Alison and Mark met in 1995 when she was attending UNC-Wilmington and he was lifeguarding in Carolina Beach. 

​

Alison was born and raised in the foothills, growing up on her family's farmland in Monroe, NC. She was fortunate to spend time with horses from a very young age. Mucking stalls in exchange for lessons taught her the value of hard work and dedication when working with her life passions - equines and environmental education. Many life lessons were learned at the barn. Alison is now the Director of Nature Connect's Farm School and manages all operations at Seahorse Stables.

​

Mark works in the IT industry as a software engineer. His career allowed many opportunities for travel and his first passion - surfing. With the mind of an engineer, he's capable of finding a solution for any issue that requires fixing on the farm. 

​

Mark and Alison most enjoy spending time together with their three incredible daughters, Emma, Katy and Makena. 

Katherine is an equestrian with 25+ years of experience since falling in love with horses during riding camp at age 7. She helped to train and show horses during high school and college on the Tri-County Show Circuit, specializing in hunt-seat equitation. She has always had a passion in caring for people and animals, with dual certifications in dental assisting and massage therapy. When she isn't at the barn, she enjoys cooking, paddleboarding, and spending time outdoors with her husband and two kids.

Rebecca Wyatt of Natures Path Hoofcare has been working to improve performance, rehabilitate lameness, and promote longevity for nearly 20 years, and has successfully helped horses, mules, and donkeys recover from laminitis, founder, navicular, physical imbalances, and “mystery” lameness. Rebecca also works with performance equines to help them feel their best so that they can comfortably and happily meet the demands of their jobs.

​

She enjoys trail riding, training, and spending time with her Appaloosa (Nellie) and Paso Fino (Rocketman), visual art, and playing the cello. Rebecca is also a breast cancer survivor, which allows her a unique perspective on the physical and emotional aspects of recovery.