Volunteering at a riding therapy place? People with experience!!??

Question

I have been looking into volunteering at a near by therapy riding place for kids and adults. I was wondering what kind of jobs and things I'd be doing?

The registration print out has a short list of things you either have interest in or experience in.

I checked side walking, horse handling, making posters, photography and mentoring new riders.

Under the list it says other talents you would like to share: I listed- Exercising horses, Grooming, Cleaning tack, Tacking up, Mucking out and Cooling down.

I am good with people and I have experience with kids that have cognitive and physical disabilities.

Is this good or what else do you think I could do at a therapy volunteer barn or what else should I expect?

Answer 1

I've been doing this about 3 years.  I have no idea what you would be doing but I can say how a day would go at my stables:

-Arrive, skip out boxes, groom, tack up for first lessons

-We then side help or tidy/muck out the boxes, level tack heap, sweep, clean tack etc

-In the lessons we have to collect the horse you're down on the list for, make sure they're tacked up with the correct equipment (some riders can't have saddles, have to have a sheepskin, coloured or bobbled reins etc)  We then have to get the horse to the correct lesson (several at one time)  You may also have one or two sidehelpers to help if you are leading depending on the rider.  In the lesson you may have an instructor, deputy instructor, physiotherepist (sometimes), leaders, sidehelpers etc.

- When all the lessons are finished we either turn out the small ponies or ride the larger horses to the field.

The thing about helping in a place like this is that it is very satisfying especially if you lead/ sidehelp with the rider regularly as you get to know them.  The people who run the centres are also very grateful and we have parties and BBQ's as a way of them saying thank you to us.  I would wait until you get to the barn to find out what you are doing. You sound as if you have quite a lot of experience which is great.  I also had a lot of experience with horses and people with disabilities when I started but most people won't so the people running the centre should be used to explaining everything to everyone.  I hope you have a great time doing this:)

Answer 2

Congrats for making the decision to volunteer its such an amazing program that has been created for people in need! Its especially great for us horse lovers to not only work with horses but to help people to.

Now its hard to say what exactly you would be doing because every barn needs help in different ways but I am guessing that if you have never done this before you will probably have the task of being a side walker.  There are normally 4 people to a therapy horse. Two side walkers on either side of the horse assisting the person on the horse, either helping them stay on or reassuring them. Then you will have someone lead the horse through the exercises and then you will have the actual therapist.

Now I know that if you would actually like to be part of the therapy program you normally need to have a degree in psychology or at least of proper training at one of the NARHA- Programs. Please check out http://www.narha.org/ for more information. It stands for the North American Riding for the Handicap Association.

What I would be expecting is a lot of smiles and lots of fun. I do want to warn you though sometimes its hard to work with some of the patients on the horses due to there disabilities. Please don't get discouraged, most of them absolutely love it.Best of luck!

Answer 3

i did that for my Sr project. what i did:

1. got horses from field

2.showed the kids how to brush em and then watch/help them clean the horses.

3. show the kids how to tack up the horses, then help them do it.

4. set up poles if they wanted to do troting poles, and helped with the lessons,i'd be assigned one child then help them, but at the same time we all ended up helping eachother and having tons of fun.

5. feed and water the horses, clean out the stalls

i'm sure the program you find will tell you what they need help with

Answer 4

Sounds like you have the perfect qualifications for this job.

I hope you get it as it will be a wonderful experience for you.

It is great that there are people like you that are prepared to give up their time to help the less fortunate.

I wish you all the best and good luck.