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!

Fall Tack Sale Huge Success

THANK YOU for your support!

We reserve the word EPIC for only the most impressive tack sales, and this is one of them. We didn’t think it was possible to have another sale like 2020 & 2021 but the local community came through once again donating everything under the sun horse-related. As usual, the crowds were lined up neatly waiting to get in well before the 8am start time and a total of just over $8,000 was raised in just one day. Thank you!


Horse Show Competitors Bask in the Sun!

What better way to celebrate a glorious Indian Summer Day than at our action-packed Horse Show with riders, family, friends, volunteers, staff, and our amazing horses? The Annual Horse Show, a highlight and the most heartwarming event of the year, was made extra special by the amazing weather and Family Fun Day activities!

The parking lot started filling up bright and early on October 1st and didn’t empty out until almost 5pm. A bountiful volunteer breakfast spread sponsored by The Davenport Family ensured that the volunteers started the day on the right foot, fueling their energy for the long day that lay ahead.

This year our teen volunteers rallied together to form the first-ever Family Fun Day Committee. Led by the industrious Tess Coffey, these young individuals held virtual meetings to curate an array of activities and games that would make the Family Fun Day a special experience for everyone.

Sticking with the Family Fun Day theme, this year’s horse show felt like a family affair and a bit like the old days, with lunch grilled up by Jen’s Dad, Tom Dermody, and Mike Murphy (Volunteer, Janie Murphy’s husband) with Jen’s niece, Juliet, helping with the concessions.

As the day progressed, anticipation filled the air for the Volunteer Class. Six volunteers, each with varying riding abilities, were granted the extraordinary opportunity to ride one of our special horses. Did every volunteer get to ride their personal favorite? The curiosity lingers, awaiting the knowledge and feedback from each volunteer. We encourage all volunteers to participate next year.

Once the dust had settled, the final tallies were calculated, revealing an amazing total of $12,600 raised. This remarkable achievement was made possible by the joint efforts of 41 riders, 6 dedicated volunteers, and the support of 16 generous sponsors. The riders bringing in the largest amounts for Mane Stream were Mary Glaser - Adult, Gemma Lawse - Youth, Michael Roberts - Campers, and Tess Coffey - Volunteer.

WINNERS CIRCLE

Abby Clay Rutgers Memorial Award (high-point independent rider) – David Santos
Gracie Memorial (High Point Youth Rider) - Myla Schultz
Champion AM Adult – Patrice Keiling
Reserve Champion AM Adult – Josh Ciccione
Champion AM Junior – Madeline Brenner
Reserve Champion AM Junior – Reagan Read
Champion PM Adult – David Santos
Reserve Champion PM Adult – Daisy Desimone
Champion PM Junior – Myla Schultz
Reserve Champion PM Junior – Joseph O’Leary

We extend a special thanks to Judge Jan Hamilton! Her unwavering commitment was evident as she spent the entire day with utmost diligence on the hill, attentively evaluating every rider, scrutinizing body positions, ring awareness, two-points, and diagonals. Without her expertise and dedication, the Horse Show would not have been the same.

Additional thanks go out to our announcer Justin Hendrickson and all our photographers: Katie Maddalena, who captured the day’s competitive events, and Jane Dominik and Mike (Wolfe) Nicolaides, and Zeynep Seyhan, who captured all the smiles and hugs throughout the day. Finally, the Horseflight Photo Booth was set up by Jeanne and Roger Rogalin so that participants, their horses, and families had an opportunity to have pictures taken together. (tons more pictures still to come)

As we bask in the afterglow of this successful event, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made it possible, reiterating the importance of the community and its unwavering support for Mane Stream.

Our sincere thanks to everyone who made the day such a success!

HORSE SHOW SPONSORS

Horse Show Sponsor
 Pine Woods Farm

Awards Sponsor
 Horseflight

Ribbon Sponsor
 A Jersey Angel

Volunteer Breakfast Sponsor
 The Davenport Family

Décor Sponsor
 Mary & Alan Dickey

Champion/Reserve Adult (AM) Sponsor
Michael & Melissa Renfer

Champion/Reserve Child (AM) Sponsor
Jeanne Rogalin
 Midtown Direct Properties | Keller Williams

Champion/Reserve Child (PM) Sponsor
 Karen & Steve Kaufhold

Division Sponsors
Maggie Conroy, Kelly Gordon, The Lawse Family,
Liz McFadden, Tierney Sullivan,
Fred & Meredith Whaley

Class Sponsors
Lilly Timko, Chloe Timko

Horse Show Volunteers
Charli Auerbach, Bella Barata, Tess Coffey, Debi Delorenzo, Nancy Grossweiler, Karen Kaufhold, Elaine Milano, Sabrina Moccio, Janie Murphy, Mike (Wolfy) Nicholaides, Nancy Poandl, Zeynep Seyhan, McLaren van Rooyen, Mary Ellen Yen

Family Fun Day Committee
 Charli Auerbach, Kathryn Blount, Tess Coffey, Madison Flanagan, Kass Guerard, Ashley Hartman, Bessie Huggins, Tara Lolacono, Zahara Sanchez, Anna Squindo

Food
 Tom Dermody & Mike Murphy
Costco, Stop&Shop, Wegmans

 

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!