SOUTHERN STARRS, INC.

Volunteer Job Descriptions

 

NOTE: Although some positions are noted to have preferable experience, training is provided for all interested volunteers and lack of experience is not exclusive.

 

Working during sessions:

 

1. Leader - Responsible for maintaining control of horse during riding sessions and following directions of riding instructor.  Also assists in saddling and unsaddling assigned horses, and grooming. (Experience with horses a definite advantage.)

2. Side Walker - Assists assigned student to mount and dismount for riding session.  Walks beside horse during sessions to monitor or help support student while he/she is mounted.  Helps rider maintain balance.  Instrumental in student's safe removal from horse if an emergency dismount is necessary.  (Extremely responsible position - volunteer must be in reasonably good physical condition.)

3. Ring Assistant - Helps set up games and equipment before or during riding session.  Assists Riding Instructor in conducting exercises or games for students during sessions.  Helps to dismantle and put up equipment after session.

 

Working off session:

 

1. Horse care - volunteers with horse experience are needed to help trim manes/tails/whiskers on a monthly basis, to curry, brush, and pick hooves for each horse on a weekly basis and to assist with feeding and barn cleaning. 

2. Facility Maintenance Team - The Facility Manager will need help with trimming weeds, helping to pick up trash on facility grounds, and for those really ambitious volunteers, helping to repair or maintain fencing, stall boards, helping to spray for insects, clean feed bins, etc.   Also, periodic stacking of hay bales into loft, cleaning saddles, bridles, grooming equipment, repairing equipment used during sessions, and cleaning water tanks.  The Facility Manager will head up a team of volunteers each Saturday to complete these tasks. 

3. Special Projects:

A.     New fencing

B.     Raking and smoothing sand in ring periodically.

C.     Barn painting.

D.     Painting barrels used during sessions.

E.     (For experienced horse people) Working school horses during off-session time to help familiarize them with new game or course or to keep them from getting "ring sour."

F.      Clearing debris from pasture.

4. Special Events - The facility participates in special events either on-site or at the site of another organization-sponsored event.  These events are either to allow our students to participate in another program's activities or for fundraising and community education.  There is always a need for extra volunteers to help with these events.  If volunteers have friends or family members that would like to participate in a single event, they do not have to be regular program volunteers and are welcome.

5. Committee members - There are several committees that involve routine and weekly hours to keep things running for the program, such as maintaining a volunteer scheduling chart, maintaining student information or charting student progress, returning phone calls to interested students and volunteers, and small tasks such as gluing or sewing velcro on toys, cutting out and laminating pictures to be used in games, printing or writing out addresses to mail out newsletters, information, or mail-out fundraisers.  ETC. ETC. ETC.

 

OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE ADDED AS PROGRAM GROWS