VOLUNTEERS

Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center is a labor of love! Our programs could not happen without the help of our many volunteers –– they have logged over 15,000 hours since the program’s inception.

For our riding and therapy programs, each rider requires three volunteers to ensure their safety on the horse and enhance the success of their session. Many other aspects of the center’s operations rely on the generosity of helping hands like our fundraisers, maintenance needs around the property, care of our horses, and administrative tasks.

Volunteer responsibilities

  • Working with students and horses in the day-to-day program

  • Caring for the horses

  • Managing and running fundraisers

  • Landscaping and repairing the facility

  • Serving on the board of directors

Qualifications

  • Must be interested in working with youth with disabilities

  • Must be 14 years of age or older

  • Must go through the in-person volunteer training

  • Must be able to walk and jog on uneven ground throughout a 30 minute lesson

  • Must be able to commit to a regular weekly schedule, for a minimum of 6 weeks

Our lesson schedule

Volunteer dependability is essential for running our program smoothly. We ask our volunteers for a weekly commitment to provide consistency for our riders. Our volunteer shifts follow our lesson schedule.

    • Volunteer shifts are from 2:15pm-6:00pm to help with setup and take down before/after lessons.

    • Lesson times: 3:00pm, 3:45pm, 4:30pm, and 5:15pm with 15-minute breaks in between.

    • Volunteering the full 3.75 hour shift is preferred. If you are a middle or high school student and cannot commit to a full volunteer shift, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator to discuss a late-start shift (ie 3:30pm-6:00pm, or 4:15-6:00pm).

    • The volunteer shift is from 8:15am-11:45am to help with setup and take down before/after lessons.

    • Lesson times: 8:45am, 9:30am, 10:15am, and 11:00am with 15-minute breaks in between.

    • Volunteering the full 3.75 hour shift is required.

    • Please note Saturdays are popular for students and those who work full-time –– Saturday has its own waitlist. Contact our Volunteer Coordinator for more information.

    • The volunteer shift is from 10:00am-12:45pm to help with setup and take down before/after lesson.

    • Session time: 10:30am-12:30pm

    • Volunteering the full 2.75 hour shift is required.

Become a volunteer

  • Download and complete the 2025 New Volunteer Forms Packet. Please indicate which day(s) are generally best for you to volunteer. If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent or guardian co-sign all sections. If you are over 18, you will need to do a background check.

  • Please scan and email the forms to our Volunteer Manager, Rebecca Wernicke, or mail them to:

Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center
P.O. Box 16
Orinda, CA 94563

  • During a typical shift, most of our volunteers help out with lessons. They groom the horses and tack them up. As an instructor teaches the lesson, one volunteer may lead the horse, while one or two volunteers walk along side. Some of our riders don’t need sidewalkers or leaders, in which case the volunteers get a break! At the end of the session, the volunteers put the horses away.

  • It takes three to four hours per session. Our sessions run Monday through Thursday 2:15pm to 5:45pm and Saturdays 8:00am to 11:30am. We ask that you commit to one day a week, though we do understand that other things come up and you won’t be able to make each session. All we ask is that you inform us if you are not able to make it so we can be sure and have enough people to assist.

  • It’s helpful, but not necessary! You can learn as you go –– volunteering is a great way to learn horsemanship. If you have experience with horses, we’ll need to introduce you to the special techniques of therapeutic riding. Read our handbook to learn more.

  • Yes, there are other opportunities. In addition to our multiple annual events and ongoing admin tasks, we also love help with landscaping and property maintenance.

Volunteer FAQ