SPUR History

Beginning in the late 1970s with a modest but energetic combination of borrowed horses and enthusiastic volunteers, Special People United to Ride, Monmouth County's horseback riding program for individuals with disabilities, found its first "permanent" home-- Thompson Park, Lincroft-- in 1981, the same year that SPUR became a not-for-profit organization.  Since then, the Monmouth County Park System has been an active partner, dedicated to furthering the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding.  In 1985, SPUR and the Park System were ready to expand their range of services, including a limited number of lessons for non-disabled riders, and moved to larger quarters at Huber Woods Park, Locust.

Although improvements were made to the facility at Huber Woods, the location lacked space for an essential program element-- year-round lessons. The SPUR Board initiated efforts to promote an indoor arena and teaching facility where therapeutic riding could be offered 12 months a year.  Eventually, a design concept emerged, the Park System and SPUR decided to relocate the program to Sunnyside Recreation Area, fundraising efforts blossomed, and construction began. 

· Indoor Arena  80' x 200'
· Horse stalls -- 18
· Horses -- 16
· Instructors -- 8
· Volunteers -- over 100       a year
· Students--212 students with disabilities were served in 2007
· ARIES (Advanced Rider and Independent Equestrians of SPUR) classes were added in winter 2007
· For more information about volunteering contact Pat Bernstein, Equestrian Volunteer Coordinator
· For information on horse  donations contact Cindy Ross, Stable Manager
· For program information contact Liz Haenchen, Head Instructor

Phase II includes offices for the administrative staff and instructors, a classroom and a therapy room.  The addition also features a waiting area for participants and their families with large observation windows looking into the indoor arena.

Special People United to Ride and the Monmouth County Park System gratefully acknowledge the friends, neighbors, supporters, volunteers, riders, parents, Middletown Township, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the State of New Jersey for their commitment and contributions to this project.

Sunnyside History

In the late 1700s, Sylvanus Grover, great-grandson of an original Monmouth County patentee, acquired two separate tracts of land on either side of what is now Middletown-Lincroft Road. The 18^th century home that Grover originally   constructed has evolved over time into the house that currently exists on the property.  By the late 19^th century, the property had changed ownership several times, eventually becoming known as "Sunnyside Farm."

In 1933, Henry H. and Katherine Neuberger purchased the 121-acre property from George Crawford and began transforming it from a working farm to a country estate. The Neubergers made a number of improvements to the property, such as barns, enhanced landscaping, and colonial revival additions and alterations to the main house.

In 1990, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders preserved the Neuberger property as county open space. The Equestrian Center is the first significant improvement to the recreation area.  Eventually, the large house and the stable will be incorporated into the long-term development of Sunnyside Recreation Area.

For more information on the Monmouth County Park System's 30 park and recreation areas, 6 golf courses, and over 4,000 recreation programs offered each year, call 732-842-4000, ext. 4256 or 4237.  To receive a copy of the Park System's Activity    Directory, call 732-842-4000, ext. 4313.

Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners