Meet the Staff

Shannon Knapp

Shannon Knapp is founder and president of both Horse Sense of the Carolinas, Inc., and Horse Sense Business Sense.  Shannon has worked with and taught horses and people for over 25 years. After 10 years teaching in college, she left academia and began working with abused & neglected horses. She began pairing "rescued" horses with people in 2001, and Horse Sense was formed soon after. She and her husband Richard continue to work with horses through horse rescue organizations and local humane societies and law enforcement.

Shannon is EAGALA Advanced Certified, a Parelli Level 2 graduate and is the author of the book, Horse Sense Business Sense, Volume 1, an introduction to starting and running your own Horse Therapy & Learning practice, as well as numerous other resources for Horse Therapy & Learning practices. In addition, Shannon is a Graduate Advisor for Prescott College's Equine Assisted Learning Masters program, & offers consulting services to those interested in starting their own Horse Therapy & Learning business. Currently Shannon and Richard are piloting programming to support horse professionals and mental health professionals with their horsemanship skills for EAP/EAL programs utilizing Parelli principles, practices and ideas. Shannon is also at work on a book specifically about the role of the horse in EAP/EAL practices, and the role(s) of the Horse Professional. 

Richard Knapp

Richard Knapp is an EAGALA-certified practitioner, a Parelli Level 3 graduate, and a Parelli 2 Star Instructor. A Northern Ohio native, Richard graduated from the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs with a BS in Space Physics. After graduating from Pilot Training at Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX, he served as a flight instructor, air traffic controller, and FAA liaison, completing his military career in 1993. He worked as a contract software designer in Dallas, TX, &. now manages Meadows Town, LLC, a business for horse rehabilitation and development, instruction, and sales of Advanced Biological Concepts feed and supplements, Flint River Ranch organic dog & cat food, and organically grown hay.

Josie Mosser

Josie Mosser is the Business and Marketing Director at Horse Sense Business Sense. Originally from Chicago, she fled the big city and headed to the Green Mountains where she received a degree in literature and biology from Marlboro College. Only 6 days after getting married, Josie and her husband moved down to Asheville to check out the extended growing season. Josie has worked with Horse Sense for 3 years, filling a number of roles in the office. When not in the office, Josie and her husband stay very busy playing in a band and farming. She also paints and bakes delicious gluten free goodies!