We Exist for Those Who Have Given Everything.
Guiding Reins is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing equine-assisted wellness programs for veterans, active military, first responders, and their families across the Carolinas.
Our Story
Guiding Reins was founded in 2018 out of a simple but powerful belief: the men and women who serve our communities deserve real, meaningful support when they need it most.
We built our programs around the proven Eagala Model of horse-assisted wellness, bringing together certified facilitators, equine specialists, and licensed mental health professionals to create a space where participants can work through what they are carrying, at their own pace, on their own terms.
Since our founding, we have served more than 400 participants across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina. One hundred percent of our veteran participants carry some form of service-related disability. Every program we offer is provided at no cost to participants, made possible entirely through donations, grants, and the dedication of our volunteer community.
Our Mission
To provide equine-assisted mental wellness programs that empower veterans, active military, first responders, and their families to find connection, build resilience, and reclaim their well-being.
Our Impact
400+ participants served since 2020
100% of veteran participants carried some form of service-related disability
Five partner farm locations across Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina
Referral partners include the Greenville SC VA Clinic, the Greenville Vet Center, the Asheville NC VA Clinic, Upstate Warrior Solution, the Combined Arms Institute contracted by the VA, and Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Spartanburg and Greenville, SC
Who We Are
Guiding Reins is guided by an active volunteer Board of Directors and working committees composed of retired veterans, business owners, mental health professionals, and equine specialists. Our programs are led by a contracted team of certified facilitators and licensed mental health professionals.
Board of Directors
Alicia Sama, President
Heidi Selbee, Vice President
Lisa Rodriguez, Secretary
Amy Rudisill, Treasurer
Jon Allen, Director
Program Committee
Renee Wormell, Chair | Kitty Bateman Kestler | Llyn Josef | Alicia Sama | Hanna Pooley | Diane Prewitt
Resource Development Committee
Heidi Selbee, Chair | Jennifer Pooley | Nancy Holland | Diane Prewitt
Advisory Council
Coming in 2026. Stay tuned.
Our Team
Diane Prewitt
Diane is an Eagala certified Equine Specialist and the heart behind Guiding Reins. She volunteered for 12 years with TROT (Therapeutic Riding of Tryon) and served as a Board member for FETA (Foothills Equestrian Trail Association). She is also the vice-chair of the Polk County Health and Wellness Coalition and is certified in CPR/AED and Mental Health First Aid.
Born and raised in South Carolina, Diane rode her first horse at Lawton Stables on Hilton Head Island at age seven. She went on to compete through her college years as a member of the University of South Carolina Equestrian Team from 1984 to 1988, earned a graduate degree, and built a career as a paralegal before founding Guiding Reins in 2018.
Founder, Executive Director and Lead Facilitator
Alicia Sama
Co-FacilitatorAlicia is a Certified Equine Specialist who joined Guiding Reins in 2020. She took a small equestrian program in Mill Spring, NC and grew it significantly, creating opportunities for children and adults across the Carolinas to connect with horses. Alicia has collaborated with the Pony Club of America, Boy Scouts of America, and Girl Scouts of America to bring equine education to young people in the community. She is CPR/AED certified and one of the most dedicated leaders in the region's equine community.
Renee Wormell
Renée has been part of Guiding Reins since its founding in 2018, first as an advisor and session volunteer, then as a board member elected in 2022. She currently serves as chair of the Program Committee and holds OK Corral Series facilitator certification. A retired paralegal, Renée brings legal experience, board governance expertise, and exceptional writing skills to her work with Guiding Reins. She and her husband Bill have made their home on a small farm in Landrum, SC, where their horses are very much at the center of life.
Co-Facilitator
Bobbie Shannon
Co-FacilitatorBobbie is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in North Carolina and a Licensed Professional Counselor in South Carolina with more than 30 years of practice. She began her career at Polk Mental Health working with at-risk youth and later spent nine years as counselor for Steps to Hope, Polk County's Domestic Violence Shelter. Trained in the Eagala Model of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy in 2009, she has since brought horse-assisted wellness to individuals, grief groups supported by Hospice of the Carolinas, and addiction groups at Pavillon Addiction Treatment Center.
Debra Torrence
Debra Torrence, Ed.M., joined Guiding Reins in 2022 to strengthen the organization's capacity to grow, sustain operations, and serve more participants. She brings more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit administration, university research, and fund development. Through her North Carolina business, Grants for Good, she has secured dozens of grants for community, research, education, arts, human services, and local government organizations.
Resource Developer
Brenna Koester
Program AssistantBrenna joined Guiding Reins in summer 2022 and quickly became an essential part of the team. She assists with grant research, program data, and participant outreach. Brenna brings an equestrian background rooted in eventing throughout her youth and early adulthood, and her love of horses continues to inform her work with the program. She is based in Charlotte, NC.