CURRENT HAPPENINGS
the ways YOU can stay connected!
We’ve got something for everyone and it will be ready for pick up before Thanksgiving! Whether you want to dress it up with a button down shirt or like a stylish and comfy top you’ll find it and most likely in TWO colors. We’ve also answered your calls about a little more color…introducing several items in shades of blue.
Online Store Closes on 10/31 at Midnight!!
Katrina is a New Jersey licensed physical therapist. She graduated from Clarkson University in 2012 with a B.S. in Biology and Minor in Chemistry. Katrina received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Clarkson University in 2016, and completed internships at two outpatient facilities, a skilled nursing facility, and at a pediatric burn center. After graduating, Katrina accepted a hospital position with Matheny Medical and Educational Center located in Peapack, NJ. At Matheny, she enjoys treating adults with various developmental disabilities. Katrina came with Matheny to Mane Stream in the fall of 2017 as a side walker and loved the experience! She completed her Level I course through American Hippotherapy Association in 2018 and looks forward to combining this knowledge with her love of physical therapy.
Katrina grew up in Kingston, NJ. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her husband and three cats, Basil, Theo, and Freya. She also does aerial yoga!!
We love your energy Katrina!
You’ve probably already received an email or two from her, or seen her smiling face out in the barn. Rebecca has stepped right into her duties and has practically mastered our volunteer management system “Volgistics”. Woot! Woot!
ABOUT REBECCA:
Rebecca has a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. Prior to joining the Mane Stream team, she worked at Hunterdon Medical Center doing insurance authorizations for radiology before becoming the department secretary for Hunterdon Behavioral Health. Though she is new to the equine world and she is very excited to learn all about it. Mane Stream's mission is “something she is passionate about and looks forward to working with volunteers and participants alike!" Rebecca grew up locally and in her spare time enjoys reading, writing, and planning vacations to Disney World!
Please take time to introduce yourself the next time you stop by the farm.
What happens when you move an established event up by 2 weeks? Well, we weren’t sure but as of the end of August we had already surpassed last year’s total number of riders! By show day, a record number of 28 riders showed up to compete on the crisp fall day with their families and friends there to cheer them on!
This day isn’t only about the winners, it’s more about showing off the skills learned throughout the year. It was great to see how much our riders have progressed and competed in more advanced classes this year. And we were excited to see so many new faces!” Even the judge took note of how much the riders have progressed since she saw them last year.
The annual horse show is also about supporting Mane Stream’s Adaptive Riding program. The numerous sponsors and riders contributed almost $8,000!! A special thanks to top fundraising riders Mary Glaser in the adult category, raising $1,000 and Madison Mitchell in the junior category with over $350.
Our sincere thanks go out to our generous sponsors, dedicated volunteers and everyone else who made the day such a success. Let's not forget our Judge, Kathy Dermody and talented photographer Michelle Geise! (HORSE SHOW GALLERY to coming soon)
Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award – Michaela H.
Champion AM Adult – Mathew O.
Reserve Champion AM Adult – Germaine G.
Champion AM Junior – Michaela H.
Reserve Champion AM Junior – Chase R.
Champion PM Adult – Victoria L.
Reserve Champion PM Adult – Juan M.
Champion PM Junior – Silvia M.
Reserve Champion PM Junior – Hope B.
Clinton Honda, Cynthia Barkman & Ron Caruso, Flemington Car & Truck Country, Land Rover Princeton, Red Tail Farm, Somerset Patriots
Mary & Alan Dickey
Karen & Steve Kaufhold
Amy Barkman, Paige Brucker, Margaret Conroy, Lucy Cowperthwaite, Alison Crowley, Catherine Dalessio, Rebecca Daly (and Husband), Anne Davenport, Debi Delorenzo, Nancy Grossweiler, Ellie Hegeman, Karen Kaufhold, Lillian Mikulski, Mahathi Pentavalli, Dawn Riley, Stephanie Ringler, Emma Sameth, Emmanuelle Van Vleet, Karen Vogt, and Wendy Waters
I am a 55 year old woman who was disabled by a stroke during the sixth month of my second pregnancy at age 35. I was a stay at home mother to two boys who are 19 and 21, after a career in sales and marketing. I write to entertain, inform, amuse and inspire people to live their best life. I am committed to living a full, happy life and inspiring others to do the same
I drive into the parking lot of the facility where I take adaptive riding lessons. I am delighted by the sight of the horses who have been “turned out” in the surrounding fields. They are peacefully grazing on the grass. Some are frolicking with the other horses. The countryside surrounding the pastures is magnificent, a showcase of beautiful and extravagant horse properties. The field adjacent to the parking lot blooms with bright sunflowers during the summer.
I step out of my car and am treated to the smell of horse manure that spreads beyond the barn where the horses are kept. On days when the farrier is there, the air smells exactly like huge quantities of burning hair as they heat the keratin-rich hooves of the horses who are getting new shoes. It is an odor that is unique to horse boarding facilities. Each horse has its own scent, as well, which drifts out of the barn on the passing breeze and greets visitors.
I hear the sound of the larger horses in their stalls as they whinny and nicker since the barn doors are usually wide open. I love the sound of enormous gushes of air blowing out of a horse’s giant lungs. When it’s cold, I see this vast breath coming out of their noses. If I’m lucky, there is a horse or two on its way to the outdoor ring. As they pass me in the parking lot, I enjoy the sound of the ker-plop of their hooves as their shoes touch the pavement. I am still impressed at the magnitude of these animals.
Once inside, the sounds and smells are magnified and again when I go in the barn itself to mount my horse for my lesson. Once I am securely saddled, I may catch a sniff of leather from the horse’s tack. The sounds are amplified on the back of the horse, and I will see its breath up close as it gets exhaled through their gaping nostrils. After a few laps around the indoor ring, the horse generally likes to cough and clear its lungs, another magnificent sound which may be accompanied by a stunning sight of their breath being exhaled when it’s cold. Even though I’m not supposed to look at the back of the horse’s neck and head from my vantage point, I can’t help but occasionally take in the sight of their beautiful ears that sometimes move independently of each other. Their long mane flies in the breeze as we start to trot, and I have to remind myself to stay focused on where I want the horse to go as it will go where my eyes lead. The slight shifts of my body weight in response to a change in the direction of my glance serve as powerful cues for the horse as I direct it where to go.
After my lesson, I routinely visit my horse in the barn and serve treats. When I give her an apple or a cookie, I am given some horse drool on my hand. If I pet her nose with my spit covered hand, it gets coated with hair.
After competing internationally for less than two years, Alanna Flax-Clark is currently ranked 7th in the world for her classification in para-dressage. She is training for the Paralympics in 2020 with her Dutch Riding Pony, El Paso at Sara Schmitt Dressage located in Oldwick. After years of illness, hospital stays and surgeries she found horses when she needed them most and will share her journey on Thursday, October 4th at 7PM.
All are welcome to the Mane Stream farm to hear first-hand how horses gave Alanna back her life and independence. Don’t miss out on Alanna’s motivational story of determination.
Please RSVP letting us know you would like hear Alanna’s motivational story.
https://www.manestreamnj.org/events/2018/10/4/alannas-journey-starting-all-over-again
Come learn the basics of American Sign Language then put it to use with some of our participants. Taught by Christine Chynoweth, an ASL teacher in a NJ school district.
This is YOUR chance to feel the client experience. Learn about the different movement our therapy ponies provide. (Open to current Mane Stream volunteers, limited to 4 participants)
Several Mane Stream supporters have celebrated their birthdays in 2018 by creating Facebook fundraisers and we've noticed the impact!
Facebook removed their [Facebook's] 5% fee for donations! This means all the money goes to non-profits. For many charities, Facebook fundraisers are now the most frictionless way to raise donations, including from people who might otherwise never visit the charity’s own donation links.*
*Techcrunch article:
https://tcrn.ch/2Bgn2yD
Did YOU Know? We offer opportunities to earn your Girl Scout Badges and Boy Scout Merit Badges!! Horseback Riding, Animal Helper, Pets and Horsemanship we have it covered. Schedule your 2018-2019 school year date now.
We also encourage school groups to come and learn about responsibility, teamwork, social skills and horses in a safe and relaxed environment.
Contact Jen Dermody to find out more information and to schedule a Fall Field Trip.
A full moon and moody clouds created a beautiful evening in the fields of Red Tail Farm for the 5th Annual Boot Scootin’ BBQ held on Saturday, June 2nd. After several days of rain during the week, it all stopped just in time! Over 300 guests had a blast while raising more than $80K to support Mane Stream’s programs.
After passing through a rustic entrance of split rail and flowers, attendees were greeted by adaptive rider, George, on horseback. During dinner, a video featuring George and Izzy, a therapy client, highlighted how Mane Stream's programs positively impact lives every day. Music, courtesy of NASH 94.7 FM, started the party off right and prepped the stage for the live band for the evening, The DeLoreans.
Once again, Southern Man BBQ was ‘on point’, changing it up a bit with the addition of country fried chicken to this year's menu. Thanks to Tito’s Vodka and Melick’s Hard Cider, the evening was flush with tasty drinks. Besides a selection of dessert bites this year, guests could relax around the fire pits for do-it-yourself s’mores. All this and a competitive (not really) corn hole battle made for a magical evening for adults and children alike.
Big thanks go out to Mason Garrity, our auctioneer for the night. Live auction items included Zach Brown and Kenny Chesney tickets and for the first time at the BBQ, we had a live "Wish Line". This year we wished for 5 camp sponsorships for children of service members, funds for camp t-shirts with tie-dying supplies and….a NEW Truck! After several years of frequent repairs to keep the truck running, it was time to ask for a safe form of transport for our staff & horses. Thanks to everyone who made a donation and our friends at Flemington Car and Truck Country's Family of Dealerships we are now able to get the truck we need!
The evening also included a silent auction with golf outings, Tiffany jewelry, a wine tasting experience, to name a few, as well as a very successful 50/50 Raffle. The winner took home over $2,000!
This country casual event was truly a blast! Thank you to everyone that came to Boot Scootin' BBQ to support Mane Stream's mission and let’s not forget the team of Mane Stream volunteers who worked all night long clearing tables and putting out desserts, among other tasks. Thank you: Chuck Coombs, Laura Edelson, Julie Hyland, Nancy Grossweiler, Christina Katchen, Lizzie Le-Orlando, Dawn Riley, Emily Seguine, Charlotte Tatum, and Karen Vogt!
THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS!!
RHINESTONE COWBOY
Julia & Bob Greifeld
THESE BOOTS
Linda & Alvin Dietz, Cynthia Barkman & Ron Caruso,
Kathy & Hal Kamine, Kevin Prentice
GOOD RIDE COWBOY
Stephen & Maureen Bezer, Central Solutions Group LLC, Karen & Steve Kaufhold,
Kevin & Betsy Sullivan, Ralph & Bonnie Tursini, Adam & Alicia Winters
DIRT ON MY BOOTS
Midtown Direct Properties
HAPPY TRAILS
Leslie Conason, Linda Fischer, Hoffman Farms, Paul & Joy Kochanski,
Birgit Kosjek, Kevin & Nancy McCaffrey
EVENT COMMITTEE
Tori Anderson, Laura Brucker, Tom & Kathy Dermody, Laura Edelson, Samantha Gonzalez,
Nancy Grossweiler, Ed Holloway, Justin Hendrickson, Mark & Shari Hendrickson,
Justin Kamine, Matt Kamine, Karen Kaufhold, Joy Kochanski, Cheryl Pfleger, Lynn Ruck,
Marianne Saladino, Kerry Scholz, Tony Tambasco, and Wendy Waters
FOOD SPONSORS
Applegate Farms, Melick’s Town Farm, Stop & Shop, Tito’s, Wegmans
