Babbie Styslinger – Mustang Gentler, Advocate, and Equine Healer
Babbie Styslinger’s lifelong connection with horses began in elementary school, when a single horse became a source of comfort and strength during a difficult childhood. That early bond shaped not only her love for horses, but also her belief in their powerful ability to heal.
After stepping away from riding for many years, Babbie returned to the horse world in her mid-twenties, working with cutting horses and professional trainers for three years, followed by a year assisting a veterinarian. Although she eventually left the industry, the impact horses had on her life never faded.
Thirty years later, Babbie felt a calling to give back to the animals that had once helped her. That calling led her to America’s mustangs. What began as a personal mission grew into a purpose-driven endeavor: founding a mustang gentling program focused on giving wild horses a second chance.
For the past nine years, alongside trusted training partners, Babbie has helped transition more than 300 mustangs—along with numerous rescue horses—from the wild or difficult situations into safe, loving homes. Her approach centers on earning a horse’s trust and respect through patience, understanding, and a blend of traditional and intuitive methods, including energy-based work.
Beyond training, Babbie is deeply committed to the human side of the horse-human connection. She works with veterans groups, special needs children, group homes, and individuals seeking healing through horses. Her program not only transforms horses’ lives but also creates opportunities for people to find connection, confidence, and emotional growth.
At the heart of Babbie’s mission is a simple but powerful goal: to help as many mustangs as possible find loving homes where they can, in turn, help others—just as one horse once helped her. Babbie has generously offered her farm- Blue Sky Farms in Leeds, AL as the site for the SSSVP Horses For Mental Health KICK OFF on May 2, 2026. She will be one of the 4 trainers along with two other trainers from her farm to share the love of Mustangs, their healing powers, the process to adopt, health and wellness for the horse and the human! This is her second year as an Ambassador for Samson’s Strength Sustainable Veterans Project Horses For Mental Health!
