Cayla Stone
Co-Founder, Head of Horse Operations, Trainer
Cayla Stone has a particular love and interest in promoting Mustangs in the english riding disciplines and has become well-known as a Mustang trainer. She is a graduate of the CSU Equine Science program, a two-time finalist in the Extreme Mustang Makeover Competition, an established TIP trainer, and Eventing Trainer.
Over the last six years, Cayla has trained or assisted in the training of over 50 Mustangs. This is a huge feat given that she only has one or two in training at any given time! Cayla believes that the more awareness she can bring to the versatility of the breed, the more adoptable these horses will become.
Cayla showed her 2016 Mustang Makeover 5th place finisher, Atalanta in Eventing and won 10th place at the 2018 American Eventing Championships. Cayla also won the overall award for best adult pony rider.
Ruth Rose
Co-Founder
Ruth Rose is a veterinary surgical oncologist working at Colorado State University. Prior to her surgical training, Ruth studied conservation medicine and animal behavior. While in veterinary school, she helped identify matriarchal groups of elephants at a prospective study site in Kenya for a PZP population control investigation. PZP is the same medication given to help control some populations of wild horses.
Ruth has always been enamored with horses and started taking riding lessons with Cayla in order to re-build her confidence with horses that had been lost over so many years away from them. Upon becoming educated about the plight of the wild horses on the range and in captivity, Ruth became motivated to help bridge the gap between gentled Mustangs and saddle trained Mustangs. With Cayla, Ruth founded Wild Rose Mustang Advocacy Group.
Sienna Hawk
Trainer Partner
Originally from Northern Colorado and now based in Laramie, Wyoming, Sienna loves helping mustangs gain confidence, develop their skills, and find lasting homes where they can thrive. She joined Wild Rose as a training partner in late 2024, and has worked with several horses in the program.
Sienna has trained in a variety of disciplines, but primarily does western riding, trail, and driving. She has presented clinics and classes around the region, is a two-time competitor in the Rocky Mountain Equine Comeback Challenge, and was the 2025 Branded Bonanza Nebraska Champion with her horse, Red Solo Cup.
Louise Comas
Board President
Louise Comas is a plant biologist and ecologist by day. She had a love of horses and riding since childhood in Louisiana but never fathomed being in a position to own a horse. After a break for career and family, she started riding again with her daughter when her daughter was 6 yrs old, facilitated by the equine access in Fort Collins. They bought their first horse, Sedona, a mustang gelding, four years later as a 2 yr old and started training with Cayla.
Five years later, Sedona does a little bit of everything and remains her shared joy with her daughter. Louise is passionate about mustangs and developing more opportunities for children and adults from all walks of life to have access to mustangs and inspiration they bring.
Stephanie
Board Treasurer
Stephanie didn’t start riding until she was 34, but she’s been making up for lost time ever since. After a few years of learning the basics, she went on a quest to find the perfect trainer—someone with eventing expertise and a natural, horse-first approach. That journey led her to Cayla and Wild Rose, and the rest is history!
Her horse family started with Gentleman Jack, whom she still has, but it didn’t stop there. Stephanie is now also the proud “mustang mama” of Dougie, Zephyr and Oliver, all adopted from Wild Rose. Add a few dogs to the mix and “Swanson Acres” is always full of excitement, dirty boots, and a whole lot of heart.
By day, Stephanie is a Business Officer at a local University, where she puts her accounting and organizational skills to work. When not at her day job, she uses those same skills to support Wild Rose’s mission, helping Mustangs find homes and helping youth trainers succeed. Swanson Acres also provides an important resource for Wild Rose horses by offering space for new arrivals to quarantine, a place for horses to rest and recharge after training, and additional room to support Wild Rose’s growing needs when space with our exceptional trainers is at capacity.