Session Volunteers / Horse Riding Assistant

Dunedin Riding for the Disabled (DRDA)’s Riding Session Volunteers witness first-hand the transformative impact therapeutic interaction with horses make on rider’s lives.

Riding Session Volunteers become an integral part of the rider’s journey towards achieving personalised goals, meaningful participation in, and contribution to, important life activities and roles in the community. Whether it’s a child learning how to improve balance or an adult with mobility issues taking confident strides, change is not just in the rider. As a volunteer, you get to see and feel a change within yourself too as goals are reached and progress achieved. Volunteers are not merely spectators; they become an enabler and a catalyst for betterment in the lives of disabled people, or those with specific challenges or needs.

As a Riding Session Volunteer you will:

• help set up for the day’s lesson (tack/props etc).
• assist the riders with horse care/grooming.
• interact with the horses and riders during the session:
  • as a Leader you will control the horse as it moves through the day’s activities.
  • as a Side-walker you will assist riders with their balance whilst on the horse.
• untacking and putting the horses away for the day when the session(s) end.
• be supervised and guided by trained RDA coaches.
  Note: Session Volunteers are only required during school term time.

Training provided:

• Previous horse experience is not a pre-requisite for this satisfying volunteer role.
• All training is provided by the certified RDA Coach, with on-going training opportunities available.

The benefits of volunteering:

• The opportunity to learn new skills, have fun, positively impact riders and people in need within the community.
• The opportunity to develop an intimate relationship with a team of remarkable horses.
• The opportunity to socialise with other like-minded people.
• The satisfaction of helping DRDA to provide people with a disability or specific needs/challenges with the chance to develop confidence, independence, and wellbeing through the experience of therapeutic horse riding and horse care.
• The satisfaction that comes from becoming an enabler and a catalyst for betterment in the lives of disabled people, or those who have specific challenges or needs.

Requirements

• Physically fit and able to do leading and side-walking (can involve much walking over uneven ground).
• Committed and reliable.
• Eager to learn.
• Level-headed with a sense of fun.
• Be at least 14years of age.

Previous horse experience is not a requirement - all training is provided.

A Police background check is required for this role.

Time commitment

Ideally, volunteers choose the same day and time each week (only during the school terms):

• Tues, Thurs, Fri: 9.30am - 11.15am, or 11.00am - 1.15pm, or 9.30am -1.15pm
• Wed: 1.45pm - 4.15pm

Getting started

The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below. We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.

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In applying for this position I confirm that I have read the requirements of the position and believe I have the skills and attributes required to carry out this role safely and effectively.