Volunteers are the heart of The Right Step, Inc.

Group of six young women volunteers on a pony in an outdoor riding arena on a sunny day.
A woman in a pink volunteer t-shirt talking to a tan horse with sunglasses on its head.
A client is sitting on a brown horse wearing a pink helmet, while a volunteer stands nearby, smiling and dressed in a red jacket and black gloves, inside an indoor riding arena.
A woman wearing a pink volunteer shirt pushing a person in a wheelchair down a gravel road.
Person hugging a tan horse in an outdoor enclosure with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.
A young girl riding a horse wearing a Santa hat and holding a ribbon, accompanied by a smiling woman holding the horse's lead, inside an indoor equestrian arena.
Two women and a decorated horse inside an indoor riding arena. The women wear unicorn headbands and TRS shirts, smiling at the camera.
A person wearing reindeer antlers and Christmas-themed accessories riding a horse inside an indoor riding arena, accompanied by three women.
A young girl wearing a blue helmet riding a horse decorated with a lei and sunglasses inside an indoor riding arena. Two women in pink shirts and floral leis are helping and guiding the horse, while a person on the right extends their arm towards the
A young girl riding a TRS Unicorn Horse Show, with three volunteers standing next to her. The women are wearing unicorn headbands and sunglasses, and the girl is smiling with a helmet on.

Every lesson — whether mounted or on the ground — is powered by people who give their time, patience, and compassion to help our clients succeed. From assisting during lessons to caring for our herd, volunteers make it possible for our program to thrive.

No horse experience is required — just a willingness to learn, work as a team, and support our riders with kindness and respect.

Volunteer Roles

Volunteers support the program in several essential ways:

Side Walkers

Walk alongside riders during mounted lessons, helping ensure balance, safety, and encouragement.

Perfect for: caring, attentive volunteers with good communication skills.

Ground-Based Horse Leaders

Assist with unmounted activities, ground-based horsemanship lessons like the Connections Program, and sensory-friendly interactions.

Perfect for: volunteers who enjoy teaching, patience, and creative learning environments.

Lesson Horse Leaders

Guide the horse during lessons and maintain safe spacing in the arena.

Perfect for: volunteers with horse experience or those eager to learn through our training.

Daily Horse Care

Help with feeding horses, cleaning stalls, and maintaining the barn.

Perfect for: anyone who enjoys being hands-on and wants to help behind the scenes.

Event & Administrative Helpers

Support special events, fundraisers, social media, photography, and organizational tasks.

Perfect for: volunteers who prefer non-barn roles or have skills in marketing, tech, or organization.

FAQs

  • Anyone! Volunteers must be at least 16 years or older to participate as Side Walkers or Horse Leaders in lessons. Teens ages 14–15 are welcome to help with barn tasks outside the arena, as long as they are paired with a trained adult volunteer for supervision.

  • Nope! Many of our incredible volunteers had never touched a horse before joining us. We provide hands-on training, guidance from instructors, and ongoing support.

  • We ask our volunteers commit to two 1-2 hour shifts per month. Consistency is important for lesson safety and for building trust with our riders and horses. We also offer occasional one-day opportunities for barn cleanup days, Barn Events, and fundraisers.

  • Shifts typically align with our lesson schedule, which includes weekdays, weeknights, and weekends. Availability varies seasonally.

  • Scroll down this page and complete the short application. Our team will follow up with orientation dates, scheduling, and next steps.

  • All new volunteers begin with an Orientation and Side Walker Training, where you’ll receive a barn tour, learn about our programs, and review important safety procedures around horses and participants. During this training, volunteers are introduced to the role of a Side Walker and how to safely support participants during mounted lessons.

    Volunteers can also attend additional trainings to build their skills and confidence in the barn. Feeding and Mucking Training introduces volunteers to daily barn routines such as feeding schedules, water buckets, stall cleaning, and general horse care.

    Horse Leader Training is available for those interested in working more directly with the horses during lessons.

    Training sessions are offered throughout the week and on weekends to accommodate a variety of schedules. Volunteers can progress at their own pace, and our instructors and experienced volunteers are always available to provide guidance and support. Check out the Calendar and Events for the next training.

  • Volunteers should wear closed-toe shoes when working around the horses. Boots are preferred, but sturdy tennis shoes are acceptable. We recommend comfortable long pants, weather-appropriate layers, and clothing that you don’t mind getting a little dusty. TRS operates in both an indoor and outdoor arena, so volunteers may spend time inside, outside, or moving between both depending on the lesson and weather.

    You may also want to bring a water bottle, hat or sunscreen for sunny days, and gloves if you prefer them when working in the barn. Long hair should be tied back, and we recommend avoiding loose jewelry around horses and clients.

    For safety, sandals and open-toe shoes are not permitted volunteering in the barn. During lessons, we also ask volunteers to wear comfortable, modest attire (no tank tops) to help maintain a professional environment for our participants and families.

  • Nope! Many of our incredible volunteers had never touched a horse before joining us. We provide hands-on training, guidance from instructors, and ongoing support.

  • Yes — many volunteers join us to complete service hours. We’re happy to sign forms or provide documentation.

  • Absolutely. We offer behind-the-scenes roles in Barn Events, fundraisers, administrative projects, photography, and more. Just tell us your interest and experience!

  • Volunteers can purchase TRS apparel and swag through our online store. Items such as shirts, hats, and other gear help show your support for us both at the barn and in the community. Shop the swag here.

Meet Our Volunteers

  • A woman in a pink shirt and pink cap standing with a chestnut horse in a stable, holding the horse's lead rope.

    "I knew zilch about horses when I first showed up. But with thanks to our amazing instructors and volunteers, I’ve leveled up to being a Horse Leader. Horses are great life coaches. And get this, my confidence has skyrocketed!"

    — Ruthie

  • An elderly woman with white hair smiling and holding a chestnut horse with a white blaze on its face inside a stable.

    "I love donating my time, energy and support to TRS; to help clients feel loved, a sense of belonging, increase self-esteem, feeling valued, listened to and feeling worthy."

    — Annie

  • A person standing next to a brown horse with a blue halter in an outdoor riding arena, with trees displaying fall foliage in the background.

    "I feel a genuine warmth from the community I’ve met at TRS–other friendly and helpful volunteers who answer all my questions, help me with big and little things, and care deeply about horses and the clients."

    — Melissa

  • A woman standing outdoors next to a brown and white horse, holding the horse's lead rope, with a background of a fenced outdoor area and trees.

    "Volunteering is such an amazing break from the fast paced world we live in. Not only helping clients but being a steady presence in the horses lives is also a very rewarding part of volunteering with TRS."

    — Rachel

  • A man standing next to a light brown horse outdoors at a riding arena, holding the horse's reins, on a sunny day with blue skies and some clouds.

    "TRS has made me more empathetic and open to new experiences. I have learned to appreciate the small victories and miracles in each day. "

    — Tom

  • Two women at an indoor equestrian facility, one is sitting on a chestnut horse with a blue halter, and the other is standing next to the horse, smiling and wearing a maroon jacket and black gloves.

    "It's hard to understand the impact, unless you’re in the barn seeing the connection between the horses and the clients in real time. TRS has so much dedication to everyone from the horses, to the clients and the volunteers."

    — Payton

New Volunteer Application

Ready to join our volunteer team? Complete the form below, and we’ll follow up with orientation and training details to get you started.