Discovery Riders cannot exist without volunteers. A team of one, two or three people is required next to each horse during therapy sessions. A lesson of five riders may require up to 15 volunteers. Imagine what it must feel like to be told every day about all the things you cannot do and then come to a place where there is something challenging and exciting you can do. As you help the student learn to ride under the instruction of our PATH Intl. certified instructors, you will also be helping them learn important life skills. Volunteers don’t just help in the lessons. Many volunteers enjoy working in the barn cleaning stalls and caring for the horses. Others enjoy helping in the office with filing and record keeping and fundraisers.
All volunteers are required to attend a 3-hour training before beginning.
No prior horse experience is required; therefore, all volunteers are setup with a mentor volunteer to start until they feel proficient in their role.
All volunteers that wish to assist in therapeutic riding classes must be at least 14 years old and be able to walk for an hour and do several short jogs.
Equine Assisted Lessons
Side-walkers
Work one-on-one with the student assisting in mounting, riding, activities, and dismounting
Horse Leader
Works with the horse to facilitate the movement, safety and control of the equine during the activities
Class Times- We are currently offering four 10-week sessions with time off in between the sessions. Most people schedule to work a 3-hour time blocks once a week. However, some volunteers do more hours or more than one day. Do what you can commit to. Classes are offered Monday – Thursday, and Saturday. Contact us for an application and schedule.
MISCELLANEOUS areas
Barn Help/Chores
Office help
Special Events/Fundraising
Ground Lessons
Mini Programs
These volunteer positions are scheduled with the Program Assistant. Most volunteers commit to an hour or 2 every week. Weekday, evening and weekends are available.
large volunteer groups
Sometimes we have large projects that, “many hands make light work of”. If your group is looking for a volunteer project please contact us to see if we fit your group needs.
Project Examples:
Fundraiser Set-up- Volunteers help set up tables, chairs and decorations for our fundraiser.
Work Day- Volunteers spend the day helping to clean our saddles bridles, and facilities (knocking down cob webs, scrubbing water toughs and cleaning windows in our 15-stall barn.)
“Volunteers don’t necessarily have more time, they just have the heart! ”
Volunteers are the backbone of our programs. They are dedicated people from all walks of life who team up to give people with special needs the opportunity to experience horses and make an incredible difference in their lives. We need volunteers from various expertise and experiences which are valuable to our riders and our organization.
Learning to ride a horse can be a lot of fun – so much fun that the participant sometimes doesn’t notice all the other things he or she is learning at the same time. Equine-assisted activities involve using the movement of the horse as a tool to help with a variety of disorders including; cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and more recently, attention deficit and autism spectrum disorders. The natural movement of the horse improves general muscle and joint movement for the rider. The rider also gets a chance to experience a special connection between themselves and the animal.
