Lead Instructor Krystal Evans is the Heart of the Hope Equestrian Therapy Center in rural Perryville, Missouri. Practically born in spurs, Evans not only helps keeps the center up and running from a practical standpoint, but also embodies its spirit. Doing everything from cleaning stalls to defending grants, most of her days are spent in service to the center. Evans sees the potential in both people and animals, and strives to help them reach it. Whether at work or home, she is nurturing, encouraging, but never coddling. In this picture: Krystal Evans laughs with a volunteer during a therapy session at the Hope Center. Despite a long day of lessons, Evans and the other volunteers still keep their energy and spirits high.

Reeses and Snickers sit obediently for Krystal Evans as she leaves her house with her seven-year-old son Dillion. In addition to her pups, she has seven horses she cares for along with those at the Center.

Krystal Evans controls the suspension harness and lift to position a wheelchair bound student into a special saddle for a therapy session.

Krystal Evans jokingly refuses to give Hayden Carron a ring for a therapy game until he correctly identifies its color. Evans feels Carron is one of their most improved students. Since coming to the center a little over a year ago, Evans remarks that in the beginning he had trouble focusing on holding his reins for more than two seconds, but now can brush his own horse, carry his own saddle and primarily lead his mount around the arena.

Krystal Evans trains her horse Cash at the Hope Center and watches on as owner Rick Schemel controls his mount on the opposite side of the arena. Schemel has worked with Evans as a horse trainer since 2002 and hired her at the Hope Center when they opened their doors in 2013.

Krystal Evans directs a student to identify the correct letter or number and then use the reins to direct the horse’s nose toward the right answer. The students perform various activities on horseback to improve their core strength and hand eye coordination.

Krystal Evans laughs with a wheel chair bound student after he is secured into a special saddle that allows him to stay upright while riding.

Krystal Evans brings in two of her own horses before beginning work at the Hope Center. Evans spends the majority of her days at the Hope Center and finds bringing her own horses in allows her to train them in what little spare time she gets throughout her work day.

Krystal Evans talks to her sister on the phone while running errands for the Hope Center.

Constantly in spurs, Krystal Evans shops at Rozier’s Food Center while shopping for a gift basket that will eventually be auctioned off for a Hope Center fundraiser.

Krystal Evans defends a grant request for the Hope Center in front of the Youth Tax Board. Though she wasn’t expecting a decision until November, Evans got word the next day their grant was approved for the full $9,880 they requested.

Krystal Evans comforts her son Dillion after he hit his knee coming down the stairs.

Krystal Evans comforts her son Derrick, 4, on their living room couch. Derrick woke up grumpy around 5:30 a.m., marking the start of Evan’s day caring for people and animals. Evans said the work she does is both extremely exhausting and extremely rewarding.