A call for volunteers for our program located in Ponder

Pat Dellemann, Riding Unlimited

Riding Unlimited is a 501(c)(3) that teaches horsemanship to the disabled as a form of therapy. We are in need of volunteer support in many areas. The volunteer positions directly related to assisting the riders during their lesson are as a horse handler or a side walker. The horse handler will be in charge of the horse before, during, and after the riding lesson. They are asked to arrive about 45 minutes prior to the lesson time in order to allow time to bring the horse to the arena, groom and tack it, then warm it up by walking with a lead line. The volunteer will stay with the horse during the lesson as a safety element in the lesson, then after class return the tack to the tack room and turn the horse out. The side walker will provide either physical or verbal support depending on the rider’s ability. This volunteer is asked to be in the arena ten minutes prior to the start of the lesson in order to prepare for the lesson and ask the instructor for any information pertaining to the horse and rider.

Other jobs we need help with are general maintenance, fundraising, and grant writing just to name a few. Anyone interested in learning about how to plug in is invited to attend our semi-annual volunteer training to be held on Saturday, August 24, from 9:00 a.m. to about noon. You can sign up by sending an email to [email protected] or calling the ranch at 940-479-2016.