Angelina de Bruijn of Mane Course: An Out- of-the-Box Thinker
Meet the Teen Behind Mane Course: Turning Homemade Horse Cookie Kits into a Growing Business
For many young riders, baking treats for their horses is a fun hobby. For equestrian Angelina de Bruijn, it became the inspiration for a business. I spoke with Angelina to discuss her company, Mane Course, a unique brand that allows horse lovers to create and decorate their own horse-friendly cookies at home through her customizable treat kits.
Ames Chang: I am so excited to be talking with you today about Mane Course. My horses and I are so obsessed with your cookies, and the kits are so fun to make. I made the watermelons for my horse, Aruba, and the heart cookies for my horse, Charlie. They both loved them. So I’m dying to know, what inspired you to start your own horse treat company?
Angelina de Bruijn: When I was in fourth grade, my friends and I would always get together and ride our ponies. We called it a pony party, and I would always make treats for the ponies. Everyone loved them, so I thought, why not make this something that more people can enjoy? And that’s how it started.
AC: What was the first cookie that you ever designed?
AB: Pony pies. The horses love them.
AC: Did you have success with your very first recipe? Or did you have to refine the recipe multiple times before you took it to market?
AB: It was decent at first, but we definitely had to refine some things as all the ingredients needed to be shipped, so we needed to make sure that they wouldn’t perish on their way there. We also needed to make sure that it was possible to scale it, so we made sure that the ingredients weren’t super hard to find or expensive. So, it did take some refining.
AC: As your business has grown, do you find that most of your new customers come through word of mouth, social media, or do you do specific advertising beyond social media?
AB: We sell on Etsy a lot, and I think that’s where most of the customers come from. Word of mouth as well.
AC: Now that your cookie kits have been out in the world for about five years, which cookie kit is your bestseller, and which one is your personal favorite?
AB: I would say the watermelon cookies and the summer-themed ones are definitely most popular. My personal favorite is probably the lemon drop cookies. I think that they turn out so well.
AC: Are you ever inspired by customers’ requests? For example, if I were to write in to you and say, “I would love to see a Sephora themed cookie kit,” would you take that into consideration?
AB: Yes, definitely! I haven’t had any requests like that so far, but I would definitely be open to inspiration.
AC: That was a subtle request for a Sephora kit! Do you ever do custom cookie commissions?
AB: We did a custom cookie commission once for a local horse show near me. The show had an end of year banquet, and we made giveaway kits for them. It was in December, so we made the cookies winter themed.
“The pony that I have now, Kingsley, I got him when he was four years old, when I was in fifth grade, and I’ve trained him ever since then. I’m still riding and competing with him today.”
AC: You are a sophomore in high school, but have a more jam-packed schedule than most adults. How do you balance riding, school, and owning a business?
AB: It’s definitely been really hard balancing all of that, especially this year going into sophomore year, which is a lot harder than freshman year. And I do have to say that the business took a bit of a backseat these past few months, but I’m really excited to start pushing it forward. I want to post more on Instagram and bring it forward this summer when I have more time!
AC: You are also an accomplished equestrian. I’d love to know how you got into riding.
AB: I had always wanted a unicorn or horse-themed birthday party, and when I was 6 years old, my parents surprised me and got a little pony to come in my front yard for my friends and me. Ever since then, that’s all I’ve wanted to do. And the pony that I have now, Kingsley, I got him when he was 4 years old, when I was in fifth grade, and I’ve trained him ever since then. I’m still riding and competing with him today.
AC: What is your favorite horse show you’ve been to and why?
AB: So I was doing the hunters and the equitation with Kingsley for a long time, and this past year I switched to eventing, so that has definitely been really enjoyable for both me and him because he enjoys that so much I think. Yesterday, we had a pretty great show actually in Essex County in Pennsylvania. I also really like HITS Saugerties.
AC: I’ve enjoyed talking to you so much, I’m wondering what your future goals are both in riding and for Mane Course?
AB: For riding, I definitely want to continue riding and eventing. I don’t want to go pro with riding or do the NCAA. I think that’s a lot of pressure, and I don’t do well under pressure like that, but I definitely want to continue riding as a hobby. And with Mane Course, seeing how much you’ve enjoyed it, I would really like to spread the word more so that everyone could enjoy it as much as you do.
AC: Ok, I’m just kidding, that wasn’t really the last question! Can we do some rapid-fire questions?
AB: Yeah!
AC: Bays or greys?
AB: Greys.
AC: Summer or winter?
AB: Summer.
AC: Instagram or TikTok?
AB: Instagram.
AC: Olivia Rodrigo or Sabrina Carpenter?
AB: Sabrina Carpenter.
AC: Hunters, Jumpers, Eventing, or Equitation?
AB: I would have to say eventing for that one!
AC: Which do you prefer: baking for horses or baking for humans?
AB: I have to go with humans. I love making cupcakes in particular, and my favorite part is the satisfaction of frosting them. Because horses can’t have dairy, you don’t get the same satisfaction if you are making horse treats because the frosting isn’t the same.
AC: Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. I had so much fun!
AB: Thank you so much. Me too!
Buy the kits here: https://www.manecourse.com/
Follow Mane Course on Instagram: @manecoursehorse
