We are so glad you want to volunteer here!

As a volunteer at Cheyne Ranch, your positive influence of safety, kindness and learning is essential to creating a place our visitors and volunteers will thrive!

  • Usually, our volunteers are our students, who keep growing up! And once they are about 12, 13, 14, 15-ish, they start volunteering here!

  • Volunteers need about 100 hours of experience (usually) before they are ready to be on their own and that is A LOT of time that we invest in our volunteers.

  • Most students have completed the following HorseSense Learning Levels UNmounted to become a volunteer:

    • Red - helps them be SAFE at the barn

    • Yellow - they become HELPFUL at the barn

    • Green - they are RESPONSIBLE for increased animal care at the barn

There are some GREAT reasons to volunteer with us!

  • Gain valuable work experience with animals, people, special needs, nonprofit business, small business, horses, outdoor work, hard work

  • Earn Bright Futures Credit

  • ALL of our paid workers started out as volunteers

There is a LOT of personal responsibility that comes with being a volunteer here. Some of the important things to keep in mind include:

  • This is a nonprofit business with a mission to help ALL people access the joy these animals bring

    • you will be a model of good animal care and SAFE animal care

    • you will be a model of treating others with kindness, acceptance, and helping make this environment as inclusive as possible.

  • Animals need feeding, cleaning, exercising 365 days a year!

    • your volunteer shift is IMPORTANT! we rely on your help - please try your hardest to show up for every one of your scheduled shifts.

  • The work we do is in ALL weather, ALL temperatures, ALL conditions:

    • You will need a decent pair of work boots / hiking type boots. We may have some charity options who might assist with the purchase of these boots if needed. More about the dress code is here

    • We do not complain about the heat, rain, cold, etc. We can certainly comment and talk about the weather, just not complian. Our guests are here! The animals live outside all the time! Complaining can’t change the weather, so we don’t dwell in the unhelpful space of complaining.

  • You are the person who MUST know when to get a drink, take a break, or get a snack. You are ALWAYS welcome to rest, drink, snack. I might forget to remind you - to keep healthy it must be your responsibility to rest, drink, eat.

  • We do not offer volunteering in exchange for horseback riding. There might be a rare exception - but it would be 5 or more volunteer hours for every 1 hour lesson.

Any questions? You are welcome to email or text me.

Ready to complete a quick form?

Thank you for considering volunteering at Cheyne Ranch!