2020 Fall Tack Sale

A year in the making!

When the line of people starts forming at 6:40 am, you know the day is going to be EPIC! And that's exactly what happened on Sunday, November 1st for the Mane Stream Fall Tack Sale.

According to Equine Manager, Jen Dermody and Barn Manager, Holland Kochanski, this was by far the largest Mane Stream Tack Sale EVER, resulting in a whopping $8,500 of sales. Due to the large number of donations accumulated over the past year and the required social distancing protocols, the event spread over the whole indoor arena, storage area, and mounting area. Several shoppers mentioned they really enjoyed the extra space and the way everything was laid out.

Some still available: a selection of BRAND NEW EGo7 apparel in a variety of sizes from Show Coats, Paddock Boots and Half Chaps as well as an extensive selection of KEP Helmets that are all DEEPLY DISCOUNTED!!

As the first 50 people streamed into the arena the great deals on saddles, tack trunks, Baker blankets, girths, and bridles were scooped up well before 10am. In addition to the generous donations from the surrounding horse community this year we also received a HUGE selection of BRAND NEW EGo7 apparel in a variety of sizes from Show Coats, Paddock Boots and Half Chaps as well as an extensive selection of KEP Helmets that were all DEEPLY DISCOUNTED!!

We still have a selection of styles and sizes so contact Jen Dermody if you are interested in purchasing for the Holiday Season.

The @silly.girlzz were there too! Selling their NEW fall line of cute bracelets. We all got one how about you? Check them out on Instagram and find out where you can get yours. All proceeds go to Mane Stream and these amazing girls have already raised almost $3K!!

Thank you to everyone who helps spread the word about our Tack Sales, you made this one an EPIC success! Tell your friends and share on social media - it makes a big impact. THANK YOU and keep it up!

Don’t forget Mane Stream accepts donations of tack and other horse related items ALL YEAR LONG. You can help make the Fall Tack Sale a success by donating now or setting up a tack drive at your barn or school!

Contact Jen Dermody jen@manestreamnj.org if you need to schedule a pick for large quantities.

Exercising During the Pandemic

It’s good for the body and the soul!

What can we say? 2020 has been an interesting year. Pretty much achieving anything seems a little more challenging than it used to. For Mane Stream, the pandemic has meant no orientations, no training sessions, no fundraising events. And sadly we have not been able to invite all of our riders and therapy clients back to the farm as we move through our “Phased Reopening”.

In the Adaptive Riding portion of our business, this has provided an opportunity for some. We now have an ever-growing number of riders who have signed up for 2 lessons a week and are enjoying the extra time in the saddle.

Everyone knows that exercising multiple times a week is beneficial in many ways, like increasing your strength and flexibility while reducing your chances of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Then there are the mental benefits of exercise which let’s face it, during a pandemic don’t we all need a little help dealing with day to day life?! Some of these benefits have been listed as mood-boosting and reducing depression and anxiety.

Our Head Instructor, Jen Dermody enjoys teaching riders twice a week. “It means I can introduce something new on the first day and then continue working on it the next day. Shorter time between lessons increases muscle memory which usually helps achieve results faster.”

So we went straight to the source and asked our riders…why they chose to come more than once a week, what are they looking forward to most, and what outcomes are they hoping to achieve with a more consistent regimen.

Here’s what they had to say…

“The biggest reason we do twice a week is simple…Laura loves to ride! :) With the pandemic, it was a good safe activity so we decided to do twice a week because she also needed the exercise. Most of her other activities are indoors, thus we are nervous about sending her. We feel very safe going [to Mane Stream].” Marilyn Karg, Laura’s Mom

“It’s fun & I learn more with 2 different instructors & different horses.” Tess Coffey, “Since music lessons and school activities are all virtual, lessons at Mane Stream has allowed Tess to socially & physically interact (with social distancing) while doing what she loves. In these unusual times, being able to engage more than once a week has been a great emotional benefit too.” Tess’s Mom, Colleen

“I need to get more exercise and riding is my best option. I think [riding twice a week] will help me improve before the horse show. I've [occasionally] ridden twice a week in the past, and I found I make much more progress. I am hoping for improved strength, balance and more fun!” Victoria Leonne

“I love riding twice a week! It's great to see the horses (and people!) more often. Riding different horses, and having the opportunity to build up "muscle memory" is a wake-up call for me...I have a much clearer idea of what I need to do to ride well. And of course, it's fun!” Sandra Phillips, H4H 2.0 Rider

GS Troop 65120 Earns Badge

Learning and Fun, All in One!

Girls Scout Troop 65120 of Warren

On October 22nd eight Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 65120 of Warren came to Mane Stream to earn their Horseback Riding badge. In a normal year, we might have close to 40 girls visit the farm to earn either their Horseback Riding or Animal Helper Badge but 2020 is different. So when this handful of Girl Scouts came to the farm we were as excited as they were!

During their field trip at Mane Stream they learned a little about horse anatomy, horse care & safety, how to make horse treats, grooming, tacking, and took a short riding lesson with our PATH certified instructor, Miss Kelly.

The girls were so excited to meet our horses up close and personal and were amazed at how friendly, calm, and patient they were even when playing “Parts of the Horse”.

When everyone was finished and the group shot was taken their Moms were saying, “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a Girls Afternoon Out?!” …We’re looking into it ladies!

Contact Jen Dermody to find out more information and to schedule a Fall/Spring Field Trip.

Fall Horse Show a Heartwarming Event

Congratulations!

WINNERS CIRCLE

Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award
(High Point Independent Rider)
Ben Burghart

Gracie Memorial Award
(High Point Youth Rider)
Michaela Hernandez

Adult Division
Champion – Brandon Shambo
Reserve Champion – Ben Burghart

Youth Division
Champion – Michaela Hernandez
Reserve Champion – Alex Verge

_____________

HORSE SHOW VOLUNTEERS

Amy Barkman, Cynthia Barkman, Maggie Conroy, Anne Davenport and son, Will, Nancy Grossweiler, Ellie Hegeman, Karen Kaufhold, Laura Kinney, Jennifer Smith, Karen Vogt, Wendy Waters

On Sunday, October 18th the crisp Fall morning turned gloriously warm as the first of 18 riders entered the ring. This year’s contingent included some of the usual riders, a few campers, and some Phase 3 riders who only had a week or two back in the saddle before walking into the ring. It had been almost 7 months since some have ridden, but it didn’t take much to shake the dust off and shine thanks to the support of their instructors and volunteers.

Given the current circumstances, we were excited to have the perfect amount of riders and spectators this year. Pair that with the overwhelming generosity of our sponsors, donors and all the riders who got out there to fundraise, this event raised over $8,200 for the Mane Stream Adaptive Riding program. That’s almost the same amount as last year with 32 riders!

The Gracie Memorial Award Winner (High Point Youth Rider) Michaela Hernandez, shared this with us. “I live far away from Mane Stream but the reason I always come back is that Mane Stream feels like a family.  Mane Stream helped me get out of my shell and everyone is so friendly that it is calming especially when I'm nervous. I will keep coming back to Mane Stream for as long as I can because it feels like a second family and because it's my safe place. I am so grateful that I came across Mane Stream because I love all the horses and everyone who works there.”

Now what about our amazing volunteers? This year 13 dedicated souls came to assist the riders making this event run like clockwork.

Maggie Conroy, dedicated Saturday Volunteer for 2.5 years stated enthusiastically, “I love the smiles of friends & family watching in wonder as their rider maneuvers an obstacle course on a 1,000 lb. horse, when everyday tasks may be a struggle for them.”

Special thanks to our three photographers of the day! Michele Geise, who handled all the shots in the ring during the competition (to come), Jessica Sanders Photography (to come) who captured everything outside the ring and some ribbon awards too. And Jeanne Rogalin (with husband Roger) who once again set up their “Pumpkin Patch” photo booth so riders could take home a picture of them and their trusty steed.

OUR SINCERE THANKS TO EVERYONE
WHO MADE THE DAY SUCH A SUCCESS!

HORSE SHOW SPONSORS

Clinton Honda
Cynthia Barkman & Ron Caruso
Fancy Foods, Inc
Flemington Car & Truck Country
Land Rover & Jaguar of Princeton
Anne & Steve Davenport

RIBBON SPONSOR

Mary & Alan Dickey

CHAMPION/RESERVE ADULT SPONSOR

Suzanne & John Higgins

CHAMPION/RESERVE CHILD SPONSOR

H4H 2.0 Riders

DIVISION SPONSORS

The Keiling Family
Karen & Steve Kaufhold

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Julie Doyle - Judge Sandra Phillips - Prizes Greg Tucker - Corn Stalks

Alanna's Para-Dressage Nationals Experience

USEF Para-Dressage National Championship/CPEDI3* (Oct. 23-25)

Taco and I wrapped up the USEF Para-Dressage National Championship and CPEDI3* at Tryon International Equestrian Center! 2020 has been filled with many challenges for everyone, but Taco has been the bright light of my year through it all.

When the pandemic started, my trainer Sara Schmitt made sure I had a safe way to continue riding and training. She and her assistant trainer, Maggie O’Leary, have helped me push and focus on certain aspects of my riding. We worked on things such as developing Taco’s gaits, my confidence to ride more forward in the trot work, my accuracy and geometry, my ability to school him myself, and my feel as a rider.

All our hard work paid off! We had three consistent and quality rides with our scores increasing each day. We rode in a big, brand new arena and Taco felt the most relaxed at any show we’ve ever attended. I felt like our rides were the most harmonious at a show yet! Most importantly, I had the most fun and felt more confident going into the ring with him than before.

Taco and I are now Grade 2 National Champions and 3rd overall in the 2020 National Championship!

If you want to learn more about Para-Dressage check out my website and FB Page or feel free to ask me any questions!

www.alannaflax-clark.com
FB: @Alanna Flax-Clark Para Equestrian

Holiday Portraits by Jessica Sanders

A selection of handmade holiday garlands are available to dress up your horse, if you wish.

Limited Edition Holiday Portrait Sessions will be offered until December 15th.

These limited edition Holiday Portrait Sessions are designed for barn groups of 3 or more horses (or dogs), and are a streamlined version of the full black background equine portrait session (check out Jessica’s portfolio).

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

$250 per horse/dog includes:

• three (3) hand-edited and retouched digital images for sharing on social media

• 25% off all prints and wall art

• a password-protected online gallery where you can download your images and seamlessly order prints, wall art, and exclusive limited-edition holiday products

• a $50 donation to Mane Stream NJ

• exclusive access to custom-designed holiday cards, available only during these sessions

Contact Jessica now to ensure she reaches her goal of raising $2,000 for Mane Stream!

Not-So-Spooky Halloween Drive Thru

- - - HURRICANE ZETA IS ON THE WAY - - -

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED - SORRY!

Kick-off your Halloween celebration with some fun on the farm.

Join us for a Not-So-Spooky Halloween drive thru and see all your favorite horses dressed in costume!

Wear your costume and bring a treat for the horses. Apples and carrots ONLY please!

Can't wait to see you!

We’re moving to Phase 3!

It’s official and we’re as happy about it as you are.

Moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3 has given us the ability to welcome back even more of the Mane Stream Family. All totaled, in October we will have 45 Adaptive Riding Lessons and 15 Therapy Sessions each week! As the number of riding lessons increases we are excited to see several of our riders have signed up for 2 lessons a week. (We’ll keep you posted on their improvement.) We are also actively ramping up the scheduling of 20-30 volunteers each week, many of whom have been eager to return since June.

As the fall continues, Mane Stream is looking to revise our screening processes so that some of the many families who have contacted us in the past several months can be included in our programs.

And though our scheduling processes and policies are a bit different than previous years, we are appreciative of the flexibility of each and every person who comes to the farm. The disinfecting processes that we put in place back in June have been tweaked as needed to keep our volunteers, participants, and staff safe.

Welcome Back!

Meet the OTA Fieldwork Students

Mane Stream is excited to be working with two Level I Occupational Therapy Assistant students from Raritan Valley Community College this fall. During the next few months, Kerese and Robin will be observing a total of 45 hours of OT/PT/SLP therapy sessions. Please make sure to introduce yourself if you see them!

 Get to know more about Kerese! 

I am a current student at the Raritan Valley Community College where I am pursuing an Associate’s Degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. When not at school or studying I am also currently employed as a Preschool Teacher and a mentor to individuals with disabilities. Helping others to reach their ultimate potential is a driving force for me as over the years I have seen so many students get left behind because of a lack of resources. Thus, I felt the need to change my career path to be on the other side providing these resources and assistance to improve the quality of life for others.

In addition, I think becoming an OTA is very rewarding and I love the idea that I am with the client throughout the process to achieve a positive outcome.  I am super excited to be here at Mane Stream doing my Level I clinical and learning about Hippotherapy as it relates to Occupational Therapy. In addition, I am looking forward to applying concepts that I have learned so far and connecting them to each therapy session. I am a visual learner so it is very interesting to observe the connection between each diagnosis and the treatment plans. I am grateful for the staff here at Mane Stream as they made me feel like a part of the team and I am so happy to see what unfolds the next few months for my Fieldwork experience.

Get to know more about Robin! 

My background is in music, I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and toured throughout a 15 year period in several places including Europe, Asia, Scandinavia and the Middle East in various bands as a 4 and 5 string bassist. 

 My interest in OT came from my father having several medical issues and observing the OT's that worked with him in hospitals, subacute and acute facilities. My other inspiration came from my best friend whom I met at Berklee, who is an amazing jazz drummer. He had an accident while at school and luckily because we were in Boston with excellent medical facilities, they figured out that all the years of his brittle bones and medical issues were caused by Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Watching the therapy he had to go through was inspiring and the OT's were always the most focused on his personal goals, his creativity as a musician, and overall well-being. My goal is to be able to make a difference in people's lives as they did. 

Hippotherapy is one of the most amazing treatment tools that I have witnessed, and I will forever be an advocate. I hope to learn the foundational activities and interventions that it provides. The communication between the client, therapist, horse, and volunteers is paramount and I hope to learn the various ways they interact to reach client goals; the excitement from the children to start their sessions is infectious. I used to ride years ago, and this has inspired me to "get back in the saddle" and make it a part of my life again. 

Spirit Wear Online

Autumn is here! And so is our fall spirit wear.

Grab one of these cute Kate Magnier designs before 10/4 at midnight. With several colors to choose from and both short and long sleeves, youth sizes and a hoodie, there's something for everyone! https://manestreamfall2020.itemorder.com/sale