05/20/2026
☺️We are going to start introducing the crew here at Wild Hearts & Horses to you weekly, beginning with our founder & owner of the organization! Let us introduce to you Jeannine Hawkins.
Wild Hearts & Horses is Jeannine's heart project - given to her by God. None other than God is who has made this project a reality. This vision started in Jeannine's heart about 4 years ago. It started as a little thought after working with some youth that had some huge struggles in their behaviors. She even said this lil dream out loud to coworkers. A seed was planted that year.
Over the coming couple of years, the vision & calling grew stronger while teaching special education and finishing her Masters Degree. Everything with this heart project was kinda done backwards, but it was indeed a strong calling.
Back in January 2024, Jeannine officially put down with the state of Wyoming to open the nonprofit Wild Hearts & Horses, after planning on not coming back to full time teaching the coming school year. Unexpectedly, Jeannine's principal gave her a 1st grade teaching position with a very low number of students. Jeannine felt like she couldn't turn that down and stayed teaching the following school year and put the nonprofit on hold while teaching and finishing her Masters.
Jeannine has taught for public school districts in TX & WY for a total of about 14 years, ranging from HeadStart through 6th grade. She had also taught at a private Christian school for one school year teaching middle school and high school small groups. During her time in TX before moving to WY she volunteered at a therapeutic equestrian center for 8 years and experienced firsthand what great things can and do happen when horses are involved in healing.
Volunteering for that center with all the aspects of equine assisted therapy deeply rooted in Jeannine's heart. When moving to WY in 2019 she greatly missed the community and participating in the healing of others with horses. The closest place we have that offers a variety of therapeutic services with horses is in Loveland, and Jeannine could hardly get there to volunteer, so something set root in her heart and she knew she needed to open something in the greater Cheyenne community to try her best to help families that could use this type of healing and betterment of their lives in this area.
Thus, Wild Hearts & Horses was born. We are slowly gaining volunteers and the mares are becoming ready for hippotherapy services in the future. 🙌
Jeannine is letting God take the reins with this project and praying that she can fulfill whatever His plan is for it all. 💗🐴
