Hands & Hearts for Horses

Hands & Hearts for Horses Volunteer Application

What is Therapeutic Horseback Riding? Therapeutic riding uses equine oriented activities for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being of people with special needs. Therapeutic riding provides benefits in the areas of sports, recreation, education, and medicine to individuals with a wide range of disabilities. What does a volunteer at Hands & Hearts for Horses do? Hands and Hearts for Horses (HHH) is a Premiere Accredited Center with the Profession Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH). HHH brings together horses, individuals with various degrees of disabilities, caring volunteers, and certified instructors who work collaboratively with professionals in the medical, psychological and educational fields to enrich lives and promote independence. Our volunteers work closely with our staff to learn and follow the PATH guidelines and procedures. We provide each participant in our volunteer program with a working knowledge of therapeutic riding centers; and the ethical standards and practices adhered to by those who work in and with nonprofit organizations. Our volunteers experience all aspects of the daily activities involved with providing riding lessons at a nonprofit therapeutic riding center. As a PATH Premiere Accredited Center, HHH has been documenting rider progress since the center began and follows established standards for facility maintenance and horse care. Our volunteers will have opportunities to work directly with clientele with a wide variety of special needs. They will learn the basics of horse care, from behavior management, to feeding and grooming regimens. Volunteers have different opportunities to work with clientele directly during lessons, by grooming and tacking up horses prior to lessons, and leading or side-walking in the lessons. How do I get started as a volunteer at Hands & Hearts for Horses? Hands and Hearts hosts a volunteer orientation and training once a month for new volunteers. It is mandatory that you attend one of these before you can sign up to volunteer. If there is a conflict with the time of training, please call us and we will try to work out a different time for you to come get acquainted with our practices. Volunteer orientations give new volunteers the inside story on HHH, from history to getting a chance to try out side-walking and leading. Advanced trainings in horse leading, horse behavior, feeding, disabilities, etc., will be offered throughout the year for volunteers that are interested in signing up. Advanced trainings help volunteers grow and build confidence. Emails about different advanced training offerings will be sent out for current volunteers to sign up.

Basic Info

First, let's get your basic info. We use Wranglr for helping to schedule our volunteers. Please enter your name, email and mobile number. This info will be used to communicate openings, your schedule and important info from Hands & Hearts for Horses. Make sure you have access to both the email account and the mobile for texts.

Photo & Publicity Release

Photo Release: Please Check if Consent or do not check if do NOT consent to photos. I hereby consent to and authorize without any compensation the use and reproduction by Hands and Hearts for Horses of any and all photographs and any other audiovisual materials taken of me/my child/my ward for promotional printed material, educational activities, or for any other use for the benefit of the program.

Additional Info

Why do we need this info? Some volunteering roles and duties might require you to work with larger horses, carry heavier things, etc. We also work with Participants that have many different needs and the below information helps us make more informed decisions for our Participants and Volunteers. Please fill out whatever info you are comfortable sharing with us.

Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Info

If you are a minor or an adult with legal guardians/caregivers, or are filling out this application on behalf of someone else, please include Parent or Guardian/Caregiver info below.

Contact Info


Emergency Contact

Experience and Health Info

Medical Waiver

I do hereby: 1. RELEASE, WAIVE, DISCHARGE, AND COVENANT NOT TO SUE Hands and Hearts for Horses Inc., their operators, horse owners, and each of them, their officers, agents, employees, leasees, and participants (all hereafter collectively referred to as RELEASEES) from any and all claims, loss, damage, and liability to the UNDERSIGNED, his/her personal representatives, assigns, heirs, next of kin, or anyone claiming through them, arising out of any liability or negligence of RELEASEES which causes the UNDERSIGNED injury, death, damages, or property damages. I HEREBY COVENANT to hold RELEASEES harmless and indemnify RELEASEES for any claim, judgment, or expense including attorney’s fees and costs of litigation RELEASEES may incur arising out of my activities or presence, or travel to or from, at or on the farm or on the property of RELEASEES or at horse shows. 2. UNDERSTAND that my entry onto the farm or premises of RELEASEES, riding, showing, or attending horse shows involves DANGER AND RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH, that conditions of horseback riding and horses change from time to time and may become more HAZARDOUS, and that there is INHERENT DANGER in horse and riding which I appreciate and VOLUNTARILY ASSUME because I CHOOSE TO DO SO. I have observed horses and riding of the type that I seek to participate in and I have inspected the grounds, horse, and equipment provided. I further know that other riders, horses, and participants pose a danger to me; nevertheless, I VOLUNTARILY ELECT TO ACCEPT ALL RISKS connected therewith in my participation. 3. I verify that no representations or inducements have been made to me to sign this Release. I further expressly agree that the foregoing RELEASE, WAIVER, AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT is intended to be as broad and inclusive as permitted by the law of the state in which I participate in activities conducted by the RELEASES and that if any portion thereof is held invalid, it is agreed that the balance shall, not withstanding, continue in full legal force and effect. WARNING Under Georgia law, an equine activity sponsor or equine professional is not liable for an injury to or the death of a participant in equine activities resulting from the inherent risks of equine activities, pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The undersigned has read, voluntarily signed, and understands that this release and waiver of all liability and indemnity agreement fully releases Hands and Hearts for Horses from any liability to the undersigned.

Volunteering

Our program could NOT function without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers! For many of our riders the difference between being able to ride and not being able to have their lesson is YOU! Not only does volunteering provide significant benefits to our participants, but it can also from our experience, make a significant impact on your life! Seeing the faces of participants and their families light up is a true gift!























Important Information and Acceptances

General Liability Release

Liability Release: I, or my child, would like to volunteer for the Hands and Hearts for Horses therapeutic riding program. I acknowledge the risks and potential for risks of horses and horseback riding. However, I feel that the possible benefits to myself/my child/my ward are greater than the risk assumed. I hereby, intending to be legally bound, for myself, my heirs and assigns, executors or administrators, waive and release forever all claims for damages against Hands and Hearts for Horses, their Board of Directors or Trustees, Instructors, Therapists, Aides, Volunteers, and/or Employees for any and all injuries and/or losses I/my child/my ward may sustain while volunteering at any Hands and Hearts for Horses program. I understand that for the purpose of assisting volunteers in providing safe and responsible services to students, Hands and Hearts for Horses will release information pertaining to the student’s disability as necessary.

Confidentiality

As with all medical and legal records, the information on Hands and Hearts for Horses participants and volunteers is protected with the greatest confidentiality. By my signature below I state that I understand the confidential nature of all records maintained by the Hands and Hearts Therapeutic Riding Program, and I agree not to disclose or divulge any information contained in these records.

Background Check Release

At Hands & Hearts for Horses, we require a Background Check for our Volunteers.
Here at Hands and Hearts for Horses, our volunteers are a vital part of our program and family! Even an hour of your time a week can make such a huge difference to our participants and their families. There are no words to express how much we truly appreciate each and every volunteer!