A Sweet Celebration

Wondering what went down at the Holiday Open House?

Nearly 100 people gathered together to share the joy of the season, and indulge in sugary & savory treats, on the afternoon of December 19th! The atmosphere was set with festive music and the TikTok inspired, lunch-bag snowflakes that created a winter wonderland in the barn alley. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who brought goodies for both humans and horses.

This was our most successful turnout to date, with the crowd busy taking pics with our horses, volunteers, and staff in between visits to all the tasty goodies. Who enjoyed the event the most? We’re pretty sure it was the horses who appreciated the attention (a.k.a. treats) they received from all our guests.

As a 2023 thank you, we were thrilled to give our incredible volunteers and participants a cozy surprise: a pair of toasty knit gloves imprinted with the Mane Stream logo! This thoughtful gift was made possible by a 4OnebyOne grant from 4imprint, and approximately 35 pairs were distributed in 2 hours. Don't miss out on the opportunity to stay warm in style – only 15 pairs remain! Swing by the office for your pair.

Overall, it was an amazing event that brought the community together and showed what the spirit of Mane Stream is all about! We are grateful for all the support and eagerly anticipate hosting our next event, Party in the Paddock, on May 4th. We hope to see you there!

Why Choose Mane Stream for Your Summer Internship?

At Mane Stream, we are all about creating rewarding experiences for interns and campers alike! Last summer, we had a blast with our small but mighty team of interns led by Anna Squindo, Camp Activities Specialist, and Kathy Dermody, Camp Director. Together, they cooked up a camp curriculum that mixed education, fun, crafts, and horsemanship skills, catering to a wide variety of campers’ abilities.

Our interns got a crash course in teamwork, adaptability, and the art of tailoring activities to suit different personalities and abilities. We're all about inclusivity, creating a vibe that gives campers of all abilities the confidence to be as independent as possible.

At Mane Stream there are lots of "a-ha" moments, from the first hestiant interactions with the horse to conquering the horse show on the last day. It's not just about learning horsemanship skills – it's about feeling empowered.

Beyond the horseplay, Mane Stream is a tight-knit community. Interns, campers, and staff all contribute to an atmosphere where shared achievements build lasting connections.

Mane Stream’s summer camp internship isn't your average gig – it's a journey that's all about embracing the fun of adaptive riding and celebrating the personal growth of each individual. As we look ahead, we're excited to find our next batch of summer camp interns spreading the joy of horsemanship.

In a nutshell, Mane Stream's summer camp internship is a unique experience that lives up to our mission of improving the quality of life for our participants with the assistance of our wonderful herd of horses and ponies. Interns are volunteers and many earn college credits for their time with us.

We can't wait to keep the good times rolling with the help of the 2024 Interns! Will you be one of them or do you know someone who would fit right in? 🐴✨

We've added therapy appointments in 2024!

Snappy is excited to see you for your free screening!

Snappy wants to know…Are you LOOKING FOR THERAPY FOR YOUR CHILD IN A UNIQUE SETTING?

We are excited to have a full barn of therapy ponies in various sizes (and widths) for pretty much any child out there, so we have added additional spots to the therapy schedule in 2024! Our dedicated and passionate Therapists (Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologist, and Mental Health Professional) love working in a non-traditional setting where they can implement creative therapeutic interventions to improve functional outcomes.

 

Get to know our therapists…

EMILY ISTVAN, MS, OTR/L, & PATH INTL. CERTIFIED REGISTERED INSTRUCTOR
Click to Read Full Article

Emily: “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.”

 

EVELYN KIDD, MS, OTR/L
Click to Read Full Article

Evelyn: “I was very "picky" when searching for the right place for me to continue my journey practicing hippotherapy. After some research and visiting a few facilities, I found Mane Stream. I enjoy feeling a part of a team, having mentorship and people to bounce ideas off of. I appreciate the fact that there is a clinic space and that they truly understand the concept of hippotherapy - therapy with the help of horses.”

 

PAULINE LOPEZ, MS, CCC-SLP
Click to Read Full Article

Pauline: “What I like most about treating at Mane Stream is the support and mentorship I receive from both my human and equine coworkers. Mane Stream creates a supportive and collaborative environment, where therapists work closely with horses and volunteers to provide effective therapy to our clients. The opportunity to work alongside these amazing animals in a therapeutic setting is truly rewarding!”

 

DR. LORI ROCKMORE - MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL

Lori: Limited openings available for Thursdays afternoons with our mental health provider, Lori Rockmore Psy. D. Lori specializes in evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatment. All work is done on the ground with no mounted activities. 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.

 

START THE PROCESS

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

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

Providing OT Services to Schools

Emily Bucher, Occupational Therapist, Treats Students from the Pillar School

A true partnership was created this past fall when Pillar Elementary School came to the farm SIX times for occupational therapy services provided by the energetic and compassionate Emily Bucher, OTR/L. Mane Stream has seen a significant increase in school field trips during 2023, indicating that schools are embracing and supporting diverse learning styles. These trips are usually activity-based and may or may not offer a short adaptive riding lesson.

This partnership however provides an even greater level of support…Occupational Therapy services! Each week local therapist Emily Bucher works with a dedicated and skilled team of volunteers, program director, Jen Dermody, and our amazing team of therapy ponies. The group of students are split into three groups of three, each waiting their turn for time on the horse.

get to know Emily

Emily is an occupational therapist, born and raised in Clinton, NJ. She is a certified clinical specialist in autism, pediatric anxiety, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. She has advanced training in neuromotor approaches for children with developmental delays and musculoskeletal disorders to promote confident movement and play skills. Emily is experienced in running social skill-building groups to build improved social engagement and peer play skills. Emily earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree from Thomas Jefferson University and has clinical experience in the neonatal intensive care unit, early intervention, school-based therapy, outpatient clinics, and equine-assisted therapy. Her number one goal is to support children and their families in building skills and confidence.

Emily first fell in love with horses while participating in summer camps as a child, and since then, has enjoyed being in the saddle to ride up a volcano and even ride in the Caribbean Sea! She is an avid yogi, and road cyclist and enjoys reading, hiking, and coaching for Girls on the Run International.

When we asked Emily what she has learned since joining the Mane Stream team she replied, “As members of a child’s team we should never place limits or doubts on the potential of a child. The students coming for this program have faced several medical complexities and challenges since birth. However, this program has opened my eyes to what the faith of others, encouragement, and healing and motivating nature of therapy that uses the horse’s movement can bring. When we set the bar high, they met it every single time. I am now always willing to be surprised and proven wrong by a child.”

In addition to being surprised, Emily loved all the smiles she saw each week! “The students arrived at Mane Stream each week either in their power wheelchairs or being walked in hand in hand with their personal aide. Moments later they were on a horse, engaged in therapy and looking like royalty. It sounds exaggerated but if you saw how beautifully upright they sat, with their shoulders back and chin high, and with such pride and wide smiles, they really looked like kings and queens as they circled the arena and rode the property around the barn. Some even loved to be in control and assertive, telling the horse to stop- “Whoa” - and “go”. Every week we got to see their confidence bloom, right along with their smiles.”

Treating at Mane Stream is not like treating at a traditional clinic, and can be challenging. “There’s a lot of moving parts. With safety and the betterment of each child being a priority there is a lot to consider: the appropriate tack, the appropriate horse, and the best way to group the students. Some weeks it rained, and some weeks there was high wind. It definitely calls for adaptability, creativity, and the willingness to be flexible. But it also made it extremely fun and dynamic and each week brought something new that sometimes made the therapy sessions even better than expected!

Part of the difference in treating at Mane Stream is managing a team of volunteers. “Working with the volunteers who provide their time, care, and attention is incredible. It is so apparent how much everyone looks forward to showing up for the kids each week. From high fives, to encouraging words, and even ensuring that each child not only has a safe and productive session, but also gets a few moments after the therapy session to thank, pet, and connect with the horses. It is surely an amazing and dedicated team and I could not have done it without them!”

One of the key benefits of therapy at the farm is the opportunity to embrace nature's vastness. “The outdoors proved to be such an awesome environment and context for therapy. For the most part, we were graced with beautiful weather and conditions each week and the students were often so alert and focused by the bright sun, beautiful fall leaves, and other horses that would call out to them in the nearby pastures. The varying terrain was also a key element in the occupational therapy sessions for this group as the terrain often changes the sensory input provided to the child and therefore the motor response that is required. For example, on the asphalt driveways, the children got increased vestibular and proprioceptive input, and often had to engage their postural muscles more as we went up and down hills on the property. Overall, treating outdoors in nature is one of my passions, and I was so excited I was able to do it with the children from Pillar School.”

Emily was excited to share, “I honestly cannot say enough how impressed and amazed I was at the progress that the students displayed in just six weeks. On week one, some students were hesitant, and some had never been in a therapy program that utilizes hippotherapy (the movement of the horse) before, lasting only about 15 minutes. By the last week, the students demonstrated increased endurance, ease, regulation, and motor skills to persist in the session for up to 45 minutes. We saw as their muscles activated, their senses regulated, they became more in tune with the horse, and transitions on and off the horses became easier. From an outside perspective, the progress that was made looked nothing shy of a miracle. But being a therapist, I know it is because this therapy tool is invaluable, and the kids benefit so much from it.”

Continuing the discussion of equine movement, “I think not many people know that equine movement and the gait of a horse is so similar to the way that humans walk. Although they are four-legged creatures, a horse’s pelvis moves in a remarkably similar way to that of the human pelvis while walking. So as the horse walks, the child’s pelvis and trunk are afforded the same degrees of movement, and their muscles must fire and respond appropriately to accommodate this movement without loss of balance. In many ways, the equine movement was very challenging for this group of students. Many of them spend their days in a power wheelchair and have never walked a step in their life. However, there is something to be said about the rhythmicity and organization of this natural movement. So, although some of the students had never walked before, the movement of the horse seemed to be second nature to them. It was a beautiful thing to see the students excel with the movement the horse provided. For some who are not ambulatory, the horse gave them the legs, upon which to walk and their muscles and brains did the incredible work from there.”

Pillar School is scheduled to return next Spring, this time for 12 WEEKS and Emily is looking forward to doing it all again! “The team that this program created and collaboration between the students, myself as the therapist, the school staff, and the family of volunteers and Mane stream employees was exceptional. I am so blessed to have been a part of it and I cannot wait to set the bar high and open up possibilities for another group of Pillar students. Spring cannot come soon enough!”

The Dough Kept Rising on #GivingTuesday2023

The Mane Stream Baking Show - Equine Edition

Thanks to your epic support, the DOUGH kept rising through Wednesday! The flour's settled, the final donations are in, and we're thrilled to announce that we raised a whopping $6,315! We hope you tuned in to the Mane Stream Baking Show - Equine Edition and had a blast. Snappy the judge was a total hoot and creating this campaign WHIPPED up some serious team spirit within the office staff.

A big round of applause for YOU! Together you all made a herd of 13 happy tummies with your generous donations, providing them with a full six months of GRAIN and SUPPLEMENTS. YOU are the real STABLE BAKERS of this competition!

Didn’t catch all the fun on social? You can always go back and check out all the silliness we had creating this campaign! Facebook Instagram

#GivingTuesday Donors

Joanne Adams, Victoria Anderson, Anonymous, Pine Woods Farm, Golda Blum, Christine Brenner, Alexis Brown, Barbara Burke, Carol Chimento, Mary Elizabeth Cisneros, Patricia M. Colbert, Linda Condit, Margaret Conroy, Kathryn Coyne, Nancy Cunningham, Anne Davenport, John B. Dickey, Ruthanne Drown, Laura Edelson, Diane Freeman, Tamela Griffin, Christina Hill, Vicki Hughes, Jane Hylicke, Anna Iglesias, Karen Kaufhold, Alex Kirby, Donna Lawse, Emily Maillet Kellogg, Barbara Maisel, Karen A. Marty, Katherine Metzler, Christine Michels, Elaine Milano, Anna Nicasio, Wolfy Nicolaides, Sandra Phillips, Karen Raab, Devon Safran, Edwin Schrum, Mary Spina, Stacey Staub, Patricia Walter, Doug Verge and Cathy Coloff, Ayako Yoshikawa

Snappy Judges the Signature Challenge

Get to know the Weekend Barn Staff

Taking care of the herd is more than a full-time job. That’s why at Mane Stream the Barn Manager, Alex Willard has a team of people to keep our hard-working herd happy and healthy. Who takes care of the horses on the weekend? In addition to our volunteer coordinator, Emily De Jong, and Camp Activities Specialist, Anna Squindo, we also have Lauri Morris and Caitlin Wilson. Find out who these wonderful women are and why they joined the Mane Stream team.

Lauri Morris

Lauri is busy Mom with 4 kids & a husband who grew up riding her own horses. As a teen, she volunteered at a therapeutic riding facility and started volunteering again in 2021 in Illinois. Lauri has a BA in psychology and also assisted in a therapy program for adults and children with motor disorders. After moving to NJ in 2022, Lauri found Mane Stream and joined the weekend barn staff where she enjoys the solitude and horse time for a few hours each weekend. 

When she’s not at a barn Lauri is working on her Bronze medal in dressage with her OTTB heart horse. And after that, she is usually at a hockey rink watching 2 of her kids play. Laurie also loves to be outdoors as a family; hiking, traveling, and spending time on the lake at her parent’s home in Ontario, Canada when they get the chance. 

Caitlin Wilson

Caitlin is a Rutgers student who has worked everywhere from family farms and small riding operations, to the Rutgers farm and huge show barns. She also spent two summers as an aide at a special needs middle school. She found Mane Stream’s summer program in 2022 and stayed on the team to help on weekends. She rides a few times a week at a family farm, helping the horses stay fit and happy. Caitlin is passionate about equine welfare and child education, so Mane Stream is a perfect fit. 

EQUUS XXXI - Masquerade Massive Success

On the full moon evening of Saturday, October 28th, the Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone was transformed for the Mane Stream Masquerade, this year’s theme for EQUUS XXXI. Over 200 guests embraced the theme, arriving adorned in an array of masks and intricate face jewels, all in celebration of Mane Stream's vital programs that serve over 400 participants with special needs each year.

Thank You Sponsors!

PLATINUM
Emily & Kirk Kellogg
Red Tail Farm
Liz & Jon Sobel/Sudler Family

 GOLD
Andrew Allen & Ali Thebault
Maureen & Steve Bezer
The Brucker Family
Friends & Family of Crewe Hill
The Edmiston & Thebault Families
The Gore Family
The Greifeld Family
Kathy & Hal Kamine
Karen & Steve Kaufhold
The Saladino Family

SILVER
Jeanne & Roger Rogalin
Betsy & Kevin Sullivan

BRONZE
Melissa & Mike Renfer

We are pleased to announce that this year's gala was one of the most successful Mane Stream has ever had, all thanks to the unparalleled generosity of the EQUUS committee, sponsors, and mighty donors. We hope that everyone in attendance reveled in every single moment of the evening as much as we did. From the ambiance of the venue to the delicious signature cocktails, from the outstanding live auction that brimmed with friendly competition to the rockin’ band that had the crowd dancing the night away, every aspect of the gala played its part in creating an unforgettable experience.

However, it was the moments of suspense and astonishment that left us all completely spellbound. The award-winning mentalist, Jesse Dameron, captivated our minds with his incredible abilities. It was as if he had access to the deepest recesses of our thoughts, leaving us astonished and eager for more. Alas, he did not share the upcoming lottery numbers that evening, although we feel incredibly fortunate to have hit the jackpot in terms of the overwhelming love and generosity bestowed upon us by all the donors. They not only opened their wallets but also their hearts, ensuring that Mane Stream remains a flourishing force in 2024.

EQUUS
Co-Chairs & Committee
Tanya Sameth and Ali Thebault
Erin Chesson, Nedenia Craig, Jill Dolan,
Elizabeth Durden, Carolyn Fahey, Lauren Fell, Sarah Gore, Karen Mikita-Kaufhold,
Emily Maillet Kellogg, Michelle Lawse, Christie Maguire, Jamie Murphy, Kerri Price,
Alyssa Riley, Marianne Saladino, Kristen Sameth, Liz Sobel, Kim Turiansky

This year, it was truly inspiring to witness a greater number of attendees raising their paddle for the "Adam Friedland's Helping Hands" pyramid. Undoubtedly, the moving and poignant speech delivered by adaptive rider, Alexis, and her father, Phil Nacamuli, tugged at our heartstrings and served as a powerful testament to the positive impact Mane Stream has had on their entire family. The funds raised through the pyramid will directly support participants in all our programs, our beloved equine companions, and our exceptional staff. Additional thanks go out to Charles Antin, our phenomenal auctioneer, for giving everyone in the room the opportunity to be generous and contribute to our cause.

As the night came to a close, a sense of profound fulfillment lingered in the air. Each guest returned home carrying auction items and memories of an evening of magic, compassion, and the knowledge that they have helped provide Unbridled Possibilities for children and adults with special needs.  

GIF and Giggle Photo Booth Images

Click the link Mane Stream Gala then login using trish@manestreamnj.org

The Herd's Holiday Wish List

As 2024 quickly approaches, let us gallop forth with purpose!

Our wish for the herd is to receive all that they desire, be it cozy winter blankets for Don & Bubbles, or Himalayan salt licks that the horses simply can't resist. And for those who are extra furry, clipper blades to keep them cool and comfortable in the summer sun. Every item on our list was carefully chosen to make a difference for all at Mane Stream.

But we didn't forget about our riders and therapy clients! We've also included a few games to bring them joy and delight.

Let us welcome the new year with open hearts and generous spirits, spreading magic and cheer throughout the stable & staff.

Come Jingle & Mingle at Mane Stream’s Holiday Open House!

Are you in the festive spirit and looking for a delightful way to spend a couple hours?

Look no further than Mane Stream's Holiday Open House! Join us at the barn on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM for merriment and joy. The horses and ponies are excited to meet everyone. And they aren’t camera shy! Capture the magical moments as you pose with the beloved Mane Stream herd. They also treats too! Candy canes, mints, carrots, or apples are all welcome. Show them some extra love and watch their hearts melt.

But it's not just our four-legged friends who will be treated. Humans also deserve some love too! Warm beverages and delectable snacks will be provided for all guests.

So mark your calendars and gather the family and friends for an evening of holiday cheer at Mane Stream's Holiday Open House. We can't wait to see everyone there, spreading the joy, laughter, and love that the holiday season brings. Come Jingle & Mingle with us!      

If you would like to bring a snack to share please contact Jen Dermody (jen@manestreamnj.org) so that we can plan appropriately. THANKS!