful homes and people are educated in caring for them. We want to reduce the population of horses that end up at auctions or on slaughter trucks. We strive to provide as many horses as we can with a forever home, where they receive good nutrition, regular hoof care, consistent veterinary care, immunizations, parasite treatment and preventatives, quality training, and beneficial enrichment activities. Every horse that comes here has a story, and we want to listen and help each horse thrive.

We believe in kind training methods that doesn't use devices to force horses into a frame or position. We believe in treating others how you would want to be treated. We believe in respecting each horse's physical and mental limitations, and helping them find healing and purpose in what they can offer. We believe in transparency with our clients and the public. We love explaining why we do what we do, and updating the community on how their support is making a difference. Questions are always encouraged here! We aim to create an environment of safe, positive learning and healing.

Meet The Team

Dayna Bailey

Dayna is a founder of Gracie's place and the board secretary. Dayna has extensive experience in child education, as a former preschool teacher and a homeschool mom to her 3 daughters. Dayna has an Associates degree in accounting and can often be found managing the ins and outs of the barn, including organization and finance. Dayna learned all aspects of horsemanship from Kim Moyer and Sarah Jerman, both prominent figures in the competitive and educational world of English riding, including 3-day eventing, natural horsemanship, pony club, and much more. Dayna enjoys improving her horsemanship skills and dedicating several days a week for riding and personal lessons. She is most often seen riding Laney, her 2005 Welsh Cob mare, or Miss Maggie, our "unicorn" mustang mare. We are grateful for Ms. Dayna's reliability, trustworthiness, and commitment to projects. If Ms. Dayna decides to accomplish something, you can be certain she will! We are so grateful to have her dedication on our team.

Amelia Bailey

Amelia is a founder of Gracie's Place and the president/CEO. Amelia has an Associates degree in animal veterinary sciences, and planned on attending veterinary school before founding Gracie's Place. She graduated as a dual credit student from high school with an AS and 3.9 GPA. She shadowed Dr. Shane Smith at Idaho Equine Hospital to complete her degree, and also worked at the Idaho Humane Society public veterinary clinic as a veterinary technician. She learned horsemanship and competed in eventing under Kim Moyer and Sarah Jerman. She then interned for several years under Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones, learning how to start young horses and gaining education in a traditional form of French dressage, focusing on clear cues and kind aids. Amelia continues to improve her education and can often be found training our new arrivals to the rescue. When they graduate from training, they will join the education program and find new purpose. We appreciate Amelia's dedication to the mission and her patience with all personalities and experience-levels regarding animals and children alike.