Volunteer

Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. Volunteering allows you to:

• Make new friends and strengthen existing relationships in a shared activity.

• Volunteering makes a difference and it feels good to help others and enact change.

• Volunteering increases self-confidence.

• Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy.

Volunteering at Mustangs To The Rescue allows you access to specialized training and keeps you up to date on rescue happenings.

Mustangs To The Rescue offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities; some require horse experience; many do not. All we need is your willingness to give yourself and your time.

The first step to becoming a Mustangs To The Rescue Crew Member is to contact us to attend a volunteer orientation and training. Orientations are typically 90 minutes in length and may be a one-on-one with a Senior Crew Member or in a group setting. Orientations are scheduled throughout the year, depending on demand.

We have many different options available for volunteers. Some volunteer opportunities require more training than others. For example, a Barn/Equine Crew Member must attend an orientation and shadow another Senior Crew Member before they begin work on their own. Other volunteer opportunities require less time commitment and training and are more flexible.

Mustangs To The Rescue is not a riding facility or stable; and Crew Members should not expect that they will be allowed to ride horses as part of our volunteer program. Most of the riding horses find homes quickly and those that have suffered abuse will need to be handled or retrained by professionals.

You can expect to help with chores such as manure management, weed control, feeding, watering, grooming, and handling horses. Other Mustangs To The Rescue volunteer duties can include office support, event staffing, first aid support, publicity, fundraising and anything else that helps our horses find a home.

Crew Members under 18 years of age must have written consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Crew Members under 18 years of age must have all parents or legal guardians sign liability waiver(s) on their behalf.

Crew Members 9-15 years of age and people with special needs must have an adult accompanying them at all times while on-site or during an event. The adult accompanying them also needs to have completed orientation and any subsequent training with their minor partner.

Students volunteering for service, earning credit hours for their school, must submit the school name and contact information before volunteering.

Your support is truly needed to care for our equine friends. They depend on Crew Members for their daily care and other Crew Members rely on your commitment. Please understand the time, duties and responsibilities involved in a crew member assignment before accepting it.

Once you finish orientation, we ask for a three month commitment. Ideally, we’d like you to sign up for the day of the week you can consistently come to help. Scheduling will be discussed further during orientation. This helps us to make sure pens are kept clean every day, which is critical to the care of the equines.

The horses don’t care that it’s a holiday or your mom’s birthday, so if you commit to a specific day, please be there or make arrangements for another qualified crew member to cover your tasks.

All Mustangs To The Rescue Crew Members must complete the orientation training unless the volunteer’s services are for a particular project and does not involve Mustangs To The Rescue’s program work or handling of animals. For example; if you volunteer to repair a broken gate, you do not need orientation training. Orientation training is a must for anyone wanting to help with chores, animal care or handling, public outreach or any event that involves Mustangs To The Rescue representation.

While some Crew Members, because of interests and time constraints, focus solely on helping with special events or community service projects, they are still expected to adhere to Mustangs To The Rescue’s policies.

All Crew Members working around the horses are required to complete a 90 minute orientation and training. Orientation and training can be held in one-on-one sessions or group setting, and are scheduled throughout the year, depending on demand.

Orientation and training is necessary to keep both crew members and animals safe. It is the time for crew members to learn our policies, procedures and programs, and determine how you can fit into our volunteer program.

Realize that all Mustangs To The Rescue rules and regulations are established for a reason. While you may not understand or agree with certain policies and procedures, these rules and regulations are meant to keep our volunteers and horses safe. As such, Crew members are expected to cooperate and comply with all policies and procedures.

Consider safety first, at all times. You must be aware of safe horse handling techniques, first aid kits, and fire extinguisher locations. You must understand and follow all emergency procedures.