Jamie Carter, DVM

Dr. Carter is a native of South Carolina, raised on a small Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing farm in Bamberg County. He is a member of AQHA and actively pursues racing Thoroughbreds and pleasure riding as hobbies. His undergraduate education was in animal science at Clemson University, post graduation he worked on advanced studies in equine reproduction. Additionally, he taught reproductive palpitation labs and collegiate equine science classes before being enrolled in veterinary school at Tuskegee University in Alabama. During veterinary school, he worked with Dr. David Harrington in Pelham, Alabama in a racetrack, surgical, and performance horse practice. Then, for 3 years, he worked with Dr. Keith Merritt in Wauconda, IL in an advanced diagnostic performance horse practice with surgery, nuclear medicine, and state of the art equipment. In 2002, he started Southern Equine Service as an ambulatory practice that quickly sprang to a three veterinarian practice with an emphasis on sports medicine and diagnostics. The hospital was completed and the practice now has eleven veterinarians and a full staff. In his private life he enjoys riding horses, hunting, working on his farm, and most of all spending time with his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Ciera, Austin, and Lane. They all enjoy the outdoors and life on their eighty acre farm in northern Aiken County. He is also a member of AVMA, AAEP, and SCAV.

Tom Stinner, DVM

Dr. Stinner grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he began riding pleasure horses at the age of ten and for 25 years he rode and competed reining horses all over the region. He received a BS in Animal Bio Science from Penn State and then moved to Knoxville where he attended veterinary school at the University of Tennessee. He graduated from veterinary school in 1992, with an interest in equine medicine and surgery. Tom began his career in Texas with Dr. Alan Donnell, a renowned western performance horse veterinarian. Dr. Stinner also worked in a surgical practice with boarded surgeon Dr. Paul Dean performing many surgeries, honing his skills to become a well rounded equine veterinarian. In 1995, Tom moved to Aiken and began his equine ambulatory practice. He has primary interests in lameness, sports medicine, and diagnostic imaging. His practice consists of multiple disciplines including hunter/jumpers, race horse stables, and western performance horses. He is also a member of AVMA, AAEP, and ISELP.

Rachel Beetz, DVM

Dr. Beetz grew up in Sunman, Indiana on her family's farm. She helped raise cattle, row crops, hay, and horses. She was active in 4-H as well as raising and showing Paint horses. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Equine Production from the University of Kentucky in 2006. While in Lexington she worked extensively in the equine industry at Thoroughbred sales, stud farms, and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. She attended veterinary school at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and graduated with her doctorate in 2012. Dr. Beetz was one of two interns at Southern Equine Service for 2013-2014. She was later hired as an associate veterinarian in 2014. Her career interests include sports medicine, reproduction, and general wellness. In her free time she enjoys riding her Paint horse as well as working on the family farm. Dr. Beetz is a member of the AAEP, AVMA, and SCAV.

Lauren Ray, DVM

Dr. Ray grew up in Aiken on a small farm working in the hay fields and riding horses. She began riding at a very early age and later became involved in eventing. Dr. Ray received her Bachelor of Science degree from The University of South Carolina- Aiken in 2007. She attended veterinary school at Tuskegee University in Alabama and graduated with her doctorate in 2014. After veterinary school, Dr. Ray completed a one year internship at Tennessee Equine Hospital before joining Southern Equine Service as an associate. Her career interests are focused on dentistry, general wellness care, integrative care including chiropractic services, and internal medicine. In Dr. Ray’s free time, she enjoys riding her horses, spending time with her husband, and relaxing at the beach. Dr. Ray is a member of the AAEP, IVCA, and AVMA.

Jen Reda, DVM

Dr. Jen Reda was born and raised in Florida and began riding horses at the age of six. She rode both Western and English growing up and competed in local barrel races, in addition to breaking and training young horses. Dr. Reda attended veterinary school at the University of Florida; she then completed her internship here with us at Southern Equine Service. After practicing in Florida for a year, Dr. Reda rejoined Southern Equine and has been with our practice for over 10 years now. Dr. Reda spends most of her time working on racehorses, polo ponies, and mares and foals. In her spare time, Dr. Reda enjoys traveling, especially internationally, and living on Salt Life Farm with her family, horses, and dogs. She is a member of the AAEP and AVMA.

Ben Mitchell, DVM

Dr. Mitchell calls Rowland, NC and Dillon, SC his home. He comes from farming families and has been riding/competing western for many years. He’s the proud owner of two American Quarter Horses, Hemi and Honey, and a Boxer, Phenix. Dr. Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and earned his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. Dr. Mitchell has a special interest in ambulatory medicine and lameness. He is a member of AAEP, AVMA, SFT, and AQHA.

Sarah Davis, DVM

Dr. Sarah Davis grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia and began riding horses at a young age. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina and attended veterinary school at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, Dr. Davis worked as an ICU technician in the Large Animal Hospital. Her professional interests include sports medicine, podiatry and ambulatory practice. In her spare time, you can find Dr. Davis hiking, fishing and chasing after her crazy dogs. She is a member of the AAEP and AVMA.

Sarah Thompson, DVM

Dr. Thompson is a 1998 graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College, where she tracked heavily in equine studies. Following graduation, she moved to Texas to pursue an internship at Las Colinas Veterinary Clinic, a surgical and internal medicine referral center in Irving, TX. Dr. Thompson continued on as an associate veterinarian at Equiplex Veterinary Hospital in Flower Mound TX until late 2000 where she joined Battenhill Equine (an 8 doctor equine practice) in Saratoga Springs NY. In 2004 Dr. Thompson moved to Aiken SC to pursue her career & started Estrella Equine in 2005. Dr. Thompson's interests include lameness, colic care & reproduction/neonatology. 

Ashley Potter, DVM

Dr. Potter grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia where her passion for horses began. She started riding at an early age and enjoys eventing. Dr. Potter attended Virginia Tech where she received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry with minors in psychology and equine sciences. She then attended Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine where she received her veterinary degree. Dr. Potter enjoys sports medicine as well as general ambulatory practice.

Lindsey Pokrzywinski, DVM

Dr. Lindsey Pokrzywinski is from Augusta, GA where she started riding horses with her grandparents. She received her bachelors in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee, where she continued her veterinary education to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Lindsey completed her internship here at Southern Equine Service and was hired on as an associate veterinarian. Her professional interests include reproduction, emergencies, and general wellness. When not working Dr. Pok enjoys ballroom dancing and anything Tennessee sports - Go VOLS!

Surgery

Dr. Guillermo Cardonna

Dr. Guillermo Cardona is originally from Bogotá, Colombia. His interest for veterinary medicine came early in his life, but the passion for horses and surgery grew while he was in Veterinary School. He moved to Ocala, FL in 2015 where he did a sports medicine internship while completing his ECFVG process acquiring his DVM license in 2017. After this, he worked between 2017 and 2019 in sports medicine and rehabilitation, always keeping in mind his dream of becoming an equine surgeon. He became a Certified Equine Rehabilitation Practitioner with the University of Tennessee in 2018. From Ocala, he moved to Pennsylvania to complete a rotating internship at the New Bolton Center from 2019 to 2020 and then to Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary medicine in Blacksburg to complete his residency program in large animal surgery. He then culminated his training and became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2025. His main interests are surgery, sports medicine, imaging, and rehabilitation. His favorite surgical procedures involve minimally invasive surgeries such as arthroscopy or laparoscopy. During his free time, he enjoys watching sports, especially soccer, listening to music, practicing outdoor activities, and walk alongside his fiancé, Sara, and his cats Cucumber and Otello.

Theriogenology / Reproduction

Emily M. May “Matty”, DVM

Dr. May was raised in Columbia, SC. She attended Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where she majored in Biology and minored in Chemistry. After studying at Presbyterian College, she graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. South Carolina drew her back to complete a one-year internship in Aiken, SC at Southern Equine Service (’19-’20), where she enjoyed equine emergency, reproductive medicine, and neonatal cases. After completing her residency training in equine theriogenology at Colorado State University’s Equine Reproduction Laboratory, she worked at a privately owned racing quarter horse ranch in Oklahoma for a year before coming back to join Southern Equine Service as an associate. Her areas of research during residency were air effects on stallion sperm, parturition and post foaling care of the neonate, and post-breeding induced endometritis in the mare.

Julia Bower, DVM

Dr. Julia Brower is from Westport, Connecticut. She began riding when she was 8 years old following her passion for horses during her undergraduate degree working at the horse barns at the University of Connecticut and taking sale, training and reproduction classes. She attended veterinary school at University College Dublin in Ireland. Dr. Julia enjoys sports medicine, general practice and reproduction. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, baking and hiking.