As a child growing up in Massachusetts, Gracie Royle's first love of horses came from her family, who raised them. But it wasn’t until after many years without equine companionship that she bought her first horse in the early 1990s while living in Georgia.  He was a Tennessee Walker named Ford, who has proven to be a long-time friend and is currently in his 20s. She moved to Kansas in 1999 and has since added Clancey as a horse friend. Clancey had been saved from a killer auction, however was doomed to be sent back if a home could not be found for him. Luckily, Gracie was that home.

Gracie has also been involved with the Sound Horse Organization for several years.  The organization's mission is to stop the soring of gaited horses, a practice used to achieve the big lick show gait. She has been a supporter of Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement, Inc. since it began and is proud to serve on the Board of Directors for that organization. In addition, Gracie also does volunteer work for the Colonial Potter Cairn Terrier Rescue organization assisting with finding foster homes and transportation for rescued puppy mill dogs.

In her professional career, Gracie is currently a Regional Manager for Via Christi's outreach program. She has been in the health care industry her entire career, where she began as an ED nurse in the mid-1970s and later moved into health care administration and consulting. Over the past several years, Gracie has focused on selling health care services in rural Kansas communities as well as in the Wichita area.

Gracie lives in Wichita with her husband, Chris, and rescued dogs - Toby, Andy and Helga - as well as rescued felines Sheldon and Charlie.