Volunteering at PRANCE is a great way to support your community while making new friends, improving your fitness and experiencing the joy of horses first-hand! We greatly rely on our volunteer work force and are incredibly grateful for their hard work and contributions. Consider giving a few hours of your time each week and help with a therapeutic riding class for a ten-week session or sign up to help with our summer horse camps! This is a great way for students to get their volunteer hours in and for those looking to enhance their resume with volunteer work!  Therapeutic riding volunteer roles include: leading a horse, side walking beside a horse, grooming before and after riding, and helping prepare a horse for riding. No horse experience is required!

Camp volunteer roles include all of the above as well as: supervising children, helping with arts & crafts, preparing snacks, general cleanup, etc. PRANCE loves having high school students help out. This is a great way to complete your volunteer hours and earn a letter of reference.

Fundraising volunteers support fundraising activities throughout the year. This may include helping at the Southampton Craft Show, the annual Golf Tournament or one of our many other events such as our PRANCE open houses.  We rely heavily on fund-raising and donations and welcome new ideas and energy at all times!  Please contact us if you are interested in helping us and we look forward to meeting you!

Our horses love carrots! They enjoy getting a treat from their special rider after they’ve worked together in a session. If you see carrots on sale or would be willing to donate a large bag of “horse carrots” our equine team would be most grateful!

Time Involved:

One morning, afternoon or evening per week. This is a 2 hour commitment once a week for ten weeks. Our instructors rely greatly on regular weekly participation of volunteers to provide a quality program in a safe environment. In fact – we simply cannot do it without you! Each rider may require up to three volunteers per session and we count on public support.

Responsibilities:

• To assist people with disabilities in our therapeutic horseback riding program.
• To help prepare horses for class, assisting with the grooming and tacking up (saddle, bridle or special equipment). New volunteers will be assisted by an experienced volunteer.
• Once the horses are ready, the volunteers act as either horse leaders or side walkers.
• Horse leaders are responsible for the horse in the class.
• Side walkers are responsible for the rider and walk along side the horse to offer rider support when needed.
• After classes, volunteers take the horses back to the barn, untack and put the horses in their stalls or paddocks, tidy up the barn, tack room, etc.
• Perform miscellaneous tasks as needed.

Requirements:

• A respect of horses; a liking for people; comfortable helping people with disabilities; generally good physical condition (there is some running involved in some, but not all classes).
• Willingness to learn and follow PRANCE safety procedures.
• Willingness to attend continuing volunteer education opportunities.
• Vulnerable Sector Police Check 

Clothing:

• Comfortable casual clothing. Since the arena is not heated in the cool months, layers of clothing should be worn. If your hands are sensitive, bring a pair of gloves. Comfortable walking shoes or preferably boots that provide foot protection are essential.
• The following articles cannot be worn for safety and health reasons: open-toed shoes or sandals, tank tops or sleeveless tops, cut off jeans or shorts, dangling jewelry or perfumes and colognes. It is strongly suggested that rings be discouraged.

Volunteers

We are always eager to have new volunteers join our seasoned dedicated team already helping out our therapeutic riders in each lesson. These volunteers make all the programs possible.

Without their constant dedication we wouldn’t be able to help so many people.

Remember too that students may earn their volunteer hours for community service here at PRANCE!

If you are interested in volunteering – please contact us at prance@bmts.com or call Ann Marie at 519-832-2522 to discuss and arrange to come by for a tour to learn more!

Thank you so much to all of our wonderful volunteers!