Volunteer at Saddle Up!
Whether you are a lifelong horse lover, a student logging community service hours, or someone looking for a deeply rewarding way to give back — volunteering at Saddle Up! will change you as much as it changes the children you serve.
Find Your Place Here
No two volunteers are alike, and no two shifts are the same. Whether you thrive in the energy of an arena full of kids and horses, prefer the quiet rhythm of early-morning barn chores, or want to put your event-planning skills to work — there is a role at Saddle Up! built for you.
Our volunteers tell us they come for the kids and stay for the horses — and then realize the whole community became their family. When you commit to a weekly lesson slot for a full sixteen-week session, you get to watch real progress unfold week by week. That consistency matters to you just as much as it does to the program.
Opportunities marked with (*) require additional training beyond the standard New Volunteer Training.
New Volunteers
Ready to get started? This summer looks a little different at Saddle Up! — construction at our farm means our regular riding lessons are on pause, but there are two hands-on ways for new volunteers to get involved right now and become part of the community before lessons resume in the fall.
Fun on the Farm (FOTF) Summer Programming
If you love working directly with kids and want a week you will talk about for years, Fun on the Farm is for you. You will spend your days alongside our credentialed staff supporting campers ages 6–19 through music, art, recreation, and up-close equine experiences — all set on our 34-acre farm.
Sessions run June 8 – August 7 (no programming June 29). You commit to a full week — either the morning shift (8:30am–12:30pm) or afternoon shift (12:30–4:30pm) — and walk away with memories, a new crew of like-minded people, and a deep sense of what this place is all about.
Stablehand (Barn Assistance / Herd Care)
If horses are your thing, this is where you want to be. As a Stablehand, you will learn the rhythms of a working therapeutic barn — feeding, handling, and caring for our 28 therapy horses under the guidance of experienced staff. It is hands-on, grounding work, and the horses will become as familiar to you as old friends.
You will start with a Stablehand training focused on basic horse handling, then jump right into early morning (7–10am) or late afternoon (4–6pm) shifts. Teens ages 12–15 are welcome when accompanied by a trained parent or guardian — a great way to volunteer as a family.
Volunteer Roles
Opportunities marked with (*) require additional training. All lesson volunteer roles require age 16+.
Sidewalker
As a Sidewalker, you are the closest person to the rider during the lesson — walking right beside the horse, ready to support and encourage. It is the most personal, face-to-face role we have, and volunteers who do it often say it is the highlight of their week. You need to be 16+ and able to walk briskly for about 30 minutes.
New volunteer training required
Learn more about Sidewalking*Leader
If you have horse experience and want a deeper connection with our herd, becoming a Leader puts you in charge of one horse for the entire lesson. You will arrive early to tack up, guide the horse through the arena, and wind down afterward. It is a role that rewards knowledge, calm energy, and horse sense.
New Volunteer Training + Leader Training required
*Pony Pal
Pony Pals are our most experienced horse volunteers — you earn this role after at least three months of active service, a riding evaluation, and an equine skills test. You will be paired with a specific horse each week, tracking their conditioning and wellbeing over time. It is a meaningful, ongoing partnership.
Riding evaluation + 3 months volunteer experience required
Stablehand
Barn life suits people who like purposeful, physical work and do not mind getting their hands dirty. You will learn the routines of our 28-horse herd, starting with feeding shifts and building your skills over time. Early birds and afternoon people are both welcome — shifts run 7–10am and 4–6pm.
Must be able to lift 50 lbs
Fun on the Farm
This is summer camp energy at its best. For one week at a time, you will help run activities — art, music, recreation, horse encounters — for kids who light up the moment they arrive. Pick a morning or afternoon shift and commit to the full week. You will leave exhausted in the best possible way.
Summer only • Week-long commitment • Age 16+
Fundraising Support
If your talents run more toward spreadsheets and event logistics than horse handling, we need you too. Our development team welcomes volunteers who can help plan, coordinate, and execute fundraising efforts that keep this program growing. Bring your professional skills to something that truly matters.
Event planning or development skills helpful
Are You a Good Fit?
Volunteering in our arena and barn is active, physical work — and that is part of what makes it so satisfying. You will be on your feet, moving with purpose, and thinking on your feet. Here is what you need to be ready for:
- •Able to bend, twist, lift, hear, and run on uneven surfaces
- •Able to walk briskly and jog intermittently for 30+ minutes
- •Feeder and Stablehand volunteers must be able to lift 50 lbs
- •Age 16+ for lesson roles; ages 12–15 eligible for barn work with a trained parent/guardian
- •Must demonstrate maturity and effective communication skills
- •Current riders at the facility are not eligible to volunteer
Your Next Chapter Starts Here
Sign up for volunteer training and step into something you will carry with you long after you leave the farm. Our volunteers do not just give time — they gain a community, a purpose, and a connection to something much bigger than themselves.
Summer 2026
New Volunteer Training Interest
Tell us a little about yourself and what you are hoping to do. We will follow up with everything you need to get started — no experience necessary, just enthusiasm.
Already One of Us?
Everything you need to manage your schedule, stay current on paperwork, and never miss a beat.
Wranglr Scheduling
Sign up for lessons, manage your schedule, and access training resources through Wranglr — our volunteer scheduling platform.
Handy Links
Essential resources for active Saddle Up! volunteers — your manual, release form, and program calendar all in one place.
Notify Us of an Absence
If you are going to miss a lesson, please email us with the participant's name and the date and time of the absence. If it is less than 2 hours' notice, you must also call the lesson hotline and leave a message.
Important: If notifying us less than 2 hours before program time, you must both email [email protected] and call the lesson hotline at (615) 794-1150 x 290. Email alone is not sufficient for last-minute absences.
Volunteer Milestone Awards
These volunteers did not just show up — they kept showing up, season after season, year after year. Their commitment is the backbone of everything Saddle Up! has built, and we are proud to celebrate each and every one of them.
2,000+ Hours
- Justine Boland
- Emily Burn
- Adrienne Chase
- MaryBeth Chawan
- Starr Ellen Cruise
- Marshall Eakin
- Jill Franks
- Dave Glass
- Kiva Stack O'Keefe
- Katie Harris
- Tedd Kidd
- Julia Lambright
- Barbara Martin
- Alicia Pack
- Robin Phillips
- Laura Saul
- Martha Shults
- Steve Stamps
- Paul Tampien
- Susan Wade
- Kristy Williams
- Trent Wilson
1,500 Hours
- Susan Batson
- Sarah Chenevert
- Bart Harrison
- Marcia Hoover
- Marcia King
- Karen Lyons
- Marge Naughton
- Jayne OMera
- Bob Zeidner
1,000 Hours
- Rachel Brenner
- Michelle Gonzales
- Monika Junefelt
- Kim Kline
- Melissa Wallace
500 Hours
- Leigh Barnes
- Teresa Barry
- Michelle Beatty-Eakin
- Daryn Edwards
- Marty Foy
- Leslie Gillis
- Tina Mann
- Dana Marshall
- Christine McCann
- Marilyn Murray