Please complete this application form if you are interested in becoming an equine/livestock volunteer for the Humane Society of North Texas.
Note: All volunteers must have at least 4 years experience to start and be at least 18 years of age. Please read through the volunteer opportunity description for this specific department of HSNT.
Volunteers for HSNT Ranch, Joshua, TX – Description of Opportunities
Due to the structure of current ranch operations, interested volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and have at least 4 years of hands-on progressive learning working with different levels of horses. This may be earned in several ways, for example: through performing ranch work, taking lessons/showing horses, or volunteering at a riding facility. If you do not have that level of both confidence and experience (at least an advanced/intermediate level), please consider us again in the future.
You should be capable and confident handling horses and donkeys that often do not have excellent ground manners and who are kept in a herd setting. Volunteers will not handle any aggressive animals. We work with a variety of equines of all different levels of training and unknown histories; therefore, volunteering hands on at the HSNT ranch with equines comes with additional risks not associated with other opportunities. In order to ensure safety for all, we can only accept those at the horsemanship level described. Please note that riding may only be offered as an option as an advanced volunteer opportunity after assessing each individual volunteer’s equine abilities.
Routine opportunities requested of volunteers may include (and can be tailored to each volunteer’s experience level):
•Grooming
•Bathing
•Barn, property, and pasture upkeep (organizing/cleaning/minor repairs)
•Mending fences
•Cleaning stalls and equipment/tools
•Cleaning tack
•Feeding
•Elementary training of equine ground manners (tips will be provided)
•Assisting in loading animals in trailers
•Riding (as an advanced opportunity only as approved by the equine director)
•Administrative tasks – data entry, uploading photos, categorizing paperwork, etc.
Note that all opportunities are outdoors or in an open-air barn without climate control. Rubber muck boots and work boots are required. Hats, sunscreen are recommended. It is very windy at the ranch - sunglasses are strongly encouraged. Restroom facilities are available in the form of a port-a-potty. Running water is available but not considered for human consumption; volunteers should bring their own reusable water bottles with enough hydration for their shift. Volunteers are expected to take home any recyclable items they may bring (such as Gatorade bottles) for proper recycling. A refrigerator is available.
Shifts are preferred in 2 hour blocks from 9:00-4:00. The ranch is a 33 acre property with only 4 staff working at a quick pace. Volunteers may be operating under limited supervision. A high level of initiative and sound judgment is expected and must be observed from volunteers.
Outcome: Volunteers will be able to further their equine experience in a rescue setting while contributing to enhancement of animal welfare and care. Providing one-on-one attention to these animals improves adopt-ability by increasing their level of personal care and training. Plus, you get your horse fix without having to pay board or vet bills!
How to get involved:
-Apply to HSNT’s equine/livestock ranch volunteer program
-Director will set up ranch orientation
-Volunteers should commit to at least 2 shifts/month
-One-time event volunteers do not need to go through ranch volunteer application procedures
Once you complete the form, click the Continue button at the bottom.
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