A Place Where Everyone Feels Included

The Bentley Family

There’s nothing that makes us happier here at Mane Stream than giving our participants a place to shine where everyone can feel included. Our summer camp program epitomizes this because not only is our camp offered to our riders with special needs, but we also include typically developing riders as well. The Bentley Family has taken full advantage of our programs since enrolling their son, Elliott, in our adaptive riding program in 2021. This year, not only has Elliott been taking riding lessons, but he and his siblings also participated in our summer camp. Elliott has also had his hand in special events like the Mane Stream Horse Show and our Party in the Paddock Fundraiser. He really stole the show at the fundraiser showing up in a dapper seersucker suit for his demonstration ride!

ELLIOTT:
Elliott enjoyed his second year at summer camp, and this year his family joined in on the fun. His younger sister, Annabelle, came as a camper and his older brother, Alfie, came on as a volunteer. The other volunteers and staff members all agreed that it was very heartwarming to see the siblings all enjoying camp together. Elliott said that riding was his favorite part of camp, but more specifically getting to trot on Judge and Buzz.

 

ANNABELLE:
Annabelle also said that her favorite activity was, of course, riding the horses, but her funniest memory from camp was getting to paint the horses. She also fully embraced Glitter Day and all the crafting activities.

 

ALFIE:
It was also clear that volunteering at camp made a big impact on big brother, Alfie. He impressed our barn manager, Alex, one day when she needed to adjust tack for a camper. When she asked if he had ridden before, he replied, “No not really. I just learned a lot here. At the beginning of the week, I didn’t know what a forelock was and now I can adjust stirrups and tack up a horse by myself.” However, Alfie wanted us to know that his favorite memory was when the camper he was helping gave him a big hug as he was dismounting. It’s moments like these that we love seeing and hearing about at Mane Stream!

 

The progress that Elliott has made in our programs over the years has been wonderful to watch for both the Mane Stream staff and the Bentley Family. Elliott’s primary instructor for the current adaptive riding session is Kayla Thau, who also taught him during camp. She commented, “Elliott has a huge personality that really came through during camp and is seen now in lessons during the session.” He is constantly making volunteers and staff members smile and laugh. Kayla also was happy to say, “Elliott really is a pleasure to work with and to see his growth in progress.” His parents have noticed physical progress too, noting that his “balance, posture, and strength have all improved.” Elliott’s mother, Katherine, first learned about Mane Stream from working at Children’s Specialized Hospital. She loves watching him, “continue to love riding, make connections with others and feel good about his accomplishments.” It’s been lovely for the family to see Elliott shine in the Mane Stream Horse Show and our Party in the Paddock Fundraiser Demonstration. However, the real kicker for the family was the week spent at summer camp together. Katherine commented, “Their week of camp was so incredible. It is amazing to find an activity that they all can participate in together.”

And that truly sums up what Mane Stream is all about, bringing everyone together to be included and share a love and passion for horses.

Written by: Alex Willard, Barn Manager & Riding Instructor

Mane Stream Masquerade: Equus XXXI

Evening of Intrigue, Elegance, and a whole lot of fun!

PLATINUM - $10,000
Emily & Kirk Kellogg
Red Tail Farm
Liz & Jon Sobel/Sudler Family
GOLD - $5,000
Andrew Allen & Ali Thebault
Maureen & Steve Bezer
The Brucker Family
Friends & Family of Crewe Hill
Edmiston & Thebault Families
The Gore Family
The Greifeld Family
Kathy & Hal Kamine
Karen & Steve Kaufhold
The Saladino Family

SILVER - $2,500
Jeanne & Roger Rogalin
Betsy & Kevin Sullivan

BRONZE - $1,000
Melissa & Mike Renfer

Thank you to everyone who attended and made the gala at Hamilton Farm Golf Club on Saturday, October 28th a HUGE success! The wonderfully warm weather and the full moon added to the magical atmosphere of the evening. It was incredible to see how attendees fully embraced the Masquerade theme by wearing a variety of masks, adding an extra touch of mystery to the night.

A special thank you goes out to the committee chairs, Tanya Sameth and Ali Thebault, and the rest of the EQUUS committee who worked tirelessly to organize the event and ensure its success. Additionally, we want to express our gratitude to all the sponsors whose support made this event possible.

The band, Mean Machine, smashed it all night long, while small groups of attendees were wowed by the incredible multi-award-winning mentalist Jesse Dameron. Those who had the opportunity to interact with him were left amazed by his mind-blowing skills in combining intuition, comedy, personality analysis, audience participation, misdirection, and verbal influence. If you witnessed Jesse's act, we would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

Stay tuned as we continue to tally up all the results from the evening and look forward to sharing them, along with all the pictures, next month.

Looking for a NJ Licensed Psychologist

Dr. Lori Rockmore - Mental Health Professional

All work is done on the ground with Dr. Lori Rockmore, an equine specialist, and our horse partners. Sessions can be conducted with individuals, families, and/or groups through experiential activities with horses. Counseling services are for those who want to learn about themselves and others through experiential activities with the horses to process feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Very limited spots available for this winter.

Contact: trish@manestreamnj.org

Therapy Services Expands Starting 2024

Looking for therapy for your child in a unique setting?

We have spots in our therapy program with our Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists starting in January!

The first step is to submit your paperwork, which includes a form to be signed by a physician, and then we will contact you to do a free screening. Sessions Monday-Thursday afternoons.

Start the Process

Or for more info contact:
Jen Dermody
908-439-9636
jen@manestreamnj.org

3rd Annual Holiday Portrait Fundraiser

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

Jessica Sanders is so excited to present the 3rd annual 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.

$375 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

  • Jessica has donated over $2,000 so far!! Thank you!

This fundraiser ends December 15th, 2023, and images will be delivered via a private password-protected online gallery within 3 weeks of session date. Check Jessica’s website out for more glorious shots!

A True Double Threat Joins the Mane Stream Team!

Welcome Emily Istvan, MS, OTR/L and PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructor

Emily fell in love with horses at the age of 7 when her mother signed her up for a horse camp, and has been finding ways to "go out to the barn" ever since. In middle school, high school, and early college, Emily competed in amateur eventing and the local jumpers circuit in Pennsylvania with her horse, Auburn, and worked her way up the ranks in United States Pony Club, competing at the regional level and making lifelong friends.

When we asked Emily how she found out about therapeutic riding and PATH Inc. she said, “As part of my final year of high school (many moons ago!) we had to do a volunteer project. I grew up as a ‘horse person’ but hadn’t considered the field of therapeutic riding until I needed to find a place to do these volunteer hours! After week one, I was exhausted, muddy, and….I loved the work! All the instructors at this particular large center were PATH certified, so about 6 years after my first day as a volunteer, I went through my PATH training.”

While in college Emily realized that she wanted to become an Occupational Therapist and went on to receive a master’s degree from Thomas Jefferson University Center City Campus in Philadelphia, PA. She is now a licensed occupational therapist in New Jersey as well as a PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructor. For the past 7 years Emily has worked in various settings including schools, medical daycares, outpatient pediatrics, mental health centers, and adult home health. Emily has specialty training in Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (an evidence-based intervention for managing Tourette Syndrome), and advanced training in Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia. Currently, Emily works as an OT in early intervention, building relationships with families of children ages birth to three, and walking alongside them as they work together to meet their goals.

As a horse-crazy kid….and now a horse-crazy adult who is raising a horse-crazy kid, Emily thinks the farm environment allows for so much growth and discovery that isn’t possible in the traditional clinic setting. This month Emily will complete the American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. Hippotherapy Treatment Principles – Part 1b.

We are excited to have Emily join our therapy team and she’s also excited to get to know the herd, volunteers, staff, and other therapists! Emily also smiled and said, “I’m looking forward to walking alongside my clients as they reach their full potential and gain new skills in a unique and dynamic environment!”  

What does Emily do in her free time? Emily enjoys any opportunity to dust off her boots and get back in the saddle. She also enjoys hiking, running, camping, and spending time with her young daughter, husband, and rescue dog, Journey.

An Evening of Magical Moments!

Musical Freestyle Event to Benefit Mane Stream

Thank you! Thank you! To all the incredible attendees and fierce competitors of the Musical Freestyle event at Red Tail Farm on September 8, we want to extend a BIG thank you! The evening was a blast, and we're so grateful for your support. This SUPER FUN & TOTALLY CASUAL benefit for Mane Stream managed to raise almost $13,000 from 91 donors!

Thanks to event organizers, Linda Dietz and Erika Olijslager the evening was filled with magical moments from 13 performances that gracefully "danced" in-between raindrops. Heather Mason had her work cut out for her judging because the creativity was off the charts, as participants (and their horses) wore costumes or outfits that perfectly coordinated with their music choices. But that wasn't all! Mother Nature sprinkled a little extra enchantment over the event. Behind the performers, a stunning double rainbow emerged, serving as a gorgeous backdrop to a pas de deux with MANE STREAM written on their shirts and horses' rumps!

Once again, we want to express our immense gratitude to everyone who attended and competed. Without your support, none of this would have been possible. You've made a meaningful difference in the lives of our Mane Stream community, and we couldn't be more thankful!

COMPETITORS:
Bridget Hay, Tea Uzman, Rachel Gardner, Madison Rezaei, Jessica Dionne, Erika and Mary, Ernie and Katie, Alessia and Hassini, Gillian Crockford, Jenn Chin, Laura Aber, Meredith, Laura, Mariano, and the rest of the Wizard of Oz team, Eveyln Dietz, and the impressive Quadrille team of Jennifer Miranda, Madison Rezaei, Mariano Granados, and Tea Uzman.

A glittery, magical summer for all campers!

2023 Summer Camp Wrap-up

Our summer camp season was full of friendships (old and new), lots of fun (ALWAYS!), challenges, new experiences, crafts, and of course spending time with our fabulous Mane Stream herd.  We had 3 new horses this summer, Don, Joey, and Snappy, who you would have thought were old timers by the way they interacted with our campers!  The weather cooperated, allowing 10 full weeks of riding and activities.  Anna Squindo, Camp Activity Specialist, along with her interns Ella Wagner and Kathryn Blount, created a comprehensive curriculum that focused on educating the campers about the horses, along with fun activities.  “Each week was a bit different based on the abilities of the campers” Anna explained.  “During our advanced week, we focused on teaching more information, such as horse facts, body parts, and taking care of them, whereas with our novice campers, we focused on learning to groom and how to behave around a horse and in our barn.”

Mane Stream’s summer camp is open to all levels of riders, from beginners to advanced riders working on small jumps and everything in between. This year we had veteran campers, Girl Scouts, first-timers, siblings, and even cousins riding together.  Our camp is considered a great place for children and or adults to begin their riding careers, as we offer specialized attention by limiting the number of campers each week.  Our dedicated group of volunteers, interns, and PATH Intl. certified instructors work one-on-one with the campers every session.

For the first time, we offered an Adult Week, with 6 campers - 4 current adaptive riders and 2 who were new Mane Stream. It was a great success, geared to their abilities, with many highlights, including learning to jump the cross rails, which according to Daisy was “The best part of my week!”  They also learned some sign language and how to groom. Katie, put it best saying, “I liked that I could improve my riding skills with my peers. Being around people my own age made me happy and excited!”

There was no shortage of laughs and fun during all our camp sessions.  After riding in the mornings, our campers enjoyed scavenger hunts for bridle pieces, painting shirts, games, and crafts. Highlights included an activity during one of the advanced week sessions, where intern, Kathryn and instructor, Miss Kelly Champion set up a people jump course and had everyone one race barefoot through the course while being timed.  It also happened to be “Sparkle Day” with Kathryn and Kelly in matching pink tutus and let’s not forget to mention Kathryn’s FABULOUS glitter jacket!   And of course, what’s a “Sparkle Day” without the required HUGE amount of glitter on campers, volunteers, horses, and staff…Miss Kelly did not disappoint.  Thank you to Meadowbrook Glitter for putting the sparkle in our day!

Mane Stream’s camp provides amazing opportunities for our campers…but it takes a team to make it happen.  Our interns this year, Ella and Kathryn provided amazing support to Anna and Kathy Dermondy, Camp Director.  Kathy noted that the interns and Camp Activities Specialist were amazing, going above and beyond!  Ella said, “I have always loved my time volunteering at Mane Stream, so when I saw there was a spot available to intern, it seemed like the perfect way to stay connected and involved.”  She went on to add, “We were responsible for creating the camp curriculum, with Anna, and I learned a lot about how to interact and work with different people and personalities.  I loved it, and now know that this is something I really want to work with in the future! One of my favorite times was watching how the campers improved, whether it was learning about the horses or riding throughout the week.”

Campers also gave their input, and all of our campers learned to reach outside their comfort zones.  Owen said that his favorite activity was painting shirts, and learning how to jump on Tux was a challenge he conquered.  Myla enjoyed learning how to canter and also learning about the different body parts of a horse.  Carly liked tacking and riding the horses and being with the other campers and counselors.  She also noted it made her laugh when the horses drooled a lot (hmm…could this be a reference to Minnie or Dorito?)  Lastly, Michael noted that he loved learning how to take care of a horse and was extremely proud that he learned to post while trotting.  His mom, Kyle, summed it up by saying “My son was beaming when he got in the car at the end of each day.  He was proud that he groomed the horses and loved riding them.  He felt connected with the horses and was happy to overcome challenges like the posting trot.”

So, there you have it…a glittery, magical summer for all of our campers! Summer Camp at Mane Stream keeps getting better and better.  We have already started to plan for next year. Registration opens February 1st – so mark your calendar!

Thank you to everyone, our staff, interns, and volunteers….it truly takes “A Village” and we could never do it without YOU! 

Written by: Jennnifer Smith, Development & Communications Assistant

1,500 Pairs of Shoes by the End of Year!

Flip flops gone flat?

Fall is just around the corner and it’s time to clean out your summer closets and purge those shoes!

Your gently used shoes help in many ways. First, it helps us raise funds for our farrier costs for our fabulous herd, next, it is environmentally friendly… keeping shoes out of landfills, and lastly, you are supporting a good cause! Micro-businesses in developing countries literally rely on your shoes to keep their families fed and housed.

Our goal is to collect 1,500 pairs by the end of the year!
Help us help others by donating your gently used shoes.
Spread the word to all your friends!

Photo credit: Funds2Orgs