Our Staff
BECKY SWEENEY
Happy Hooves Executive Director and EAGALA Certified Equine Specialist
Eden Farms, Proud Home of Happy Hooves
I help riders of all ages and abilities enjoy and improve their lives through equine related programs and therapies.
It’s exciting to know that God's magnificent horses can be used to run fast, jump high, and hit the trail, but deep down I felt they could do even more and have greater purpose.
In therapy lessons, I see people's perspectives changed, hope restored, and healing begin when they interact with horses. This isn't just a rare peek every once in a while: we see it all the time at Eden Farms. Every time you work with the horses it is like a blank slate: no judgments or presuppositions. Like with Christ, horses do not judge and accept you where you are.
Everyday is different (and busy!). I love working with my family, being outside with the horses, and knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of others right here in the Upstate. When I graduated college, I was sure I wanted to live overseas as a missionary, but now I know this is my mission field.
Since Happy Hooves was started in 2005, the more I see the effects of equine therapies, the less I truly understand as to what is really happening with the healing and growth-taking place. I believe that God has a special plan and purpose for every person (and horse!) that comes through our barn gates. My job is to give them the best horse experience I can with the resources I have available to me.
I am an EAGALA Certified Equine Specialist, and wear many hats at Happy Hooves.
I am happily married and mother of three great children, I co-lead two different Girl Scout troops, am a class mom for First Presbyterian Academy, as well as active in my church.
Happy Hooves Executive Director and EAGALA Certified Equine Specialist
Eden Farms, Proud Home of Happy Hooves
I help riders of all ages and abilities enjoy and improve their lives through equine related programs and therapies.
It’s exciting to know that God's magnificent horses can be used to run fast, jump high, and hit the trail, but deep down I felt they could do even more and have greater purpose.
In therapy lessons, I see people's perspectives changed, hope restored, and healing begin when they interact with horses. This isn't just a rare peek every once in a while: we see it all the time at Eden Farms. Every time you work with the horses it is like a blank slate: no judgments or presuppositions. Like with Christ, horses do not judge and accept you where you are.
Everyday is different (and busy!). I love working with my family, being outside with the horses, and knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of others right here in the Upstate. When I graduated college, I was sure I wanted to live overseas as a missionary, but now I know this is my mission field.
Since Happy Hooves was started in 2005, the more I see the effects of equine therapies, the less I truly understand as to what is really happening with the healing and growth-taking place. I believe that God has a special plan and purpose for every person (and horse!) that comes through our barn gates. My job is to give them the best horse experience I can with the resources I have available to me.
I am an EAGALA Certified Equine Specialist, and wear many hats at Happy Hooves.
I am happily married and mother of three great children, I co-lead two different Girl Scout troops, am a class mom for First Presbyterian Academy, as well as active in my church.
NICOLE McWHORTER
Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional PATH Member
I have been at Eden Farms since 2014. I started bringing my girls out for arena rides in 2013, shortly after we moved to the area, in hopes that they would fall in love with horses just like I did! Not long after, I started volunteering and very soon after that I was asked to fill a spot on the Eden Farms staff.
I am married and have two wonderful children. I have lived in the Upstate most of my life and just moved to this area five years ago. I started riding as a young girl, and one of the horses we had was an Arabian named Niko. He was my first horse love and will forever hold a special place in my heart!
I enjoy teaching lessons every week and meeting new students. I look forward to seeing my regular students weekly, and I hope to continue to instruct here at Eden Farms and Happy Hooves for a long time!
Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional PATH Member
I have been at Eden Farms since 2014. I started bringing my girls out for arena rides in 2013, shortly after we moved to the area, in hopes that they would fall in love with horses just like I did! Not long after, I started volunteering and very soon after that I was asked to fill a spot on the Eden Farms staff.
I am married and have two wonderful children. I have lived in the Upstate most of my life and just moved to this area five years ago. I started riding as a young girl, and one of the horses we had was an Arabian named Niko. He was my first horse love and will forever hold a special place in my heart!
I enjoy teaching lessons every week and meeting new students. I look forward to seeing my regular students weekly, and I hope to continue to instruct here at Eden Farms and Happy Hooves for a long time!
KYM KLAPPERICH
Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional PATH Member
I grew up in suburban Chicago and didn’t have much opportunity to enjoy horses. So, when I moved to Upstate, South Carolina in 1998, I took advantage of the opportunity to learn to ride, focusing much of my training in dressage while working and riding at Riverbend Equestrian Center in Greenville.
I first came to Eden Farms as a guest at a birthday party in 2004 when my daughter was only 4 years old. I immediately fell in love with the barn and the equine therapeutic riding program, Happy Hooves! Since that time, I have taught lessons to Eden Farms, recently I've spent most of my teaching time at Eden Farms Summer Camps. I also currently sit on the Happy Hooves Board of Directors.
In addition to training in dressage, I have had training in Centered Riding and have completed the Centered Riding Instructor Level 1. I believe that Centered Riding’s core principles of breathing, soft eyes, centering, building blocks and grounding play an important role in all riding disciplines, including therapeutic riding and are beneficial to both riders and horses. I approach all my lessons prioritizing the safety of rider and horse, bringing fun and joy into lessons, and encouraging independence and self- confidence in my students.
Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional PATH Member
I grew up in suburban Chicago and didn’t have much opportunity to enjoy horses. So, when I moved to Upstate, South Carolina in 1998, I took advantage of the opportunity to learn to ride, focusing much of my training in dressage while working and riding at Riverbend Equestrian Center in Greenville.
I first came to Eden Farms as a guest at a birthday party in 2004 when my daughter was only 4 years old. I immediately fell in love with the barn and the equine therapeutic riding program, Happy Hooves! Since that time, I have taught lessons to Eden Farms, recently I've spent most of my teaching time at Eden Farms Summer Camps. I also currently sit on the Happy Hooves Board of Directors.
In addition to training in dressage, I have had training in Centered Riding and have completed the Centered Riding Instructor Level 1. I believe that Centered Riding’s core principles of breathing, soft eyes, centering, building blocks and grounding play an important role in all riding disciplines, including therapeutic riding and are beneficial to both riders and horses. I approach all my lessons prioritizing the safety of rider and horse, bringing fun and joy into lessons, and encouraging independence and self- confidence in my students.
MEGHAN O'HARE
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
I have been at Eden Farms since 2017. My horse journey started here when I was just 11 years old, taking riding lessons from Ms. Nicole. I started working summer camp and feeding the horses in 2021 and have worked most of the jobs at the farm since then. Some of my favorite memories come from the horse shows I went to with Esther and Ms. Irene.
I took a short break from Eden Farms and went to HALTER in Spartanburg to work with PATH Mentor, Dr. Sarah Newman, to get my therapeutic riding certification. I received my certification in April of 2025 and have been working at Happy Hooves as a therapy instructor since then.
I love working with all my sweet students in their weekly riding lessons and I feel so blessed to be able to watch every rider grow and progress each week. I aim to fulfill the vision and mission of Happy Hooves in every lesson I teach, to show the love of Christ to all who walk through the doors of the barn. I believe that God has given me a gift to serve others using His wonderful creatures and I appreciate the opportunity that Happy Hooves gives me to use this gift. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
I have been at Eden Farms since 2017. My horse journey started here when I was just 11 years old, taking riding lessons from Ms. Nicole. I started working summer camp and feeding the horses in 2021 and have worked most of the jobs at the farm since then. Some of my favorite memories come from the horse shows I went to with Esther and Ms. Irene.
I took a short break from Eden Farms and went to HALTER in Spartanburg to work with PATH Mentor, Dr. Sarah Newman, to get my therapeutic riding certification. I received my certification in April of 2025 and have been working at Happy Hooves as a therapy instructor since then.
I love working with all my sweet students in their weekly riding lessons and I feel so blessed to be able to watch every rider grow and progress each week. I aim to fulfill the vision and mission of Happy Hooves in every lesson I teach, to show the love of Christ to all who walk through the doors of the barn. I believe that God has given me a gift to serve others using His wonderful creatures and I appreciate the opportunity that Happy Hooves gives me to use this gift. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
JEAN CALZAVARA-UHLMANN
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
I've spent nearly my entire life with horses and after a 20-year hiatus, in the summer of 2023, it was time to go back to the barn.
I’ve never doubted the impact horses have on humans. That impact is immeasurable for someone who has extraordinary physical and mental challenges. Enter therapeutic riding programs as the conduit between those who need and those who give.
I came to Happy Hooves at Eden Farms to volunteer and spend time doing anything “in the barn”. I was mentored and encouraged by our amazing staff to use my teaching skills to take on students of my own and I can honestly say I’m not sure who gets more joy out of their accomplishments, me or my students.
There’s been many fancy horses in my life, but none can compare to the very special therapy horses we have at Happy Hooves. I’ve always gone to the barn for Horsehair Therapy and I am honored to share my passion with others.
Therapeutic Riding Instructor
I've spent nearly my entire life with horses and after a 20-year hiatus, in the summer of 2023, it was time to go back to the barn.
I’ve never doubted the impact horses have on humans. That impact is immeasurable for someone who has extraordinary physical and mental challenges. Enter therapeutic riding programs as the conduit between those who need and those who give.
I came to Happy Hooves at Eden Farms to volunteer and spend time doing anything “in the barn”. I was mentored and encouraged by our amazing staff to use my teaching skills to take on students of my own and I can honestly say I’m not sure who gets more joy out of their accomplishments, me or my students.
There’s been many fancy horses in my life, but none can compare to the very special therapy horses we have at Happy Hooves. I’ve always gone to the barn for Horsehair Therapy and I am honored to share my passion with others.
SARAH JOHANNES
Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprentice
I have loved horses ever since I was a little girl and first became involved in horse ranching as a late teen. Being a military kid most of my life, I joined Upstate Warrior Solutions as a volunteer and began exploring opportunities for a military equine therapy program. Eden Farms came up as the top location! Several of us from UWS and Eden Farms joined forces to launch the program in September 2024. I also became an Eden Farms volunteer in the summer of 2024 and have enjoyed learning under their professional tutelage about horsemanship and therapy.
When not volunteering with UWS and Eden Farms, I work as the business owner and fashion designer behind the women's clothing brand Kait & Crowne Collections, along with seam stressing for Wheaton Whaley Home and teaching at Highlands Latin School. Life is rich indeed!
Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprentice
I have loved horses ever since I was a little girl and first became involved in horse ranching as a late teen. Being a military kid most of my life, I joined Upstate Warrior Solutions as a volunteer and began exploring opportunities for a military equine therapy program. Eden Farms came up as the top location! Several of us from UWS and Eden Farms joined forces to launch the program in September 2024. I also became an Eden Farms volunteer in the summer of 2024 and have enjoyed learning under their professional tutelage about horsemanship and therapy.
When not volunteering with UWS and Eden Farms, I work as the business owner and fashion designer behind the women's clothing brand Kait & Crowne Collections, along with seam stressing for Wheaton Whaley Home and teaching at Highlands Latin School. Life is rich indeed!
ALEXIS SPAINHOUR
Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprentice
I grew up in Columbia, South Carolina and have been involved in the horse world for the last 17 years. When I was four years old, I discovered the movie Flicka and by the time I was five I had watched the movie so many times I could say the lines. From that point on I was determined that I was going to ride horses, even though no one in my family had any horse experience. I successfully bugged my parents enough and took my first lesson before I started kindergarten and the rest is history.
My background is in Hunter Jumpers. I grew up showing in both Camden and Aiken. When it was time to go off to college I continued my riding career on the Furman University Equestrian Team. There I served as the President of the team for three years.
While looking for volunteering opportunities in the upstate I found Happy Hooves in 2024. Then during my senior year at Furman I completed an internship with Happy Hooves. While the horse world is a familiar place to me Eden Farms was my first introduction to therapeutic riding. I have greatly enjoyed getting to learn more about therapeutic riding through my time at Happy Hooves and am thrilled to be a part of the apprenticeship program here.
If you are interested in learning more about our Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprenticeship program, please contact the barn (864-898-0043).
Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprentice
I grew up in Columbia, South Carolina and have been involved in the horse world for the last 17 years. When I was four years old, I discovered the movie Flicka and by the time I was five I had watched the movie so many times I could say the lines. From that point on I was determined that I was going to ride horses, even though no one in my family had any horse experience. I successfully bugged my parents enough and took my first lesson before I started kindergarten and the rest is history.
My background is in Hunter Jumpers. I grew up showing in both Camden and Aiken. When it was time to go off to college I continued my riding career on the Furman University Equestrian Team. There I served as the President of the team for three years.
While looking for volunteering opportunities in the upstate I found Happy Hooves in 2024. Then during my senior year at Furman I completed an internship with Happy Hooves. While the horse world is a familiar place to me Eden Farms was my first introduction to therapeutic riding. I have greatly enjoyed getting to learn more about therapeutic riding through my time at Happy Hooves and am thrilled to be a part of the apprenticeship program here.
If you are interested in learning more about our Therapeutic Riding Instructor Apprenticeship program, please contact the barn (864-898-0043).
