Volunteer Sign Up

Make your day special... volunteer!

Every week, our program requires 100 volunteers to help us achieve our goals.

We always welcome people ready to give their time, energy, and enthusiasm to support our work.

Volunteer duties include leading horses in lessons, walking alongside horses in lessons as a sideaide, horse care, barn and facility maintenance, office help, marketing, and special events.

No prior experience is necessary.

We have a limited number of slots available each year for students completing graduation requirements, and we love large groups!

We are not able to host community service, court-appointed volunteer hours.

Because of insurance restrictions, all volunteers must be at least age 14.

For 2015, in accordance with Pennsylvania State Law: Once your application is processed, every volunteer must have the following two clearances before starting to volunteer:

(1) a completed PA Criminal History Check (https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp)

(2) a completed PA Child Abuse Clearance (https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home)

AND, if you are 18 or older and have NOT been a continuous PA resident for the past 10 years:

(3) a Federal (FBI) Criminal History clearance (www.pa.cogentid.com/index.htm).

To begin the process:

Contact us: Fill out the form on this page, below. (Please note that currently forms cannot be submitted through Internet Explorer; please use another browser. We apologize for any inconvenience.)
Special Equestrians will process your application and, if all requirements are met, contact you to schedule your attendance at a New Volunteer Orientation Clinic.
Our Volunteer Coordinator will send you a confirmation email with your Orientation Clinic date, our volunteer application packet, and instructions on how to proceed.
Return all completed paperwork--including PA Criminal History Check, PA Child Abuse Clearance, and Federal (FBI) Criminal History--to the Volunteer Coordinator prior to attending your Orientation Clinic.
Become familiar with the Special Equestrians Volunteer Manual. It will prepare you for the Orientation and answer many questions about being a volunteer.
Attend your Orientation Clinic. There you will sign up for your initial volunteer times with our Volunteer Coordinator.

For current volunteers, if you have trouble downloading the PA Criminal Check and PA Child Abuse Clearance, try these links:

Criminal Check

PA Child Abuse Clearance

First Name

Last Name

Parent/Guardian First Name (If under 18 years old)

Parent/Guardian Last Name (If under 18 years old)

Email Address

Address

City

State

Zip Code

Home Phone Number

Cell Phone Number

Are you at least 14 years old?

Date of Birth (optional if over 18)

^(MM/DD/YYYY)

What would you like to gain from your experience at Special Equestrians?

Do you have any experience with horses? If yes, explain briefly:

Do you have any experience working with people with disabilities? If yes, explain briefly:

Lesson volunteers could be required to walk and run over different types of terrain for up to one hour per lesson in all kinds of weather. Barn volunteers need be able to lift 20lbs. Are there any medical conditions or physical limitations that would make this difficult for you?

How did you hear about Special Equestrians?

Area of interest (indicate all that apply)

Program Volunteers (Grooming/tacking horses, leading/side-aiding in lessons, cleaning stalls, watering)
Barn Volunteers (Cleaning stalls, watering, horse care, cleaning tack)
Event and Fundraising Volunteers (mailings, registrations, set-up, clean-up, solicitations)
Office/Social Media Volunteers (mailings, data entry, web content)
Landscape/Garden/Maintenance Volunteers (garden upkeep, weeding, property maintenance, etc.)

I understand that if my volunteer application is accepted, I will be required to provide a criminal background check, a child abuse clearance, and a release form to volunteer at Special Equestrians.

Confirm