Who can Volunteer?

We welcome able-bodied individuals who can commit regularly, even if it's just an hour a week. All volunteers must be at least 14 years old.

Beyond class assistance, we have many other volunteer opportunities too like event support and maintenance skills. Please contact our office for more information on how you can help.

Benefits of Volunteering

Many of our volunteers start with the intention of helping others, only to find the experience therapeutic for themselves as well. Witnessing participants grow physically, emotionally, and socially, and knowing you played a part in their development, is profoundly rewarding.

How to Apply

Click here to download the application. Fill out and sign all required documents, and then deliver your completed application by hand, email, fax, or post mail to our Wildwood location. All the details you need are on the first page of the application.

Consistency is key for our participants, so we ask for a minimum commitment of one hour a week for a six-week session. If you need service hours, please note that we cannot guarantee a specific number within a particular timeframe.

Once we receive and process your application, we’ll reach out to get you trained and scheduled. We communicate mainly through email, so add our address, info@eatherapy.org, to your contacts.

Volunteer Roles

Watch this video to learn more about volunteering for a therapeutic riding program.

Sidewalker

Every volunteer starts as a sidewalker, our most essential and needed position. Sidewalkers assist participants during activities, providing physical support and helping them stay focused and engaged. You must be able to walk for 30-45 minutes on uneven ground, have good listening skills, and be eager to learn.

Leader

After completing at least one six-week session as a sidewalker, you can train to become a leader. Leaders are responsible for the horse during lessons, ensuring the horse is warmed up properly and assisting with guiding, stopping, and starting the horse to support the rider’s learning. Leaders must be able to walk for 30-45 minutes on uneven ground, have good listening skills, and be willing to learn. All leaders attend a training session to ensure consistency in handling our therapy horses.

Maintenance

Our maintenance crew keeps our 25-acre property in top shape, helping with mowing, weed whacking, harrowing, tree trimming, fence repair, landscaping, and other tasks. Most maintenance work happens on weekday mornings and afternoons. The minimum age requirement is 16.

Barn Buddy

Barn Buddies handle the daily care of our horses, including lifting heavy bags of feed and water buckets, and cleaning stalls and paddocks. To become a Barn Buddy, you must first serve as a sidewalker for six weeks, lead in classes for another six weeks, and volunteer with us for at least six months. Eligibility is determined by our Wildwood office team.

Donate Skills

We always need help with special events and facility maintenance. If you can assist with event catering, landscaping, tiling, electrical work, concrete tasks, manual labor, fencing, plumbing, grant writing, painting, printing services, gardening, or office cleaning, we'd love to hear from you!

Join us and make a difference in the lives of our participants while enriching your own.

‍