Giddy on up to volunteer with horses

By Dr. Beth Leermakers

Twenty years ago I followed my horse to Texas. Seriously. I moved to Dallas from Virginia specifically to train with Mike Huber, who’s a big name in the Three-Day-Eventing world. Today, I don’t own a horse. More than anything, I miss grooming, brushing and bathing my horse, getting dirtier and wetter than my 4-legged friend. 

If you, like I, don’t have the time (or money) for a horse of your own, you can still get your “horse fix” while making a difference in horses’ and people’s lives by volunteering. Here are a few possibilities in the North Texas area:

The SPCA in McKinney has horses in their adoption program and offers a “horse training and care” volunteer opportunity. Visit spca.org/volunteer for more information.

The Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) houses horses and livestock at their HSNT Ranch in Joshua. Equine/livestock volunteers must be at least 18 years old and have at least four years of hands-on progressive learning working with different levels of horses. This may be earned in several ways. For example: through performing ranch work, taking lessons/showing horses or volunteering at a riding facility. Volunteer activities may include grooming, bathing and feeding horses and elementary training of equine ground manners (tips will be provided). Volunteers may be asked to help with less glamorous tasks such as cleaning stalls and cleaning tack. Visit hsnt.org/equineapp/ for details and the application form. 

Throwaway Ponies, an equine rescue group in Farmersville that typically has more than 60 horses in their care, needs volunteers to feed the horses (and possibly provide other care; there aren’t many details on the website). This organization also needs help with fundraising events. The average horse costs $100 per month — just for basic care. 

Visit throwawayponies.org/volunteer or email Lisa Harris, volunteer coordinator, at [email protected]. 

Paws for Reflection Ranch, an equine and other animal-assisted therapy organization in Midlothian, needs therapeutic riding volunteers to bring horses in from the pasture, groom and tack them up, and lead the horse or side-walk alongside the rider for safety during the lesson. Visit pawsforreflectionranch.org/volunteer.html. 

Equest, an organization that offers equine-assisted therapy and activities, welcomes volunteers at their facility at the Texas Horse Park in South Dallas. Volunteers help during the lessons (leading horses or side-walking) or take care of the horses in the barn. Equest also needs people to fix things, help with events and do office/clerical work, so there’s a role for everyone. Visit equest.org/volunteer to complete an application and sign up for training. 

If you prefer a short-term activity, instead of an ongoing commitment, sign up to help at the Special Olympics North Texas 2020 Equestrian Competition on March 29. Visit sotx.org/become-a-volunteer to get started. 

Check out volunteermatch.org for other equine volunteer opportunities. Read the descriptions carefully. I found one listing for an organization that needs people to do manual labor around the farm. That’s terrific for some people, but it’s not what I’m looking for. I want to get my hands dirty by brushing a horse — not repairing a fence.