Furnace Brook Farm Therapeutic Riding

05/01/2026

So grateful to these amazing members of the MHS Senior class for donating their time and muscle to help mulch and clean up the farm. Thank you Jennifer Copponi Green and Heather Lane McNeil for all your help! ❤️

04/20/2026

Furnace Brook Farm hosted over 60 foster kids and their families today. We had pony rides, a grooming station, face painting, an art project, snacks and a visit from the Marshfield Fire Department. Thank you to the Fire department for their support! Thank you to my volunteers and the ever patient horses for always giving to those who need it most. ❤️

02/18/2026

A tribute to our 2025 FBF Sweetheart of the Year APOLLO!!!

Apollo is a half mustang half welsh pony cross from Nevada. (there may have been a mustang stallion that got loose one night and had some fun! 😂) Born black with a white diamond star, Apollo’s former names were Prince, Thor and finally Apollo.

Apollo came to Furnace Brook Farm six years ago through the generosity of Deanna Levesque. We were searching for a special pony to join our therapeutic team and Deanna answered our call with a literal unicorn! Apollo had been a unicorn for Deanna’s NH Unicorn business. He let her know he was ready for a new job and she offered to let us see if he liked being a therapy horse.

Apollo has absolutely thrived as a therapy horse! He has become the anchor of our hippotherapy program and is the favorite of our OT Kim Fuda. Apollo is reliable, steady and brings so much joy to his students. He carries our most medically fragile students with the confidence and focus of a boy who knows just how important his job is. He is a total professional. Apollo tolerates side walkers, the ramp, bean bags, the sensory trail, neighborhood walks - whatever his rider wants to do he willing does. Apollo has made his way into the hearts of our staff, his students, the parents and our volunteers.

Apollo - thank you for your dedication and selflessness - you are our rock and we are so grateful. Congratulations on being voted the 2026 FBF Sweetheart of the Year - so well deserved!!❤️❤️❤️

02/16/2026

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!!

The 2026 Furnace Brook Farm Sweetheart of the Year is Apollo!!!! 🥳❤️🥰

Tomorrow we will highlight Apollo and let you all know about this special guy. We will also decorate his stall to celebrate his win!

Here are the final numbers

Apollo - 123
Elliot - 75
Larry - 68
Rosie - 67
Sobe - 58
Casper - 55
Simba - 52
Sassy - 52
PJ - 48
Bernie - 48
Charlie - 42

We want to thank everyone who participated. The support is overwhelming and so so appreciated. All of our horses are sweethearts and we love them all so much. They show up every day ready to help enrich the lives of our students. Your support will cover our therapy horses’ teeth floating, spring vaccinations and multiple shoeings. We are also saving for a snow blower attachment for our ATV so we can do a better job clearing our rings next winter so
any leftover will go in that fund. Thank you again to everyone - we are so grateful ❤️

02/14/2026

We have 6 hours left!!!
Here are the numbers as of now Thank you to all who have donated! Valentines can be purchased for $10 - you can Venmo
-VanSteenburgh, add to your lesson check or fill out a Valentine envelope at the farm. All proceeds go towards covering our therapy horses' teeth floating and spring vaccinations. Any overflow will go towards the next shoeing. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we are so grateful for your support!!

Here are the standings as of now

Apollo 121
Elliot 74
Larry 66
Rosie 65
Sobe 57
Simba 51
Charlie 41
PJ 39
Sassy 39
Bernie 35
Casper 33

02/13/2026

Our horses (and ponies!) are feeling the love!!! There are two days left in our Valentine’s Day fundraiser!!!

$10 per Valentine - the horse with the most Valentines wins the title of FBF Sweetheart of the Year!

Venmo -VanSteenburgh, add to your lesson check or put in our special Valentine box at the farm.

All proceeds will go towards our therapy horses’ teeth floating, spring vaccinations and any leftover will pay for their next shoeing.

Here are the standings as of now

1. Apollo - 114
2. Elliot - 67
3. Rosie - 61
4. Larry - 58
5. Sobe - 55
6. Simba - 47
7. Sassy - 37
8. PJ - 34
9. Charlie - 34
10. Bernie - 29
11. Casper - 24

Thank you to all who have donated - we are so grateful!! ❤️❤️❤️

02/01/2026

EDIT - many having trouble finding my venmo in the write up … -VanSteenburgh

Hi Everyone!

The team at FBF wants to let you know about an exciting fundraiser we are holding over the next two weeks. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and with this incredibly tough winter any help is apprected!! We will be selling $10 Valentines to crown our

2026 FBF SWEETHEART OF THE YEAR (read abelow about this years contestants!)

Our horses are excited to feel the love!!! Here is how it works!

- Support the horse that makes your heart gallop by buying them a $10 Valentine (or as many as you want!)
- Have multiple horses that have stolen your heart? You can buy multiple Valentines for multiple horses - the more love the better!
-When a horse receives a Valentine a heart sticker will be placed on the tally board for that horse.
-The horse with the most Valentines by midnight on February 14th wins the coveted title of Sweetheart of the Year and gets major bragging rights! That horse's stall will be decorated and a photos will be taken to commemorate their win!
- To purchase a Valentine you can leave cash or a check in the special Valentine collection container on the picnic table by the payment box when you come for your lesson. If you want to add it to your lesson check just leave us a note for what horse you are buying the Valentine for. While you are there you can check out the poster board with the tally to see how your favorite horse is doing! An even easier option or maybe you are just an awesome supporter of FBF and won’t be at the farm?
Venmo -VanSteenburgh and write which horse you are sending the Valentine to on the Venmo and I will be sure to add the Valentine to the tally!

All proceeds collected will go towards supporting the horses' dental and vaccination needs this coming spring. Please help support our horses who do so much for us! Need more information before you decide who to buy a Valentine for here is some more info on our amazing horses! The pictures are in the order of the descriptions!

Larry - tall, dark and handsome this lovable and dependable guy is a staff favorite who will never let you down ❤️

Apollo - this actual unicorn of a boy is steady and reliable with absolutely no drama - sure to keep your heart safe! ❤️

Simba - straight from a fairytale this beauty has a heart to match his looks - right from the cover of a romance novel he will make your heart beat a little faster ❤️

Elliot - with experience and good looks this boy won’t let you down - also last years AMHA Therapy Horse of the Year (and a favorite of our voluneers) ❤️

Rosie - maybe you like a splash of color and a strong independent woman? Rosie is your girl! She may be the last mare I ever buy but she shows up and does her job - sometimes with a bit too much flair 😂❤️

Charlie - calm, steady and reliable your heart is safe with this handsome man ❤️

Bernie - perhaps you like a challenge? A little spice? This is your man! Opinionated at times but sweet nonetheless - and quite adorable!❤️

Sobe - this sweet talking guy is steady and reliable - he never wants to be a bother and will follow you like a puppy dog ❤️

Sassy - well her name says it all! She is full of sass but has a heart to match ❤️

Casper - our reining 2025 Sweetheart of the Year they just don’t come any sweeter than this girl ❤️

PJ - and finally if you like tall dark and mysterious our newest guy PJ is your man! He has a heart of gold and wants to make your every wish come true! ❤️

12/14/2025

YOU DID IT!!!

Thank you so so much to all the generous donations of gift cards for foster teens. We collected $3,600 worth of gift cards!!! AMAZING!!! I dropped them off today to be distributed. Thank you thank you!!!!

THIS IS CHRISTMAS!!!!🎄 🎄❤️❤️🥳🥳

12/11/2025

We are SO thankful to the Abby Mac Foundation for providing a years worth of funding for multiple children to receive hippotherapy sessions. These children had lost their funding which was devastating. The Abby Mac Foundation stepped up to guarantee these children could continue their sessions. Best Christmas gift!!!❤️❤️❤️

Welcome to our therapeutic-riding and hippo therapy facility in Marshfield MA

12/08/2025

https://youtu.be/08cByh9FSzQ

Welcome to our therapeutic-riding and hippo therapy facility in Marshfield MA

12/07/2025

Please take the time to watch the amazing video Andy Illes made to promote Furnace Brook Farm. Turn the volume up and grab some tissues! So incredible grateful to the whole FBF family that make our work possible. Thank you to these amazing horses that show up every day and make our students’ lives better. Feeling so blessed today ❤️

Andy thank you for all the work that went into this video- thank you for your endless support from the beginning- pictures, videos, mucking stalls, Starbucks delivery, laughter, tears - you support us through it all. Thank you my friend ❤️

https://youtu.be/08cByh9FSzQuk at

Welcome to our therapeutic-riding and hippo therapy facility in Marshfield MA