Holiday Portrait Fundraiser

CLICK HERE to contact Jessica Sanders and get your session scheduled!

Jessica Sanders and Gianna Trotter are so excited to present this holiday fundraiser for Mane Stream! Please see below for all of the details and email Jessica at jessica@jessicasandersphotography.com to get your barn on the calendar!

HOLIDAY PORTRAIT DETAILS

There is a minimum requirement of 3 horses/participants per barn.

$350 per horse (or dog!) includes:

  • a $50 donation directly to Mane Stream NJ

  • 3 digital images for sharing and printing up to 4×6

  • your choice of black background or natural portrait (one or the other per horse – no combinations)

  • selection of holiday garlands

  • 25% off all wall art, prints, and custom holiday cards

  • 25% of all print and product sales will also go to Mane Stream!

This fundraiser ends December 10th, 2022, and images will be delivered via private password-protected online gallery within 3 weeks of session date. Check Jessica’s website out for more glorious shots!

Finding Freedom at Mane Stream

50 People for 50 Years: Cliff Murtha as told by his mother, June

Written by: Madelyn Dunn, friend of the family & wife of Dennis Dunn our Facilities Manage 

Cliffie and his mother June Murtha have been impressed with Mane Stream for more years than she can remember! She is impressed with the ladies who volunteer, week after week, regardless of the weather and who have learned ‘survival’ American Sign Language just so they can communicate with Cliffie.

Cliffie’s challenges during his 53 years have been vast; he was born profoundly deaf with extensive neurologic issues. Unable to suck at birth, Cliffie had to be fed upside down. Everything was difficult and as a child, if he thought he could not do something, he did not even try.

June’s dedication to making Cliffie’s life the best it can be, drove her to extensively research ways to help Cliffie. She found Everas Community Services, which had the perfect Group Home for Cliffie. June is a long-time Board member of Everas as well. June’s research also led her to the Mane Stream program over 20 years ago. When June signed to Cliffie that he was going to ride a horse, his initial reaction was NO! Thankfully, he was blessed with a very persuasive mother and he finally agreed to try it!

Thursday is Cliffie’s lesson day and it is a pivotal day in the week. June brings him to his weekly lesson. They arrive early and listen to opera or classical music while they wait for his lesson to begin. While Cliffie has had some of same team of volunteers for years, he is open to meeting new people and this summer a new young side walker joined his lesson! June likes watching Cliffie enjoy his life and interact with his “friends”, who he loves, as he signs at Mane Stream.

June commented, “Cliffie’s life, when he leaves me as I drop him off someplace, is an unknown to me. He takes the offered support from the Mane Stream team and takes off, never looking back.”

Cliffie has mobility challenges and uneven ground under his feet stops all forward progress. He just stands and wobbles as his depth perception is impaired due to his loss of vision and his loss of balance. Mane Stream has allowed Cliffie to ‘Go where it is impossible to go.’ On a horse, he can take a walk thru the woods with ease. Imagine what the smell of autumn or the feel of a gentle breeze on his skin accompanied by the steady rhythm of his horses’ gait can do for someone like Cliffie.

Perhaps most importantly at Mane Stream, Cliffie accepts change without question, whether it be an aide, a sidewalker, or a new horse. The only exception:  his unwillingness to ride in anything other than a bareback pad! One of the few arguments Cliffie has won with his team while at Mane Stream.

June shares that her most favorite moment at Mane Stream was when she saw Cliffie kiss his horse. Madalyn’s favorite moment was when she was visiting with June and Cliffie, and his long-time sidewalker, Debi, appeared in a golf cart. Debi told us about a time when she was driving Cliffie and he insisted that the golf cart be stopped. Caught by surprise, Debi said Cliffie reached over, put her seatbelt on and then signed “I love you.”

Cliffie cares deeply about his ‘friends’… the ladies! He cannot wait to ride and looks forward to taking them to dinner at the Tewksbury Inn. June is so appreciative and takes immense pleasure in watching him “jabber” with the ladies and delights in the interaction and concern they have for him. 

Mane Stream is an incredibly special place in the lives of both Cliffie and June. It is one tradition June hopes will continue for a long time.

Open House for NEW FREE Program

Horses for Healing PD (Parkinson’s Disease)

Mane Stream invites individuals living with Parkinson's Disease to an Open House to learn more about Horses for Healing PD, a new FREE program based on our successful Horses for Healing program for individuals living with cancer.

Come meet the program director, take a tour of the facility and learn more about how interacting with horses has both physical and emotional benefits. This program is set to launch in early 2023 and we are actively recruiting participants. See you at the barn on Monday, October 31 at 1:00pm. And remember to dress for the weather!

Wonderful Things Really Do Happen at Mane Stream!

50 People for 50 Years: Karen Mikita-Kaufhold, Volunteer and President of the Board of Directors

Karen Mikita-Kaufhold leading Dunkin during a Speech-Language session back in the early 2000’s.

It might seem like just yesterday, but Karen Mikita-Kaufhold’s involvement with Mane Stream began over twenty years ago. After leaving a job in northern New Jersey and moving to Hunterdon County, Karen was looking for something to do. While attending a business event with her husband, Steve, Karen was discussing possible volunteer opportunities with a dinner guest who suggested Mane Stream (Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center at the time.)

Karen’s love of horses had prompted her to take riding lessons in the area but she wanted to volunteer in some way, as well. She felt that Mane Stream would be the perfect fit, and was further convinced when she read in local newspapers that the organization was looking for volunteers. Over her years at Mane Stream, Karen has served in many capacities but she started as a volunteer with the adaptive riding and therapy services programs.

One of Karen’s favorite things is the joy of seeing the participants improve in their therapy sessions. She shares, “When I first started volunteering, I worked with a client who could not speak at all. She had a button on her device she pressed that said ‘walk-on’ so when Angela (Mane Stream’s speech-language pathologist at the time) asked her to tell her horse to ‘walk-on’ she would press that button.” Karen’s volunteer schedule changed so she didn’t work with that client regularly but one day she was a substitute volunteer for the same client and the client was able to verbalize the phrase ‘walk-on.’ Karen reflects, “Tears came to my eyes, I realized that wonderful things really do happen at Mane Stream. Seeing the improvements in the quality of life of a participant is so amazing.”

It was not long after Karen joined Mane Stream, that she was asked to be on the Equus gala and Spring Event committees. Karen learned the ropes of setting up for the gala and auction from then-Board Member, Marianne Saladino. After working on the event committees, Karen was approached by Nichola Redmond, Mane Stream’s then-Executive Director, to join the Board of Directors. Karen has held several positions on the Board including:  Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Vice-President, and since 2018 has served as President. To this day, Karen is still an integral part of each and every fundraising event.

Although very busy with her Board responsibilities, Karen still finds time to volunteer with our programs and to help with the Annual Horse Show. “I have so many memories of volunteering at the Annual Horse Show, seeing the improved riding skills and accomplishments of the participants. It is such a happy day for everyone. The riders are so thrilled to receive a ribbon as well as having their family and friends cheer them on and celebrate their achievements. I love being a part of that day.”

Looking forward, Karen would like to see Mane Stream continue as a Premier Accredited Center serving the community for many years to come. But most of all, to have a great strategic plan and vision providing the best and newest programs to meet the current and emerging needs of the community. Also, as Board President, Karen feels, “Fundraising ensures the sustainability of existing programs and lays the groundwork for the future. We need to maintain and develop the facility and property to secure a high-quality physical space for excellent program delivery and for the safety of our participants, staff, and horses.” When challenges arise such as the pandemic, which impacted many of the events at Mane Stream, Karen witnessed, “It was so rewarding to see how generous, kind, and supportive our donors are to ensure that we can continue to offer and provide our programs.”

When Karen is not devoting her time to Mane Stream she is busy with agility training and competition with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Since 2007, Karen and her dogs have won several titles with the highest title earned a Master Bronze Jumper with Weaves Preferred title in AKC. As we enter the final few months of our 50th Anniversary celebrations, Karen considers, “I can best serve Mane Stream in the future by continuing to give my time volunteering with program because it takes many volunteers a week to be able to run the programs. I would also hope to continue to serve on the Board in some capacity to continue to help Mane Stream fulfill the mission.”

Mane Stream is grateful for Karen’s continued dedication, service, and ability to see the endless potential at Mane Stream.   Thank you, Karen!

Get Ready for Spirit Week!

Join us for SPIRIT WEEK as we gear up for the 2022 Horse Show and Family Fun Day! From October 17th through October 22nd, we encourage all volunteers and participants to show their spirit as we celebrate our 50th anniversary!

We can't wait to see your Mane Stream spirit!

Each day of the week has a theme:

Monday - Sports Day
Show your team pride by wearing your favorite sports jersey or hat!

Tuesday - Decade Day
Rock your favorite decade!
Whether it’s the 20's or 90's, we can't wait to see what you will come up with for this one!

Wednesday - Tie Dye
If you've been to camp, we know you have some great attire to celebrate this day.
Now if you can find some matching pants...

Thursday - Crazy Sock Day
Long ones, short ones, patterned ones, silly ones, rock your favorite pair of crazy socks!

Saturday - SHHRC/Mane Stream Day
It's the day before the horse show and we are getting PUMPED!
Sport your SHHRC or Mane Stream gear with pride as we gear up for Sunday's Festivities.

We're in the news again!

Have you seen the latest Black River Journal?

It’s a year of reflection and a time to look ahead as Mane Steam, a premier therapeutic riding center for children and adults with special needs, celebrates its 50th anniversary. A half-century is a short span in the millennia-old relationship of humans and horses, but at Mane Stream in Oldwick, it’s long enough to make an impact that lasts for hundreds of lifetimes. The 2nd oldest facility of its kind in the country was founded by equestrian Octavia Brown, who was considered a pioneer when she founded an adaptive riding program... Continue Reading

Growing Up at Mane Stream

50 People for 50 Years: Katie Higgins - Our Smiling Overachiever!

Katie Higgins first came to Mane Stream as a summer camper. Each summer she would look forward to doing crafts, making tie-dye shirts, grooming, and “painting the horses”. But for Katie, it’s the horses that kept her coming back each year. As she says, “I love riding the horses the best.” 

After eight years of summer fun, Katie decided she would like to try taking private horseback riding lessons. That was three years ago and Katie has been steadily progressing every lesson. One of the most challenging things Katie is learning to do is trotting. She loves her instructor, Kathy Dermody, PATH Intl. Certified Riding Instructor, and is currently learning how to post at the trot. Kathy commented, “I always call Katie my overachiever. She always works so hard during her lessons. When I ask if she needs a break, her usual response is, ‘I’m OK.’ Katie always exceeds my expectations and I am sure she will continue to do so!”

Katie is a regular competitor at Mane Stream’s Annual Fall Horse Show. In fact, this past October, Katie was the Grand Champion in her age group! She enjoys the camaraderie of the Horse Show and is excited to show off new skills every year.

What’s Katie’s favorite Mane Stream memory? Riding Carson! In a wonderful coincidence, Katie’s older sister Nina had competed in Hunter/Jumper shows with Carson years ago when Nina was riding with a local stable. That stable sold Carson, and the new owner eventually donated him to Mane Stream. It was a happy surprise for Nina to see Katie riding Carson at one of the summer camp horse shows. Holland Kochanski, PATH Intl. Certified Riding Instructor and former summer camp director, commented, “Katie is one of the sweetest and most kind people I have ever met. She always has a smile on her face, even when she is concentrating on getting her horse to do what she wants it to do. Katie has a passion for horseback riding, which you can see every time she is on the horse.”

Katie has grown up at Mane Stream, moving from camper to rider to Grand Champion. We are excited to see where Katie’s riding career with Mane Stream takes her, all with her big “Katie” smile!

That's a wrap! Summer Camp 2022 C'est fini!!

Phew! What a Summer we had at Mane Stream this year.

Ten weeks of fun, new friends, new faces, Derek, our new pony, and the 18-hand Gabun on loan from Centenary University Equestrian Center. Even though the days were hot, and seemed to move slowly, Paige Ball, Camp Director kept campers busy and engaged. In her first year in the position, Paige reflects, “I love that the camp is inclusive. There is a wide range of ages and abilities that we are able to serve, and I am overwhelmed at the hard work and commitment of the volunteers.”

Mane Stream’s summer camp is comprised of novice riders just beginning their journey, advanced riders working on small jumps, and everything in between. This year in addition to the brand new campers, there was a combination of siblings, cousins, Girl Scouts, friends, and veteran campers alike. Many locals consider our camp to be a safe place to begin their child’s riding career. We love when those campers come back year after year and then eventually become volunteers. Our group of dedicated volunteers and PATH Intl. certified instructors engaged the campers each week with creative activities that can be enjoyed and executed by all. Holland Kochanski, former Camp Director and now part-time instructor, says that limiting the number of campers per session over the past couple of years offers more time for specialized attention. “We were able to work one-to-one with the campers, whether it was learning to groom, tack or ride.”

Early mornings filled with riding lessons and horse care, such as grooming and learning to use the clippers, helped to increase confidence in our riders. As the mornings grew warmer, the horses had the opportunity to rest while the campers engaged in games and crafts. There was no shortage of glitter to be found on the horses, hooves, campers, floors, and even a few reluctant staff members all thanks to Meadow Brook Glitter for their kind donation!  Once again tie-dying was at the top of the list of favorite activities with some really spectacular designs and color combinations emerging this year. And with the help of Instructor, Kelly Champion, there was plenty of neon, roller skates, dance contests, shenanigans, and an occasional unicorn hat. The last day of each week concludes with a horse show for campers to demonstrate their new-found and improved skills with family. In the end, it’s time for certificates, ribbons, and a couple of pics with their steed.

After 10 weeks of camp, we can truly say it’s the volunteers working in conjunction with the staff that make camp a success each year. One such volunteer is Lily Fosburgh, who started volunteering for camp six years ago when she turned fourteen. “In the beginning, I had no horse experience, I really gained a lot of confidence learning something new.”  Now a junior engineering major at Rutgers, Lily returns as a volunteer each summer. She finds working with the campers and horses provides balance to her very hectic academic schedule.

Thank you 2022 Volunteers and Staff!

Our Amazing Volunteers:
Nikki Blair, Mackenzie Caro, Tess Coffey, Sofia Criscola, Grace D'Anza, Debi DeLorenzo, Hope Dunleavy, Laura Edelson, Lily Fosburgh, Kate Goodrich, Nancy Grossweiler, Bessie Huggins, Catherine Huggins, Kathy Kapiloff, Sophia Leal, Madison Maldonado, Florie O'Brien, Saira Patel, Anna Squindo, Mary Ellen Yen, Sam Yagoda, Emma Yarton, Julia Yarton, Sabrina Yekta, McLaren van Rooyen, Molly Walsh, Elizabeth Walsh, Chase Ward, Christian Wong, and photographer, Olivia Iskra

Our Camp Staff:
Camp Director: Paige Ball        Camp Administrator: Kathy Dermody
Instructors: Kelly Champion, Jen Dermody, Kathy Dermody, Holland Kochanski, Kayla Thau, and Anna Wright
Camp Health Director: Melanie Dominko-Richards

Remember summer camp fills up SUPER quick.
Set a reminder for 9am on February 1st, 2023 when registration opens for next summer !!

Week 7 Update

Another scorcher week of summer camp is complete! Each morning the riders groomed and tacked with lightning speed to beat the heat. Throughout the week they worked on mastering various skills, including cantering, cavalettis, jumping crossrails, and even a vertical jump or two. Congratulations to our advanced riders!

Week 8

After 8 weeks of camp, there's a dusting of glitter on every surface at Mane Stream. This week's attendees included a mix of veteran campers and 2 cousins visiting from Italy! And Miss Kelly on roller skates made her usual appearance much to the delight of all.

Week 9

This week joining several veteran campers were siblings who live locally. First-time riders and returnees spent the week smiling from ear to ear. Gel glitter was introduced this week. Volunteers did an excellent job assisting the campers and instructors each day. Only 1 more week to go!

Week 10

Lots of firsts this week...1st time at Mane Stream Camp, 1st time trotting on the lunge-line, 1st time trotting independently, 1st time riding a horse (not a pony!), and so much more. The painting of the horses was pretty impressive too! You'll have to wait to see "Cousins Fishing Off the Pier" Minnie is such a good canvas.

Don’t miss out on all the fun…make sure to check out all the earlier weeks: Weeks 1-2 and Weeks 3-6.

Establishing Occupational Therapy at Mane Stream

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.