Instructors at Eden Farms
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IRENE BACKER
​I grew up in Missouri and have enjoyed riding both English and Western horses all my life. I started volunteering at Eden Farms years ago, then was a boarder and am now an instructor here. 

I enjoy working with riders and horses of all disciplines including dressage, hunters and jumpers, Tennessee Walking horses and fox hunters. 

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KYM KLAPPERICH
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.
I love living in beautiful Dacusville, South Carolina! I have two “almost” grown children “Jasmine and Alex”, and a few pets including my dog “Valentine”, cat “Stella”, saltwater fish, and a bearded dragon “Magnum”. I also have a horse named Flashy who lives at Eden Farms and is part of our lesson program. In my free time, I enjoy taking hikes with my husband, bicycling, swimming, traveling and working in my wildflower garden.

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NICOLE McWHORTER

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!


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4700 Dacusville Highway, Marietta, SC 29661 
864-898-0043
email : edenfarmssc@aol.com