50 People for 50 Years: Silvia Marchetti, former Mane Stream Adaptive Rider
Silvia Marchetti’s grandfather, a mounted police officer, felt therapeutic (adaptive) riding would benefit Silvia when she was quite young. Silvia shares, “When I first started riding we lived in Maplewood, NJ and I rode at Rocking-Horse Rehab in West Orange. But when we moved to Basking Ridge my mom found Mane Stream. We had to wait a few months for an opening in the Occupational Therapy schedule and I am so glad when an opening came up.”
Silvia started out as a therapy client, and over time she transitioned to the adaptive riding program. She credits Head Riding Instructor, Jen Dermody, with her progress. “Jen always did a very great job with me. She was ALWAYS pushing me and she was always hard to please so I knew when she praised me I had earned it.”
Having participated in both the therapy and adaptive programs, Silvia’s favorite time was being with great people and amazing horses. And speaking of amazing horses it was all about Buzz for Silvia. “It’s Buzz. He’s my Buzzard. He was a little stubborn most of the time, but he always took great care of me. From learning to canter to jumping for the first time ever, riding Buzz has given me the confidence to go looking for the perfect horse of my own.”
What was most challenging for Silvia was learning how to canter and jump. She started with a stirrup leather around the horse’s neck to hold on to but is now jumping verticals at the canter. And with her advanced skill level, Silvia began to compete in the Mane Stream Horse Shows. “At the 2016 Mane Stream Horse Show I won the Abby Clay Memorial Award for Highest Independent Point Rider. I competed in every Mane Stream Horse Show from 2015 until we moved to Auburn, Alabama in 2021. I have come in first a couple of times, second three times, and third once.” Silvia adds, “I compete in horse shows because it fuels my competitive fire and gets me to work ten times harder.”
Now living and riding in Alabama, Silvia recalls one of her favorite memories at Mane Stream “My favorite memory was my time riding Dorito at the BOOT SCOOTIN' BBQ in 2017. I was so nervous because it was my first time riding in front of a big audience but it ended up being one of the best times of my entire life.”
Silvia was also a summer camper beginning at age nine through fifteen. Her favorite camp activity was… WATER DAY!!! “We would always play these SUPER FUN games involving water. Whether it was a water race on horseback where the goal was to fill your team’s bucket or chucking water at each other to cool off.”
For Silvia, Mane Stream helped her gain confidence as a rider and helped her realize her dream of someday riding in a TV show or movie (think Heartland). “My time at Mane Stream was some of the best times of my life. I made great friends with the volunteers and (mostly) the horses, and had a lifetime of fun filled with memories that I wouldn’t give up for the world.”
We miss your smiling face and fierce competitive nature!
