“Volunteers are love in motion!” ~Unknown

VOLUNTEERS

SIRE riders rely on the dedication of our incredible volunteers. Annually, SIRE volunteers donate 1,000’s of hours of service. This can be equal up to 10 full-time employees working for the entire year!

Volunteers assist our riders in a variety of ways, both inside and outside the riding arena. In the arena, volunteers are side walkers (providing physical and verbal support) and horse leaders (assuring safe horse handling during each session). Outside the arena volunteers tack horses, clean stalls, do minor repairs, assist in the office and much more.

Volunteers can:
Be a SIDE WALKER – Walk beside the rider and their horse in order to assist with balance and reinforce the instructor’s directions. No horse experience needed.

Be a HORSE LEADER – Lead the horse in the class and possibly groom and tack up the horse. Prior horse experience IS necessary. Volunteers will work with the horses from the ground and not be asked to ride.

Requirements – Side walkers and horse leaders must be able to walk for 30 minutes, be able to jog briefly, and possibly support a moderate amount of weight. The minimum age is 14. Younger volunteers may be asked to participate in opportunities outside the arena with parental supervision.

Volunteer OUTSIDE THE ARENA – You can participate on a board committee or serve on a committee for one of our two annual fundraising events. Publicity is always a great way to spread the word about SIRE. You can help connect SIRE with the public by promoting us to different media outlets such as newspapers, television, radio, magazines and and share and interact with our posts on social media. Other volunteer opportunities include helping in the administrative office and with special events. If you have time to donate, we have a project for you! For more information about volunteering at SIRE, please call 281-356-7588 or email sireoffice@sire-htec.org. Thank you.

Are you interested in volunteering with SIRE? Just fill out the form below. Once received, we will contact you to set up a schedule.

VOLUNTEER SIGNUP

CONTACT INFO

First
Last

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?

HORSE EXPERIENCE

ADDITIONAL INFO

For more information about Volunteer Opportunities at SIRE, call or email our Volunteer Coordinators:

Julia Stephan at Spring — (832) 535-2209 or julia@sire-htec.org

Sam Esme-Leonard at Fort Bend — (346) 261-1403 or Sam@sire-htec.org

Please download our volunteer flyer and share at work, school, church, with friends and family.

Calendar of Events

Newsletter Signup

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“We came because of the horses, and we stayed because of the people.”

Two SIRE Volunteers
A boy and his horse

FAQs

SIRE serves adults and children with a wide variety of special needs including, but not limited to cerebral palsy, autism, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, developmental delay, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.

Through equine-assisted activities and therapies, our riders experience the many benefits of therapeutic horsemanship described below. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people with special needs through therapeutic horsemanship activities and therapies and educational outreach.

Volunteers can:
Be a SIDE WALKER – Walk beside the rider and their horse in order to assist with balance and reinforce the instructor’s directions. No horse experience needed.

Be a LEADER – Lead the horse in the class and possibly groom and tack up the horse. Prior horse experience IS necessary. Volunteers will work with the horses from the ground and not be asked to ride.

Requirements – Side walkers and horse leaders must be able to walk for 30 minutes, be able to jog briefly, and possibly support a moderate amount of weight. The minimum age is 14. Younger volunteers may be asked to participate in opportunities outside the arena (see below) with parental supervision.

Volunteer outside the arena – Fundraising, publicity, office help, special events, etc.

You can volunteer for as little as 2 hours per week or as much as you want.

Spring Semester- 16 weeks

Summer Semester- 6 weeks

Fall Semester- 14 weeks

We ask that arena volunteers commit to at least 2 hours per week for the entire semester. This is important because you will be part of a team, usually working with the same rider each week. You will develop a rapport with the riders you work with and can help them to build on their accomplishments from week to week.

If you cannot make this kind of commitment, you can be put on the substitute list, where regular volunteers will call you when they need to be absent.

The atmosphere at SIRE is upbeat and fun. The riders will amaze and inspire you. Some classes take place in a covered arena, while some are in an outdoor arena.

Please check our Calendar for the latest info.

All of our locations seek to accommodate the needs of the riders. In general, riding sessions are held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to 7 pm. Fridays and Saturdays are from 9 am to 2 pm.

RIDE

Maximum of 4 riders.
Minimum age required 3 years old.

DONATE

Provide scholarships for riders and equine care for SIRE horses.