Musical Freestyle Delights Once Again!

Katie Berger on Roan and Frederick Rodriguez on Charlie celebrate a job well done at the Musical Freestyle at Red Tail Farm on 9/6.

The 2nd annual Musical Freestyle event, held on September 6th at Red Tail Farm, provided both excitement and entertainment. There was a large crowd of spectators, chairs and picnics in hand, ready to enjoy the beautiful summer weather.

As everyone eagerly awaited the show’s beginning, the first act, a group of children rode their stick ponies into the ring, while the ringmaster used his lunge whip to keep everyone moving along. As the kids wrapped up their “rides,” local cowboy, Ben Cano from B.W. Furlong Associates showcased his roping skills, truly making it feel like we were at the Dutton Ranch or in the Wild West.

For the second year in a row, the judge for the evening was Heather Mason, an S level judge, the highest level of National judge licensure you can receive in the US. Heather owns Flying Change Farm in Lebanon, NJ, where she trains and teaches. 

The evening started with a trip to the stars with the first musical freestyle rider, Evelyn Dietz on Ginerella. She launched the show with a super cute performance dressed as a tiny astronaut, taking the audience to outer space!

Evelyn was a tough act to follow, yet several outstanding riders stepped up. Among them was Mane Stream Board Member, Madison Rezaei, whose horse, Wellie Welcome playfully asked for donations for Mane Stream, sporting large dollar signs painted on its hindquarters. Other standout performances included themes from Beauty and the Beast and two lions from The Lion King.

During intermission, spectators were treated to a Quadrille plus 2 featuring six performers on their “hobby horses.” The performance went smoothly, except for one horse that kept misbehaving. Rider Mariano Granados did a commendable job of managing his horse while maintaining the integrity of the performance. (wink, wink)

The team performances were nothing short of spectacular; each team put in tremendous effort and delivered rides as impressive as the last, impressing the judge and racking up high scores! We were also fortunate to witness Jessie Steiner riding her elegant mount Snappy in a professional dressage performance that showcased the pinnacle of her riding career.

The finale brought down the house with a vibrant 90's-inspired routine from Madison Rezaei and Tea Uzman. Both riders adorned their horses in glowing neon tack, while they donned fluorescent pink riding outfits. As the young stick horse riders distributed glow sticks to the audience, Madison and Tea had everyone dancing, singing, cheering, and contributing to the cause!

A heartfelt thank you to Red Tail Farm and all the riders who participated in this Magical Musical Freestyle Show to support Mane Stream! This year the fundraising stakes were high as a mysterious matching donor committed to match the first $10K. So when the evening was done and all was accounted for a total of just over $22K was raised thanks to the incredible support from all!

Thank you to the competitors (in order of appearance)
Evelyn Dietz, Madison Rezaei, Lila Rockmore & Katie Berger, Sophie Wayner, Liliian Mikulski & Paige Zimmerman, Quadrille (or sextette really) names: Jessica Dinonne, Mariano Granados, Jennifer Miranda, Morgan Myrdal, Madison Rezaei, Tea Uzman, Abby Fodor, Katie Berger & Frederick Rodriguez, Jessie Steiner, Alessia Morgan & Hassini Raj, Madison Rezaei & Tea Uzman.


Welcome Toby Kelly

Barn Assistant and MORE!

Toby Kelly and their best friend, Connor.

Toby graduated from Centenary University in 2024, earning an associate degree in Equine Studies. With over 10 years of experience in riding and caring for horses, they worked at various barns, gaining a wealth of knowledge about different horse breeds and temperaments before joining Mane Stream in May.

At Mane Stream, Toby will now assist with programming on Mondays and Fridays, in addition to her regular weekend shifts, bringing valuable experience to the organization. Toby has developed a strong connection with the horses, understanding each one's preferences and personalities. Barn Manager, Alex Willard, appreciates Toby’s reliability and comprehensive knowledge of horse first aid, expressing gratitude for having such a capable individual watching over the herd when she is not present.

In their free time, they can be found at the barn with their best friend and horse, Connor. Be sure to introduce yourself when you see Toby during your next visit to the barn!

What is a DAF?

Donor-Advised Funds (DAF)

Mane Stream is proud to be a founding launch partner for DAF Day on October 10th! It's a new giving day to redefine how Donor-Advised Funds (DAF) are used and who uses them. And the timing couldn't be better! DAFs are proven to increase generosity and are easier to use than ever before.

It’s true: DAF holders increase their annual giving by 96%. And now, DAF-ing (yep, that’s a new verb!) is becoming easier than ever, making it a no-brainer when supporting your favorite nonprofits, like Mane Stream!

Join the fastest-growing group of donors by becoming a DAF-er!

Meet volunteer, Anne Davenport: someone who DAFs for Mane Stream. Anne DAFs because…

“Our DAF simplifies giving – especially of appreciated securities. With one donation to the DAF at the time of greatest tax advantage, we can support Mane Stream and the organizations we care about with efficiency and ease.”

~ Anne Davenport

If you don’t have a DAF yet, you’re not alone: only 17% of the general population does. It’s not too late to join the fastest-growing donor group and we’d love for you to be able to DAF by October 10th.

If you are interested in a DAF account to fulfill your philanthropy goals please reach out to your financial advisor for more information.

The Caring Community

What Mane Stream means to Michelle & Gemma

Written by Michelle Lawse

Gemma & Michelle Lawse with Dorito (retired)

Three years ago or so now, my then 7-year-old daughter, Gemma, expressed interest in riding horses.  While Gemma is developmentally normal, she had been in occupational therapy to improve vestibular strength.  Since neither myself nor my husband spent time around horses, we didn’t know how that would work with riding.  There were many unknowns and general safety concerns. Fortunately, I had been talking to my friend, Emily Mailett Kellogg, an avid rider and member of the Mane Stream Board of Directors.  Her advice, visit Mane Stream! 

So, we came to the farm with Emily so she could introduce me to Jen Dermody, Director of Program Services, and Trish Hegeman, Executive Director.  Shortly thereafter, I brought Gemma in for a free screening and ever since then she has looked forward to her weekly adaptive riding time. Gemma’s Mane Stream experiences include more than riding and summer camp though. Last year, Gemma faced some challenges that made it clear that we needed to help her find herself.  While we wish she was never put in a situation that led to counseling, she started therapy at Mane Stream and it was the perfect place for her to rebuild her mental wellness. Each week after riding with Kelly Champion, PATH Intl. Certified Instructor, she went straight to therapy with Lori Rockmore, Psy.D, and had nothing but support from everyone. We are eternally grateful Gemma has this safe place for her to escape and work through her thoughts with so many people there to lift up her spirits.

With all the time Gemma spends at Mane Stream, I was struck by the caring community of staff and volunteers. I saw first-hand the support offered to her but also all the support given to everyone of all abilities. 

That is what motivated me to make a difference in someone’s life and I began volunteering. Not standing behind a horse’s rear was the extent of my horse knowledge so I had a lot to learn but everyone has been so welcoming and helpful throughout my journey. 

I’ve now been a side walker for almost 1 year no working alongside amazing people and new friends.  It has been such a rewarding experience being able to help children as so many helped my daughter. Volunteering at Mane Stream and watching riders become more comfortable on the horses and seeing them smile as they ride is an indescribable feeling.  I am honored to be a member of this team. 

And we are honored to have Michelle and Gemma in our farm family!

NEW Toddler Program!

PADDOCK PALS (2-4 years old)

5-Week Program - Wednesdays 2:30-3:30pm starting 10/2

Creative play is important for kiddos! There are several milestones that lead up to being able to play creatively, so come to the barn to give your little ones plenty of opportunities to practice. We limit the group to 6 little adventurers with a caregiver each.

Spend each jam-packed one-hour session with excitement, from circle time, captivating horse tales, horse-themed adventures including arts & crafts, and music. The grand finale is a costumed pony ride for each tyke!

Fall session begins October 2

For more information & to sign up contact: 
Holland Kochanski
PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructor & Proud Mom
Holland@manestreamnj.org

Musical Dressage to Benefit Mane Stream

Come Watch Horses Dance!

Pack a Picnic, Bring a Chair

Join us for an evening of Musical Freestyle at Red Tail Farm to benefit Mane Stream on Friday, Sept. 6th (rain date is Saturday the 7th). Spectators are encouraged to bring their chairs and their picnic and just enjoy the show. Everybody enjoys seeing horses and riders "dancing" to music and costumes! There will be pas de deux, quadrilles, and all levels including those super adorable lead line riders. NO COST TO ATTEND but there will be opportunities to donate. Spectators can "vote" for their favorite rider by donating $1 per point to add to the judge's score. This will be an evening event under the lights! EVENT DETAILS!

Check out Last Year’s Event!

Here Comes the Sun!

sunny shines bright amongst the herd!

The horses make everything we do at Mane Stream possible. Both instructors and riders love getting to know each new addition to the barn. Several months ago, Sunny, a chestnut quarter horse, arrived with a bright, warm personality and a soft eye. He is shorter stature (14.2 hands), making him a great mount for newer and slightly reserved riders. His balanced step allows for incredible independence for those on the precipice of something great…learning to trot!  The goal for each of our riders if for them to progress in every way that they can, including any riding, physical, or social goals they might have for themselves. And my goals for my riders grow and change just as the riders do.

ANNA MARIE met Sunny in April and they have been an unstoppable pair from the very beginning.  Sunny has helped Anna Marie increase her self-confidence as a rider, resulting in a beautiful connection between them (and don’t they look great in their matching helmets and fly bonnets?) We’ve been working towards independence at the trot and Sunny’s slow jog is the perfect speed for Anna Marie!

THAYER also formed a strong connection with Sunny in just a few short months! Thayer’s confidence has soared as well, thanks to Sunny making it easier to accomplish his riding goals. I’ve seen a carry-over of this confidence to Thayer’s social skills as well as he has been initiating conversations with another rider and his volunteers about Sunny. During lessons, Sunny’s calm, been-there-seen-that-attitude, allows for a lot of independence. Thayer is forced to learn by really having to do what is asked by the instructor. While Sunny knows the drill, he will make sure Thayer asks correctly. Independence - relying more on himself than on the volunteers or instructor - for Thayer means different things each week. Some lessons that means a lap around the ring at the sitting trot and other lessons that means working hard on our posting rhythm while we walk to help get the feeling and muscle memory. With a horse like Sunny, the opportunities are endless. 

At Mane Stream, each horse gives so much and every rider takes their time to thank them after the lesson. We couldn’t do anything here without the horses’ willingness to be a part of it all. Thank you Someday Stables for donating this kind guy!

DONATING A HORSE: The horses and ponies that make it through our month-long trial are truly special and are few and far between. This means Mane Stream is almost always looking for additional horses to cover our increasing programs. If you or someone you know has a truly special horse that can walk, trot, and canter please contact our Equine Manager, Jen Dermody at jen@manestreamnj.org

Written by: Kayla Thau, PATH Intl. Certified Registered Instructor

Bonnie Brae Boys Save the Day

Bustin’ Their B_tts at the Farm!

Here at Mane Steam, we have received some pretty generous donations over the years, and this one a few weeks ago was one of the best ever! Local farmer, Jeff Neary, stopped by to tell us he had a donation that would leave our herd nickering with joy, 500 bales of beautiful, lush hay! Our Barn Manager, Alex, and Equine Manager, Jen, were thrilled and quickly developed a plan to tackle this exciting but LARGE donation. 

First, Jen started the hunt for a hay elevator to transfer the hay into the hayloft, which longtime friend, Greg Tucker, was happy to lend. Meanwhile, Alex reached out to her contact at Bonnie Brae, a residential school and therapeutic community in Basking Ridge, to enlist some of the boys to assist with the massive task.

On July 1st, a group of 12 boys and several staff members from Bonnie Brae arrived to help clear out space in the hay loft. They also helped Alex finish her never-ending chores around the barn. After they departed, Alex and Jen hopped in the Mane Stream truck to pick up the hay elevator. Though it was large, the two successfully transported it to Mane Stream. The next morning, Alex arrived to see the first of THREE full hay carts. She gave the elevator a test run shortly before the Bonnie Brae Team (6 boys and staff members) arrived. In assembly line fashion, bales were tossed from the cart, loaded onto the elevator, and stacked in the loft. The Bonnie Brae boys and Mane Stream staff worked tirelessly as two more hay carts were dropped off. Never fear, everyone stopped at noon for a lunch break, and by 2pm, the hayloft was packed to the brim and the job was done!

Grateful for the valiant effort of the Bonnie Brae boys, Alex and Jen invited the group back for a third day to show their appreciation. The boys got to spend some quality time with the herd as they led Cody and Snappy in the indoor ring and then painted Minnie and Cody in a 4th of July theme for a holiday social media post. Afterward, everyone enjoyed ice cream bars to help cool off from a hot few days. 

We cannot thank the staff and boys from Bonnie Brae enough for their help with this monumental task and the great work they continue to do around the farm throughout the year. And we owe a huge thanks to Jeff Neary for the generous donation and to Greg Tucker for the use of his hay elevator. Running a horse farm truly takes a village and we appreciate all the help and generosity that we can get!

Written by: Alex Willard, Barn Manager

We're Jumping for Joy!

Barn Manager, Alex Willard is jumping for joy all thanks to the generosity of the Party in the Paddock attendees! Mane Stream now has a gleaming new Kubota Tractor and Utility Vehicle, a testament to the power of community support. The numerous and generous donations have put an end to the continuous breakdowns while the barn staff carries out their daily farm tasks. We also want to thank Powerco Equipment of Clinton, NJ who taught us how to use these beautiful new machines!

Kubota Tractor Corporation

Powerco Equipment