Interested in Volunteering?

Without our dedicated Volunteers we wouldn’t have a therapeutic riding program!

We would love to have you join the HETRA team. To become a volunteer, you DO NOT need to have experience with horses or disability knowledge. All it takes is one volunteer training session, and you are on your way! Volunteer training dates are scheduled as more volunteers are needed.  To sign up for the next volunteer training click here!  We will contact you with the upcoming training dates.  **All New Volunteers Must Be 12 Years Of Age Or Over**

HETRA is always looking for dedicated and motivated individuals to become part of the HETRA team. All new volunteers need to attend the volunteer training session and complete the proper volunteer paperwork prior to assisting with sessions. At this training session volunteers will be assigned to duties that match their skill and comfort level including sidewalking and equipment/toy assistant.

In order to keep our sessions as controlled as possible HETRA tries to create a leader and two sidewalker team for each student. It is very important to the progress of the student that this team stay consistent. Therefore we ask that our volunteers commit to at least one 2-3 hour time slot per week for an 12 week course (please refer to the events page for when courses start and end). We understand that not everyone can make this type of commitment. If you would still like to volunteer but can’t come every week we encourage you to put your name on our substitute list.

Ready to get started?

1. Click here to sign up for a training & fill out the volunteer paperwork, or if you prefer to print out the form and bring it with you to the training click here.
2. Click here to print off the volunteer handbook to bring with you to the training.

Volunteer Job Descriptions

Equipment/Toy Assistant*: This volunteer is between the ages of 12 & 14. The Equipment Assistant is responsible for assisting the instructor with retrieving equipment that may be needed in the arena. They also assist with many of the games and activities that the students participate in. All equipment/toy assistants must attend the volunteer training session.

Sidewalker*: This person walks next to the rider and assists the rider with balance and exercises. The sidewalker must go through the volunteer training session. All Sidewalkers must be at least 14 years of age.

Schedule Keeper*: Responsible for keeping sessions on schedule. Marking down when students mount and dismount, and making sure everyone is doing their assigned task. Schedule keepers must go through the volunteer training session.  All Schedule Keepers must be at least 14 years of age.

Grooming/Tacking*: These volunteers are responsible for assisting the Barn Leader in grooming and completing tack changes on the horse, and helping with general barn clean up such as tack cleaning and stall cleaning. Those interested in becoming a Groomer/Tacker must have volunteered a minimum of 16 hours as a sidewalker or Equipment/Toy Assistant before attending the grooming & tacking skill training, and must pass a proficiency test prior to participation as a groomer/tacker.

Horse Leader*: This person is responsible for leading the horse during the session. All horse leaders must have volunteered for a minimum of 16 hours and have successfully passed the grooming & tacking skill training before going through a horse leader skill training and must pass a proficiency test prior to participation as a horse leader. All horse leaders must be at least 14 years of age.

Barn Leader*: Responsible for all activities in the barn area including (barn leaders are individually selected by the HETRA instructors and staff, after becoming proficient as a groomer and a horse leader):

• Bringing horses in and out of the pens.
• Working with the groomers and tackers to get the horses in the barn, groomed and tacked with the appropriate tack prior to the next lesson.
• Doing a final tack check before the horse is taken out to the arena.
• Making sure stalls are cleaned and bedded appropriately.
• At the end of the night making sure horses are being put away correctly, all tack is put away correctly and the barn is clean and ready for sessions the next day.

Volunteer/Fundraising Committee: These committees meet one time per month and are responsible for the fundraising and volunteer recognition & recruitment for the organization.

Administrative Assistants: These volunteers help with the general administrative duties of the organization including helping with filing, typing, newsletter, and mailings.

Special Events: These individuals help with special events including set up and clean up and provide support prior to the event with advertising, soliciting, silent auction or raffle items and set up at event location. They also assist during the event and clean up with the event concludes.

*These volunteer positions require the participant to complete the appropriate training sessions prior to their participation. Volunteers must be at least 12 years of age to be a HETRA Volunteer. Leaders and Side walkers must be at least 14 years of age and demonstrate appropriate maturity and decision making ability.

Days and times that sessions are conducted:

Valley Barn: Monday-Thursday late afternoons and evenings, Saturday mornings, & Sunday Afternoons

Omaha Barn: Monday-Thursday late afternoons and evenings, Saturday mornings, & Sunday Afternoons.

Please call Sara at (402) 669-1504 or email her at Sara@hetra.org for more specific days and times as these times fluctuate frequently.

HETRA’s Non-Discrimination Policy: HETRA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability in admission to it’s programs, services, or activities, or in any aspect of their operations.

A special thank you to the Fremont Area Community Foundation for their support by providing partial funding for a full time volunteer coordinator in 2011!