50 People for 50 Years: Ilaria Borghese, MS, MA, OT and Entrepreneur
Career paths often twist and turn before arriving at a final destination and profession. Ilaria Borghese’s journey began after she received a master’s degree in neuroscience from the University of Connecticut. She was hired as the Clinical Coordinator for the Brain Research Center at Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. It was her experience at the center that made Ilaria realize she wanted to pursue a career in healthcare and she applied to both medical and occupational therapy schools.
Ilaria’s first exposure to occupational therapy began when she volunteered at a facility near UConn. She had observed an OT who utilized horses in treatment and it was a profound experience. She recalls, “After applying to schools, I was going to go to the first place I received an acceptance letter from, and that happened to be an occupational therapy program at New York University.” Side note, Ilaria never even opened letters from other schools. Soon after receiving her master’s degree in occupational therapy, Ilaria moved to New Jersey with her husband. This is where fate leads Ilaria to the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center (now Mane Stream).
Ilaria saw a flyer for an organization looking for volunteers at a local town hall. Upon completing the application, she met Karen Bocksel, Executive Director, who responded “You’re an OT? Do you want to start a program here?” Ilaria spent the next six years, in the early 2000’s, developing the first OT program at Mane Stream. Her first impression was that “It was such a welcoming and positive environment. I enjoyed how I could collaborate with other professionals who may not have necessarily been healthcare professionals, but were disability experts. I remember how supportive everyone was of one another.”
Ilaria’s favorite horse to use in therapy was Sue. While Sue definitely had her own likes and dislikes, Ilaria enjoyed working with her due to her movement and personality. Many years later, Ilaria was looking for a mare as a companion horse. She knew some people at Mylestone Equine Rescue and put in a call; they said that had just the horse for her. When Ilaria went to go and meet the horse, it was none other than Sue! Of course, Sue went home with Ilaria and spent the rest of her years on the farm. Ilaria also took another SHHRC horse home when a career in adaptive riding wasn’t quite the job for him. Kieffer is still at Ilaria’s farm today (and even sometimes helps her bring the garbage can up the driveway!)
When asked to share a treasured memory, Ilaria quickly shared the story of a local equestrian who became a quadriplegic due to a serious car accident. The woman’s husband reached out to Ilaria asking for help, and though the client was against coming at first, she was eventually convinced to try therapy at Mane Stream. In the beginning it took many people to get her safely on the horse and to support her once astride. However, after a couple of sessions, Ilaria could see that the client was accepting of her treatment sessions and gains were being made. With a feeling of deep satisfaction Ilaria recalled the day this client was not only able to transfer herself on and off the horse, but also when she was able to post at the trot because her muscles had the memory of doing so. Using her OT skillset and helping her client work towards her goal of riding again is a memory that Ilaria cherishes.
In addition to horses, Ilaria has a special interest in Greyhound dogs and their unique medical issues. She has lectured and written articles on paw-related conditions in ex-racing Greyhounds and has conducted and co-authored one of the largest epidemiological studies on the breed. While practicing at Mane Stream, Ilaria extended her special interest and became the creator, designer, and innovator of therapeutic devices for animals. In 2001, she started Thera-Paw, Inc. a company that to this day still develops, manufactures, and distributes splints, braces, soft orthoses, protective garments, mobility aids, and other assistive products for animals with special needs. Ilaria eventually left Mane Stream so she could focus her time custom-fabricating these devices and working closely with small animal practitioners to develop novel approaches to custom splinting and bracing.
In 2010, Ilaria co-founded STAAR, the Symposium on Therapeutic Advances in Animal Rehabilitation, a conference for veterinary professionals that brings advanced courses in comprehensive animal care taught by the leaders in the field. By 2020, Ilaria also co-founded Vital Vet, a multi-platform supercenter dedicated to improving the lives of animals. Through this platform, all things related to animal rehabilitation, physical therapy, and pet fitness can now be found in one central location to help veterinary professionals and pet owners learn, connect, and make more informed decisions about their animal companions.
Mane Stream is fortunate that Ilaria’s path took her to Mane Stream where she established the first occupational therapy program which has benefitted hundreds of children and adults over the years.
