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Open nowAges 16 and up, training provided

Program volunteer, veteran and youth programs

For people who want to be at the barn with the veterans, the young people and the horses. You do not need to be a rider. What you need is patience, reliability, and the ability to stay calm and present around people who are working through something.

Time: one shift a week, two to three hours, for a full eight to twelve week session
Age: 16 or older; 16 and 17 with a parent or guardian consent form, always alongside an adult volunteer
Checks: Live Scan background check and mandated reporter training
First step: orientation, first Wednesday of the month

A quiet barn aisle at Ocean View Stables, stall doors closed and a bucket by the wall

What you would do

  • Support ground sessions: groundwork, grooming and horsemanship activities with participants

  • Prep and reset: set out the arena and the grooming area, and put everything away after

  • Greet and orient: help new participants and families feel less intimidated on day one

  • Mentor: be a consistent adult in Mavericks, always within the two-adult rule

  • Support veteran sessions: hold space without pushing

  • Help at Open Barn and other events at the barn

Time and requirements

  • One regular shift a week, two to three hours, during a program session

  • Commitment of at least one full program session, typically eight to twelve weeks

  • 16 or older. Ages 16 and 17 need a parent or guardian consent form and always work alongside an adult volunteer.

  • Live Scan background check through the California Department of Justice before your first shift. We cover the cost.

  • California mandated reporter training, which we provide free

  • Able to walk on uneven ground for extended periods and move quickly if needed

  • Comfortable being near horses. We teach you the rest.

Training we provide

Saved by the Saddle's mission and safety rules; horse handling basics; leading technique; how to work with participants without taking over; confidentiality and boundaries; emergency procedures. You shadow experienced volunteers before you take a role of your own.

Why consistency matters here

Participants build trust through repetition. A volunteer who shows up every week is worth more to them than one who shows up whenever. If you cannot commit to a regular weekly shift right now, consider the horse care track instead.

After you apply

You get a confirmation email with the next volunteer orientation dates, and someone from the founding team will call you. The background check and program training are arranged with you from there.

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Why this role, the background or experience you would bring, and the days and times you are usually free.
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Every role here is unpaid, including the board seats.

Help build it properly.

Gifts fund free sessions, the training and safety work behind them, and the groundwork for a rescue program done right.

The green bluff above the Pacific beside Ocean View Stables in Daly City