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Head​ Trainer
Jenny Mix
Jenny grew up riding in California beginning on the local circuit and showing all the way through the Big Equitation. As a junior she qualified for all of California's major medal finals with notable wins in the NorCal Equitation Classic and SNHSA 2’6” & 3ft Medal Finals. After years of competing in the equitation and jumpers as a junior, Jenny went to college at Sweet Briar College in Virginia where she rode on every riding team available at the time -- showing on the IHSA, ANRC Novice & National, "A" and "B" Show, and Field Teams. She rode for her teams at ANRC Nationals twice where her scores helped Sweet Briar win the 2014 ANRC Novice Championship. She also won the SBC and Randolph Medal Finals aboard Sweet Briar horses. While she majored in English & Creative Writing, she also has an Equine Certificate with a concentration in Teaching and Schooling.
Her real passion, though, lies in teaching. Jenny has dedicated herself to helping riders achieve their goals and reach their full potential. After graduating from college Jenny went on to manage a 40 horse program at St. Timothy's School in Baltimore, Maryland where she oversaw the daily care and welfare of all horses on the property. Jenny also taught lessons to students ranging in age from 5-75 and in skill
from never-touched-a-horse-before all the way through to riders participating in the Junior
Hunters, Big Equitation, and 1.05 jumpers all over the East Coast. Jenny's riders have shown at
prestigious locations such as WEC Florida & Ohio, Vermont Summer Festival, Capital
Challenge, Devon, GLEF, Harrisburg, and more. Her student's accolades range from IEA
walk/trot National qualifiers to local association year end award winners to Children's & Junior
Hunter Finals qualifiers and everything in between.
Through Jenny's use of the American Forward Riding System, riders are able to develop
a strong foundation of skills and techniques that allow them to excel in the show ring. With a
focus on developing and improving a horse's natural way of going, Jenny works tirelessly to help
riders build confidence and improve their flatwork skills, in order to develop well rounded riders
able to excel in whatever ring they step into.
Jenny was also the winner of the BCHSA Transglobal Trainer of the Year Award in 2022.​
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Trainer
Carly Parent
Carly is a trainer at DEC with a solid background in both hunt seat and dressage. She is equally passionate about training the horses in her care, developing her students at DEC, and taking the team to compete in horse shows.
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She is a 2021 graduate of St Andrews University with a BA in Business Administration with a specialization in Equine Business. While at college she was a member of the IHSA Hunt Seat team for 4 years, the IHSA Western team, the IDA Dressage, the ANRC team, and the Show Team. As a premiere equine facility in the region, with over 120 horses, the IHSA and IDA teams hosted many regular season, regional, and zone competitions. ​
She competed at ANRC Nationals her sophomore year, winning the Novice Horsemanship Test, and qualified for IHSA Regionals and Zones. She also showed her mare, Alpine’s Ruby, at C and A rated shows across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
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Carly discovered her love of working with youth as an instructor in YMCA Camp Seafarers Horseback Riding Program in 2019 and as the Director of the Horseback Riding Program in 2021 and 2022.
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In the 2021 and 2022 camp off-season, she sharpened her dressage skills working as the assistant trainer to USDF Gold Medalist Susie Wiedman at Encore Sporthorse in Sanford, NC. Carly and her mare Alpine's Ruby are working towards earning their USDF Bronze Medal.
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Carly joined DEC in March of 2023. She and her dog Gracie are enjoying supporting the horses and students of DEC in achieving their riding goals and showing off their skills in competition!
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While at DEC, she attended an EAP Regional Training Session, showed young horses in the Green and Baby Green divisions, and competed in National Derbies. She has coached multiple derby wins and top-12 finishes, qualified riders for NCHJA C Finals—producing multiple winners—and taken students to compete at C through AA rated shows. She also took over coaching the NCSU IHSA Hunt Seat Team.
Assistant Trainer
Taylor Neeley
Taylor has been an avid equestrian for over 20 years. She moved from SC to NC in October of 2024 for the opportunity to teach at DEC. She has a background in hunter/jumpers, dressage& combined training, and even a little western. She’s worked at multiple hunter/jumper show barns& USC’s NCAA barn caring for& handling horses. Taylor has done local schooling shows in SC, and C rated shows in SC& NC both on leased school horses and her then horse, Benjamin, who she started as a colt& trained through schooling 2’9”. She has worked as staff for shows at multiple venues. She also competed on Coastal Carolina University’s IHSA team for 4 years, with a trip to regionals her sophomore year.When she wasn’t on a horse, she did take some time to earn a B.A. in English Literature and enjoys reading in her spare time.
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She’s happiest teaching the itty-bitty walk-trot students& is a mom of two herself.
Taylor enjoys instilling confidence in young riders& helping them develop a firm foundation of the fundamentals of riding and horsemanship. She also has fun challenging the more advanced kids& making up wacky courses- if they can memorize a course Taylor makes up, they can memorize anything on show days!