Volunteers age 16 and up are eligible to serve as Sidewalkers and Leaders in lessons. Volunteers in these roles must be able to serve independent of their parents and demonstrate maturity and effective communication skills.

Volunteering safely in our riding programs and the barn requires physical strength and endurance, balance, ability to make mature and quick decisions, ability to bend, twist, lift, hear, and run on uneven surfaces. Volunteers must be able to communicate with our Instructors and participants to support lesson goals and ensure the safety of the participant. Feeder and Stable Hand volunteers must be able to lift 50 lbs.

If you are a current rider at our facility, you are not eligible to volunteer.

Our riders and horses have the best outcomes when consistent volunteers commit to one lesson per week for the same rider for a sixteen week session of lessons. Saddle Up! gives scheduling preference to long term volunteers who can meet this commitment.

The primary responsibility of a Sidewalker is to ensure the safety of the rider. It’s also the volunteer role that is the most interactive with our special children. Saddle Up! tries to provide as independent an experience as possible for each rider. Sidewalkers are assigned based on what each rider needs. Some riders have no sidewalker, most riders have one and a few riders need two. This role includes helping the rider get their horse ready, get on the horse, and learn to ride. Sidewalkers must be at least 16 years old and able to walk briskly beside a horse for an average of 30 minutes.

New volunteer training required.

Leaders are the volunteers who are assigned a horse in a riding lesson. They need to arrive ahead of time and make sure to have the horse and its tack ready. They are responsible for the horse throughout the lesson and should make sure the horse and equipment are put away before leaving. Leaders must be able to walk at a fast pace for 30 minutes and jog intermittently during the lesson. Leaders must be at least 16 years old, have previous horse experience, and should be very comfortable handling horses. Training required includes the New Volunteer Training and the Leader Training class.

A Pony Pal must complete New Volunteer Training, Leader Training, and pass a riding evaluation by the Equine Coordinator. Prior horse experience is essential, as a Pony Pal’s skill level must be at or above the level of the horse’s training. A Pony Pal must:

• Have been an active volunteer at Saddle Up! for a minimum of 3 months
• Must be willing to make a regular commitment to service in the program, i.e. Lessons, Feed shifts, Stable Hand shifts, etc.
• Must have previous horse experience and are able to pass an equine skills and riding test under the Equine Coordinator
• Upon becoming a Pony Pal, you must be able to commit to a weekly Pony Pal schedule for a duration of at least 3 months
• Must follow a conditioning plan provided by the Equine Coordinator and provide conditioning notes on every session
• If you are not able to attend your scheduled slot, you must let the Equine Operations Director know ASAP.

It is beneficial for the horse, and in turn for our riders, to have people assigned to each horse that can deliver consistent attention and conditioning. Each Pony Pal must follow the Conditioning Plan provided by the Saddle Up! Equine Coordinator, as well as the organization’s Rules and Best Practice procedures for handling the Saddle Up! horses. You will report directly to the Equine Coordinator about your horse’s progress and needs. You must be able to make a weekly commitment to your assigned horse and take good, detailed notes.

The Development Director needs volunteers with skills and knowledge in the areas of planning and coordinating fundraising efforts that will expand the donor base and generate funds needed to ensure the future of our program.