Grace Thompson is a colt starter and mustang gentler. She is owner and founder of GET Horsemanship Wild Horse Training Facility, nestled in the hills of Eastern Tennessee. Grace is known for her patient approach, clear communication, and strong foundation in working with young and unhandled wild horses, Implementing a Gentle, Effective,and Thorough method for training horses.
In 2018, Grace competed in her first Extreme Mustang Makeover as a youth competitor. She has been dedicated to Wild horses ever since.
Over the years, Grace has trained more than 200 wild horses here and abroad. She has earned multiple titles, including but not limited to, Young Gun Champion, The Horsemanship Award, and Colt Starting Champion. She has established herself as a talented and consistent trainer of mustangs as well as other breeds.
Grace’s experience extends far beyond the United States. One of the most transformative chapters of her career took place in the rugged hills of New Zealand, where she worked with the wild Kaimanawa horses- a population known for their intelligence, sensitivity and strong survival instincts. These wild horses challenged her in new ways and pushed her to refine her timing, feel, and body language. Gentling multiple types of wild horses, including stallions, fully at liberty changed her perspective on how wild horses think, communicate and move, and further refined her approach and strengthened her belief in patient and gentle yet effective training methods.
Working with both American wild horses and the wild horses of New Zealand has shaped her training philosophy in a powerful way. Experiencing these two very different wild horse populations has deepened her passion for giving untouched horses the proper education they need to be successful. Her approach focuses on trust, clarity, and building a solid foundation from the very beginning.
Today, Grace trains from her facility in the mountains of Eastern Tennessee, where she starts colts and offers training services to the public for both wild and domestic horses. She has also played a significant role in the International mustang community, successfully gentling and exporting over 150 mustangs to multiple European countries for the German Mustang Makeover and for private homes abroad. Horses that leave her program are known for being confident, willing, and well prepared for their next chapter.
Outside of training, Grace loves to travel and participates in living history reenactments with her horses across the country. She also teaches riders of all experience levels how to prepare themselves and their horses for a ten day 1870s Mounted Trooper School on the plains of eastern Montana. As a Corporal in the US Cavalry School, her instruction covers everything from assisting in gun breaking horse and weapon control to river crossings, rough terrain navigation, and the day to day responsibilities of a mounted trooper in the 1870s.
Grace’s combination of real world horsemanship, competition experience, international training work, exporting and flying with wild horses, and historical riding knowledge makes her a unique and respected figure in the mustang and colt starting world. Whether she is working with a wild mustang for the first time , preparing a horse for a historical battle reenactment, or transforming one for a client, her focus remains the same: Build Trust, Create clear communication and understanding, and give every horse the foundation it needs to succeed. Through her dedication to young horses and her commitment to doing the job the right way, Grace continues to leave a lasting impact on the horses she trains and the people who love them.
As a Horses For Mental Health 2026 Samson’s Strength Sustainable Veterans Project, Inc. SSSVP Ambassador, Grace is proud to advocate for the healing power of horses – ESPECIALLY Mustangs, and to help expand awareness of the incredible work happening within the equine therapy community.
