Horse Leaders ensure the safe, confident, and professional handling of our therapy horses during lessons, creating a secure environment for riders to develop their skills, independence, and connection with the horse while ensuring the horse’s well-being throughout each session.
As a Horse Leader, you are directly impacting the lives of children and adults with disabilities or barriers, enabling them to experience the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding. You will see firsthand how your calm leadership helps a child sit taller, smile wider, or say their first words during a ride.
Volunteers with horse experience are preferred for this position, however, horse leader training is available for volunteers wishing to learn and move into this role.
This is the right role for you if you are someone who:
Is comfortable around horses and either has horse experience or is eager to learn.
Enjoys working as part of a team in a purposeful, outdoor environment.
Are calm, observant, and safety-conscious, able to focus fully on the horse and the rider’s needs.
Is interested in equine therapy, adaptive recreation, or the healthcare field and want firsthand experience in a therapy-focused barn.
Is comfortable walking for 30 minutes, jogging short distances, and supporting others physically as needed.
Is reliable and can commit to arriving on time
This role is ideal for people looking for meaningful community involvement, or individuals exploring careers in therapeutic riding, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or equine management.
Horse leaders are an integral part of every riding lesson provided at KTRA. Horse leaders will:
Be responsible for catching, grooming, warming up, and tacking the horse before the rider arrives
Assisting the riders when grooming and tacking in some cases
Control and guide the horse during the lesson
Be safety conscious at all times.
Take direction from the instructor
Allow the rider to guide the horse when appropriate, whilemaintaining control of the horse
