Operating a 16-horse barn year-round is a lot of work - and we can only maintain everything due to the help of our reliable volunteers! Our barn volunteers help with tasks such as horse feedings, filling horse's waters, turning the horses outside/inside, cleaning stalls and paddocks, sweeping the barn, preparing meals, cleaning tack, cleaning various places in the facility, and feeding our barn kitties! Barn Team volunteers commit to at least one weekly shift, Monday-Sunday (8:30-11:30 am, 3-5 pm, 6-8 pm).

Many participants in our riding program require the support of sidewalkers. Sidewalkers are a vital link of communication between instructors, riders, and horses in therapeutic riding lessons. They reinforce the instructor's directions, provide encouragement, give physical support if needed, and interact with the riders. Sidewalkers are mentors, teachers, friends, and role models to our participants. Volunteers must complete sidewalker training at our facility to become a sidewalker in our program.

Leaders are responsible for safely tacking, leading horses and caring for their mental well-being during each lesson. Our horses have the most critical and challenging job of carrying our riders and offering them the unique therapy each rider may need. We require individuals who can communicate to our horses clearly and respectfully what their job is throughout the lesson. Additionally, leaders will groom and tack the horses for the lesson. Horse leaders are typically volunteers who have been helping regularly with our program, know our horses well, and have experience and confidence in handling horses in all situations.

Rainbow Riders offers Corporate Social Responsibility volunteering opportunities. 

CSR: “ Corporate volunteering is pillar of corporate social responsibility that encourages employees to volunteer their time and give back to their community's nonprofits, charities or other initiatives.”

Our new facility is state-of-the-art, but every building requires maintenance! We need help maintaining fencing, clearing away fallen trees and debris around our trail system, performing minor carpentry tasks, light gardening duties during the spring and summer, and keeping our trusty Kubota tractor (aka Scoopy!) running smoothly. If you are handy in any of these areas, reach out to add your name to our list of contacts for odd jobs.

It is the instructor's role to direct the riding lesson to ensure the rider, therapy horses and volunteers are safe, and that the session is both fun and constructive for our riders. All of our instructors certified through the Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA), or candidates working towards this certification under the guidance of a mentor. For information about joining our instructor candidates pool, email us at rainbowridersnl@gmail.com. Also see CanTRA’s website for more details!