THE BARN BULLETIN
WINGS OF HOPE EQUITHERAPY
Tangible Faith
When God's Word tells us that "we walk by faith,
and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), and that
"faith is being confident of what we hope for,
convinced about things we do not see: (Hebrews
11:1a), what in the world is "tangible" faith? Let me
explain with a story.
Thirty-one years ago, Brian and Nancy Ryals
became the parents of a son who required special
needs for his journey through life. Hence, they
began looking for different opportunities for their
son, Jon, to gain new experiences and assist with
his learning. At the suggestion of a preschool
teacher in Colorado, where they lived at the time,
Jon started riding ponies at the age of five.
After moving to Texas when Jon was seven, they
located a "nearby" facility in Keller, where Jon
continued to ride until Nancy discovered a newly
opened facility in Burleson. So Brian and Nancy
made a trip to nearby Burleson to check out this
fledgling program called Wings of Hope to see if it
was a fit for their son. At Wings of Hope, they
discovered the faith demonstrated by two women, Margaret Dickens and Patti
Pace, determined to pursue their passion of having a facility where many
individuals would find hope, healing, and inclusion.
From the small beginning in Patti's barn, to the beautiful 25 acre facility where it is
today, Wings of Hope has grown and thrived, and Jon Ryals is still an enthusiastic
equestrian.. Jon loves animals, and he loves his horses at Wings of Hope! And as
you can imagine, in the last 23 years he has loved many. Since the Ryals family are
"Boomer Sooners" and they had a dog named Boomer, Nancy thinks Jon's favorite
horse was Boomer, an amazing registered quarter horse from the great Pepto
Boomsmal bloodline. Boomer is now retired, but Jon continues to adore each new
horse, and accepts the experiences and challenges they bring. Each week when he
comes to ride at Wings of Hope, Jon is challenged to stay focused while his core
strength and sense of independence are built up, as well as his self-esteem.
So, how does Jon's story tie into "tangible" faith? Many of our equestrians, including
Jon, are unable to grasp an intangible concept of God and His love for each of us;
however, they are able to grasp the love of God when it is demonstrated. That is
the heart of Wings of Hope, to show the tangible love of our God through gentle
horses, our caring volunteers, and our dedicated staff. It is a tangible way for faith
to be expressed to each other and to those we serve.
 Chisholm Challenge
Join us in the John Justin arena
at Will Rogers for the largest
horse show in the world for
equestrians with disabilities.
Don't miss your chance to cheer
on the Wings of Hope team on
January 14th and 15th.

One of the greatest

gifts you can give is
your time.
r team!
Join ou
Spend a few hours in the barn with us each week!
No horse experience necessary!
Must be 14 or older.

Find more details and an application online or email

Jennifer@wingso hopehorses.org
wingsofhopehorses.org
 Dear Friends and Supporters,
As we reflect on 2019, we are reminded of the many blessings bestowed upon our
mission.  We collaborated with our friends at Hayes & Stolz and the Burleson
Chamber of Commerce in our pilot to launch the Equine Assisted Discovery program. 
Everyone had a blast at Round-Up for Riders at our new venue, River Ranch in the
Stockyards.  We were blessed beyond measure with a matching gift campaign during
the Fall.  

We are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our mission and his vision in
2020 . The start of a new year always brings forth excitement as we prepare for
Chisholm Challenge.

As always, we invite you to  our facility to see our mission in action. We would love
for you to experience the discovery, hope and healing that takes place in this space
and to see the partnership of our Equestrians and their Equine Therapy Partners.
Allison Gross Director of Development
May you and yours have a Merry Christmas and many blessings as you wrap up 2019
and head into 2020. -Blessings Allison

Horse Highlight
Bodie is the newest member of the herd.
Bodie is a gray 15 year old Quarter Horse with
the registered name of Lop Along Bo. We are
excited to welcome him to the program and
see his impact on our mission.

#Hope #Healing #Discovery

 They shall mount up with wings as
eagles, they shall run and not be
weary, they shall walk and not be
faint. - Isaiah 40:31

COLLABORATION
CORNER
"MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK"

Shout out to a few of our community partners for making

an impact on our mission!

Alvarado Police Department

Arlington Police Department Victim Services
Burleson Equine Hospital
Burleson ISD- Field Trip with a Purpose
Burleson Police Department Victim Services
Eric Chatman
Cutters Edge Massage
Gladney Center for Adoption
Johnson County Children's Advocacy Center
Support Our Work Just By Donating Your Change Joshua ISD - Field Trip with a Purpose
Keene Adventist Elementary
Nazarene Christian Academy
We have partnered with a new mobile app and Reata Equine Hospital
website that allows you to automatically donate the Susan G. Komen Fort Worth
Texas Christian University - Art Therapy
change from your card purchases to support our
UTSouthwestern/Moncrief Cancer Center
work. It’s small change for you, but a game changer
Youngblood Precast Products
for us! You can check it out at roundupapp.com,

e
and search for “RoundUp App” in the App Store or
Google Play Store to download

r a c au s
Shop fo
 Every gift received provides the
partnership of an Equestrian and their
Equine Therapy Partner.

'TIS THE
SEASON
 WINGS OF HOPE
EQUITHERAPY
PO BOX 445
BURLESON, TEXAS 76097-0445
OFFICE@WINGSOFHOPEHORSES.ORG
817-783-3805

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

“...and His name shall

be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6