VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers are vital to the program and without them we do not ride! We need volunteers to groom and tack horses, walk beside disabled riders with poor balance or lead horses. No previous experience with horses or disabilities is necessary – you will be taught everything you need to know. Anyone 14 years or older can volunteer.

Ride On requires that all volunteers participate in a basic training session to learn horse care, safety procedures and disability awareness. Volunteer training sessions are normally scheduled once a month and last approximately 3 hours. Prospective volunteers must sign up in advance for training sessions which are held at both the Chatsworth and Thousand Oaks locations.

Riding lessons are available for volunteers at a nominal fee and we also offer continuing education including topics such as general horse care and stable management.

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you are interested in volunteering for Ride On please come by and watch a few lessons. This will give you the chance to see exactly what is expected of our volunteers and if it is something you really want to get involved with! The next step is to sign up for a volunteer training session; in the meantime we will ‘buddy’ you up with an experienced Ride On volunteer. Please remember to dress comfortably, wear sturdy shoes (no open toes or open heels), a cap or sunglasses and be prepared to walk for up to an hour or two.

For continuity and training purposes we ask each volunteer to commit to a 1 to 4 hour time slot each week for the duration of our semester. We also expect our volunteers to call in plenty of time if they cannot make their regular time – we rely on our volunteers – without them we cannot ride! Please note that schedules are subject to change and we do not ride when it is raining, windy or very hot. Please call (818) 700-2971 or (805) 375-9078 to check our message during adverse weather conditions.

Volunteers also assist with special events such as the CALNET Horse Show, Special Olympics, Fundraisers and our Trailfest. We always need help with office work, special events, ranch work, gardening and newsletter production. We also need volunteers to help at the Hitching Post – our used tack and clothes outlet. Wherever your talents lie, there’s a place for you to help others at Ride On!

For volunteer enquiries for Thousand Oaks please e-mail sara@rideon.org and for volunteer enquiries for Chatsworth please e-mail pat@rideon.org