Welcome New Riding Instructors

Fall Riding Schedule Hits Record Number

We are absolutely excited to have two new riding instructors, Kayla Thau and Gia-Raquel Esposito on board for this fall! Gia will be teaching on Mondays and Thursdays, and Kayla on Saturdays, bringing our team of instructors to 9 strong. Head Riding Instructor, Jen Dermody, has scheduled weekly riding lessons for 62 riders and counting. That’s a new record!! Whether riders are just beginning their journey or learning to jump, Jen takes many things into consideration when creating a schedule to achieve the best results: rider availability, horse use, instructor availability, and more. We believe every rider should not only enjoy their time at Mane Stream, they should be reaching their goals and making connections.

Please take a moment to get to know both Gia and Kayla and then welcome them when you see them at the farm.

Gia-Raquel Esposito, Adaptive Riding Instructor

GIA-RAQUEL ESPOSITO

Gia-Raquel Esposito has loved horses since she was a young child. She owns Airs Above Yoga, LLC, and tailors her sessions to equestrians, and also focuses on injury rehabilitation. You will find Gia working as a real estate sales associate for Turpin Realtors in Oldwick. After becoming a Mane Stream volunteer in 2019, she was encouraged to start the process of becoming a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. This allows her to combine her passion for horses and her teaching experience as a Yoga instructor!

Having lived in Philadelphia, New York, and most recently Santa Monica, California, her heart has always remained where she was born and raised. Deciding to return home to Hunterdon County, New Jersey has allowed her to keep rooted in the land she loves while giving wings to her love of helping others all over the country.

---

Kayla Thau, Adaptive Riding Instructor

KAYLA THAU

Kayla Thau is a recent graduate of Centenary University with a degree in Equine Studies. She spent all four years working closely with their therapeutic program (Therapeutic Riding at Centenary or TRAC). She was also a member of the IHSA team, so it is pretty safe to say, Kayla spent all of her time at the barn. Before going off to college, Kayla volunteered at Mane Stream. It was here that her passion for instruction became apparent and she knew what she wanted to do “when she grew up”. Now that Kayla has completed her teaching hours and passed her video test, she only has one more step to become a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor…her written exam.

Win Ariat Boots!

Become a Champion!

Turn Your Passion into Action!

Log your volunteer hours with the Equus Foundation and receive a chance to win a $270 gift certificate for a pair of Ariat boots. No matter what your style Ariat has something for you.

Ariat International donates gift certificates each quarter to individuals who achieve Champion status. Each quarter, a drawing will be conducted where five (5) Champions will each receive a $270 Gift Certificate for Ariat Boots. The earlier you achieve Champion status, the more chances you have to win.

Sponsored by Ariat International, the Champions program is an incentive-based equine service program to stimulate and reward volunteerism on behalf of horses.

Volunteers Can Compete Too

You Know You Want to!

NEW this year…Volunteer Class!

Are you a current volunteer with 20 hours of service this year? Have you always wanted to ride one of our wonderful horses?

Well here’s your chance. The first 14 volunteers* who register will get to compete in the Fall Horse Show on Sunday, September 26th. Come on, it’s just for fun and you know the riders will be there to cheer you on. There will also be an award to the volunteer who raises the most money.

After you register you can “Become a Champion” and create your online fundraising page to collect donations.

How could you not click the button below and grab your chance to put a big smile on your face?

*Honor system - weight restriction of 250lbs

Want to Help with the Horse Show?

Since you’ll be riding in the Horse Show why not help volunteer too! Contact Rebecca at volunteer@manestreamnj.org to save your spot to help out.

Donated Vehicles Make an Impact

2 Cars, 1 Motorcycle and a Horse Trailer

That's just the first six months of 2021! Rather than continue to let their vehicles sit in sad neglect, these families donated them to Mane Stream. Now they have new homes and turned their gifts into significant funds for our programs.

Thank you: Cynthia Barkman & Ron Caruso, Jane Books, Joy Kochanski, and Jeanne & Roger Rogalin!

Questions about donating? Check out the FAQs and Year-End Donation Tax Deduction Information.

Why not donate your vehicle today?  All you need to do is to complete the simple online form. The organization that handles it, CARS, will take care of the rest. They will pick up your vehicle, arrange to have your donation towed, and provide you with a tax-deductible receipt, all at no charge to you!

Donate a Vehicle →

So Long Silvia

This advanced rider is now taller than her instructor and is ready to move on. We are going to miss seeing Silvia weekly, considering she has been a consistent fixture at Mane Stream for 10 years!!

Silvia first came to Mane Stream for therapy sessions but I guess you could say she fell in love with horses and started to learn to ride.

During her years at Mane Stream she has moved up through the ranks, becoming a fully independent rider who is learning to jump! Not only has Silvia ridden consistently all these years, but she was also one of those campers who would sign up for multiple weeks and just couldn’t seem to get enough. It isn’t just fun for Silvia, she also has a competitive side. In 2015 she started competing in our Annual Horse Show and since then she has achieved both Reserve Champion and Champion ribbons, and has even been awarded the Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award for high point independent rider.

That’s some serious commitment and she obviously has a real love of horses and now she’s starting the next phase of her life. In July she and her family moved to Alabama, where she is currently looking at barns to find the perfect fit to continue to improve her horsemanship skills. Silvia proudly told us she is excited to start writing a blog about her riding and we look forward to reading about her all her experiences in Alabama.

Good luck Silvia!

Meet the new OT - Steph!

Stephanie Egleston, MS, OTR/L with Dorito

Stephanie Egleston, MS, OTR/L is a New Jersey licensed occupational therapist. She graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science. Stephanie received her Master of Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 2020. During her graduate studies, she completed clinical internships in an outpatient mental health facility, a hospital, and a school system. Stephanie has always had a love for horses and felt drawn back into the equine world after learning about the use of hippotherapy as a treatment tool during occupational therapy sessions. Stephanie completed her graduate capstone on the use of hippotherapy as a treatment tool titled: Ride, Relax, Regulate: An OT’s Perspective. Stephanie has started the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. Treatment Principles-Part I course and is hoping to complete it this summer.

Stephanie was born and raised locally and enjoys spending time with her friends and family. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, Rizzo and Winnie. Stephanie also likes to give back to her community as a volunteer EMT.

We are excited to add Steph to our therapy staff so that we can accommodate additional OT clients this fall. When you see Steph in the barn, please introduce yourself!

Expanding Therapy Services This Fall

In recent months, the therapy services side of our business has increased due to the loosening of COVID protocols and increased vaccine accessibility. We are pleased to have added 8 new clients.

NEW CLIENTS
Addison, Adria, Barry, Caroline, Felix, Samedh, Stella, and Uma

With several time slots still available, if you know of anyone who could benefit from our OT, PT or SLP services please have them contact the Director of Therapy Services, Melanie Dominko-Richards, MS, CCC-SLP, HPCS at melanie@manestreamnj.org.

Tie-Dye, Parades and Everything Horse

On your marks, get set, GO!

Monday June 21st was the first day of Mane Stream and it has been a busy couple of weeks for the camp instructors and volunteers. Each of the 11 WEEKS scheduled will have 6 campers assisted by volunteers. Camp Administrator, Kathy Dermody has been busy organizing the incoming emails, phone calls, and mountains of paperwork to ensure that every camper has a wonderful camp experience and we’re off to a great start!

Once again Mane Stream is following the state guidelines regarding COVID protocols to ensure everyone stays safe. We listened to your suggestions from last year and extended the day just a bit (8:30am-12:30pm) so that the campers could get in a short snack time and also make sure to have a craft/activity each day. We’ve also brought back tie-dye day which is always a hit! Camp Director, Jane Banta has also created a week-long schedule of activities to keep all the campers happy. We’ve got Tie-Dye Tuesday, Horse Costume Parade Wednesday, Bingo! Thursday, and Horse Show Friday.

Take a peek at what’s been going on so far.

Shoe Donations Make an Impact

THANK YOU to everyone who donated shoes, helped sort & bag the shoes, and schlepped the 117 bags up & down from the hayloft for the past 16 months. We just received $1,143.20 which will help offset the farrier bills. That's why we call the program SHOES FOR SHOES!! Now the shoes are being sent all over the world to be sold in micro-businesses.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

Terri Andrechick, Barbara Burke, Bernardsville Middle School, Sandy Dresdner, Laura Edelson, Hannah Gould, Kathy Hollerith, Leroy Hunninghake, Merck Work Group, Jocelyn Pollack, Tewksbury Elementary School, Bridgette & Maryann Torcivia, Leslie Yetsko and friend Tracy, AND
ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DONATED
2925 PAIRS OF SHOES!!

We're holding off accepting more shoes until camp has ended.
So please set them aside and we'll see you in September.

INTERESTED IN SETTING UP A SHOE DRIVE?
Contact Louisa Bartok at louisa@manestreamnj.org and we will
get you set up with signs and flyers.

Horse Show - SAVE THE DATE

September 26th at 10am

Check out the previous Horse Show Galleries

Make sure to save the date and get prepared to compete in the 2021 Horse Show. All riders who have ridden in 2020 & 2021 are eligible and don’t forget ALL 2021 campers are also encouraged to participate. Prizes awarded for riders who raise the most money, over and above the entry fee, for Mane Stream in the following categories: Riders 4yrs-21yrs & Riders 22yrs and over. While Champion & Reserve ribbons for adult and child divisions will be awarded. Top Honors will be given for Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award (High Point Independent Rider)

Event Sponsors are still needed to ensure this event is a success.
Please consider one of the 8 different sponsorship levels (2021 Horse Show Sponsorship Forms - TO COME) available! We are also looking for gifts-in-kind for items like food & drinks or items which can be used for prizes like gift cards, movie tickets, candy, etc.

HORSE SHOW SPONSORS / RIBBON SPONSOR /
CHAMPION/RESERVE ADULT SPONSOR /
CHAMPION/RESERVE CHILD SPONSOR /
DIVISION 1, 2, & 3 SPONSORS

CHECK OUT 2020 RESULTS

73 Scouts Earn Badges

Group Field Trips are Back!

We were so excited to have Scout troops return to Mane Stream this spring. And boy has it been busy with 73 participants earning badges — that’s ALMOST DOUBLE the number we served in 2019!

With almost every Friday afternoon in April through mid-June fully booked, we tasked veteran instructor Holland Kochanski, who has assisted with field trips since inception, to lead the team of instructors and volunteers. When asked Holland said, “It has been great to be back at Mane Stream! The Scouts were hungry for knowledge about horses and horseback riding, and I was thrilled with their unbridled enthusiasm. I enjoyed being part of the Mane Stream team again with the staff, volunteers, and horses. I look forward to continuing to help out Mane Stream wherever I can.”

What do you do when you come to the farm? Depending on size, each troop is split up into smaller groups which then rotate between 4 different tasks: grooming & tacking, learning the parts of the horse, horseback riding lesson, and treat making. Everyone has fun! Including the parents and Scout Leaders who snap pics and enjoy seeing their kids get comfortable with our hard-working horses.

Girl Scout Troops - 68 participants
(Daisies, Juniors, Cadets)

Hunterdon County: 80226, 80535, 80568
Somerset County: 60675, 60782
Sussex County: 96726
Union: 45758 and 46155

Scouts BSA - 5 Participants

Pack 6294

Spread the word! We are now starting to schedule dates for the fall. Contact Jen Dermody jen@manestreamnj.org if you or someone you know is interested.