About Us
Our Team
Mikayla Graham
Co-Founder | Herd of Hope: Second Chance Mustangs
Mikayla Graham is the heart behind Herd of Hope. With a lifelong passion for horses and a deep calling to help animals in need, she founded the organization to give wild mustangs a voice, a purpose, and a second chance at life.
Mikayla graduated from Feather River College in 2016 with an Associate’s Degree in Equine Studies, specializing in Ranch Management, Horse Training, and Agricultural Business. After college, she spent four years working alongside top Cutting Horse trainers, honing her skills in high-level performance training and horsemanship. Her career then took her to Clyde Park, Montana, where she became Lead Wrangler at the renowned “Marlboro Ranch,” managing trail rides, guest experiences, and a large string of horses in rugged backcountry terrain.
More than just a skilled trainer, Mikayla has always had a huge heart for rescues. In 2017, she found her dog Jaxon abandoned on the side of the road — and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Whether it’s a mustang in need of a fresh start or a stray dog looking for love, Mikayla is driven by compassion, patience, and an unwavering belief that every animal deserves a second chance.
Through Herd of Hope, she combines years of hands-on ranch and training experience with a mission to change lives — for both horses and the people who love them.
Kyle Benedict
Co-Founder | Herd of Hope: Second Chance Mustangs
Kyle Benedict brings a unique blend of business expertise, physical fitness, and lifelong passion for horses to Herd of Hope. As Co-Founder, his vision and dedication are essential to the mission of rescuing and rehabilitating mustangs for second chances at life.
Kyle graduated from Sacramento State with a Bachelor's degree in Business, but his roots in the equine world run much deeper. Growing up around horses, Kyle's family had three mustangs during his childhood — horses that were always kept at a distance by his mother, sparking a curiosity that would later lead him to rescue his own mustang. In September of 2023, that curiosity became a reality when he rescued Klay, the first mustang of Herd of Hope.
Kyle is also a certified personal trainer, with a deep commitment to physical fitness and an active, healthy lifestyle. His passion for endurance sports led him to run and complete the Vista Del Lago 100 Mile race in 2023, a testament to his perseverance and determination — qualities he instills in the mustangs he works with. Whether it’s running, training, or riding, Kyle embraces the challenge and brings that same energy to his work with horses.
In addition to Klay, Kyle shares his life with Oakley, a 2-year-old border collie who is his loyal running companion and trail riding partner. Together, Kyle and Oakley are a testament to the power of partnership, endurance, and a healthy, active lifestyle.
Through his role at Herd of Hope, Kyle is helping to redefine what’s possible for rescued mustangs, one horse — and one step — at a time.
Our Mission
At Herd of Hope: Second Chance Mustangs, our mission is rooted in the belief that every horse deserves a chance — not just to survive, but to thrive. We are dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating American mustangs who have been displaced, overlooked, or forgotten. These wild-born horses, symbols of freedom and resilience, too often face uncertain futures in overcrowded holding pens, with little opportunity to show the world what they are truly capable of.
Founded with love and purpose by Mikayla Graham and Kyle Benedict, Herd of Hope exists to offer these mustangs a second chance — a chance to heal, to grow, and to become trusted partners through compassionate, intentional training. We work slowly and patiently, building trust one day at a time, helping each horse rediscover confidence, curiosity, and connection.
Through endurance events like Ride & Tie races, our horses don’t just compete — they tell a story. A story of transformation. Of what’s possible when we believe in the potential of the misunderstood. Of the powerful bond that forms when humans and horses choose each other, again and again.
Our mission goes beyond training. We strive to educate, inspire, and involve the community in this work, showing that mustangs are more than a piece of our past — they are living, breathing proof of the strength that comes from a second chance. With every horse we help, we’re building a herd not just of horses, but of hope.
Our History
Herd of Hope: Second Chance Mustangs was born from a deep belief that every mustang deserves the opportunity to thrive. Founded by Mikayla Graham and Kyle Benedict, the program began with a simple but powerful idea — that wild-born horses, often overlooked and confined to holding facilities, could become extraordinary partners when given the time, patience, and care they need. Mikayla and Kyle, both lifelong horse lovers with a passion for adventure and advocacy, saw potential where others saw problems. What started as a personal mission to train and rehome a single mustang quickly grew into a larger calling: to build a program dedicated to the rehabilitation, training, and showcasing of America’s iconic wild horses. Through endurance events like Ride & Tie races, community outreach, and hands-on horsemanship, Herd of Hope shares a message of resilience, redemption, and the incredible bond that can form between horse and human when trust leads the way.