Manes & Motions Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc., a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) operating center, is a non-profit organization created specifically to improve the well-being of individuals with physical, cognitive and/or emotional disabilities in the central Connecticut area, through the benefits of equine facilitated activities. These activities consist of four main components - therapy, education, recreation and sport.

In April 1999, our planning committee, established and led by Jerri Massi, determined that there was a need for this unique service in the central Connecticut community. Many phone calls were made to area health organizations, residential and educational facilities, local state representatives, and other therapeutic riding centers in the state as well as personal contacts. The feedback was positive, encouraging and heartwarming; thus giving our committee the necessary reinforcement to continue with establishing Manes and Motions Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc. at Daniels Farm in Middletown, CT. We held a Volunteer Recruitment "Open House" in the summer of 1999. From this open house, we enrolled 50 volunteers. Our program Director and certified riding instructor held "hands on" training to prepare these volunteers to assist them during our fall "Pilot" program.

Manes & Motions became incorporated on June 22, 1999 and received our tax-exempt status in November 1999. Our press releases and recruitment sessions during the summer of 1999 were very well received in the community. This led to our conducting an eight-week fall, 1999 "Pilot Program". We began with 12 riders, 2 NARHA certified instructors, 4 program horses and 50 trained volunteers. The positive response was over-whelming and as of the fall 2004 we have 60 participants, five NARHA certified instructors, 8 program horses and over 200 trained volunteers. Since we began in 1999, Manes and Motions has offered (3) seven-week semesters yearly - Spring, Summer and Fall.

In August 2002, Manes & Motions became affiliated with the Hospital for Special Care, a large, well respected rehabilitation facility located in New Britain, CT. This association has provided us with much-needed fundraising support in the community as well as assisting with many of our organizations administrative functions. Both of our facilities hold the same mission - to improve the daily lives of those individuals living with disabilities.

In 2004, Manes & Motions changed to offering two 10- week semesters - from May to October. In 2005, Manes & Motions will offer their equine facilitated activities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Since the fall 1999 to 2007, Manes & Motions, Inc. continued to offer a unique program of equine facilitated activities at Daniels Farm, 874 Millbrook Road, Middletown, CT for those children and adults living with disabilities in the central Connecticut area. In the fall of 2007 the program moved to - Manes & Motions at Daniel's Farm at 874 Millbrook Road, Middletown, CT 06457.