34/ APRIL 2023 THE RIDER The Perks of Volunteering


By Janice Wright ~ CanteringOnThru


“…these volunteering


“gigs” I treated as real jobs. I was on a huge learning curve and I was grateful.” ~ JaniceW So, taking up the reins


from last month, I’m aware we’re experiencing subtle changes around us… yeah?? I’ll be serious with you. For me, the weather is the same (almost) every day because, well, I am not-so-much in- fluenced by it, but I am, and always have been, a fan of seasons! (Ok. If it’s the unbear-


able kinda weather, I say ‘unbearable’ a lot — my ex- cuse to not even venture “out there“. There’s always something to deal with in- doors where I am in control of the controls: warm it up; cool it down. I resign, and read my


book. And then, usually a lit- tle rest…)) Onward! In the February issue


of The Rider, I wrote about how giving into the pan- demic (Pandemic Purging and Streaming Horse


Shows)was one thing… but, was giving into solitude an- other? Like many, I was spending a lot of time alone — more time than I ever, ever had — looking for “stuff” to be tackled, yet running out of… well, stuff. Until… BONUS! I unearthed my small [?] collection of me- mentos and immediately felt how much vibrancy and emotion they held. I’m talking me- mentos from years of volunteering. Volunteering isn’t new. Are you ready to con- tribute?


Volunteering led me to


be an important piece of the puzzle around horses. With sincere passion, I was capa- ble of managing my time, and schedules did not deter my process. I miss those days. However! Now it seems we are beginning to feel more comfortable preparing for or attending horsey events. Can you hear your name being called?


“…it seems there has been a real drift away from this, [volunteering] according to many people with whom we have had discussions.” ~ Gayle Ecker, Equine Guelph


“Volunteer work can be hard, but having a positive attitude will make for a bet- ter experience…” ~ Judy Wanless, CARD


In 2007, after complet- ing Equine Journalism &


Photography courses in Guelph, Equine Guelph’s “EquiMania!” shouted at me!!


Now, EquiMania! isn’t


so “new”. Best known of all things interactive, this youth education programme pro- motes horse health and safety. Being a part of that, I understand the hard work, setbacks, costs, etc. There was a lot of persistent dedi- cation. Dedication played the most important role. Hands down, I give


credit to all those horses … oops!.. I meant…all those members — a select team of human collaborators — are what led the way to this cov- eted, travelling attraction. Now, I may be biased


(really?) but the decision to become a volunteer? Now, therewas a soft spot to land! Gayle Ecker and her


staff were the best! My knowledge of the equine in- dustry — as with Dressage Canada in my previous arti- cle — soared! Literally. Took off! PERKS… are ten-


fold!! Volunteering around your interest(s) leads to con- fidence; camaraderie with like-minded people of all ages; becoming secure in your learned knowledge; and, being a part of a suc- cess story. The more people that take an interest in the welfare of horses is fuel to better days ahead. Compas- sion and understanding to- ward


these beautiful


creatures are humbling. And you’ll be mingling with lots of them at the Royal Winter


Fair, or CanAm — a few venues you can attend as a volunteer. While preparing this


article I did reach out to non-profit


organizations


with the intent to relay in- sight around specific chal- lenges during volunteer inductions… allowing you, the reader, not to feel intim- idated! I offer no concrete ad-


vice — because we are all so different — other than I can understand that daunt- ing, mind game called un- certainty, possibly holding one back. Ever wonder how one


therapeutic horse centre speaks of its volunteers?


“They arrive for their vol- unteer shift ready to hit


the ground running and are happy to be helping others.”


AND… “The riders develop a rap- port with their volunteers, some more than others,


but generally, they respond better to people they know and understand them.” ~ Judy Wanless, CARD


Your qualifications do


not include being well- versed in the horse industry — but a strong work ethic and willingness to learn, are. Q? Are there specific chal- lenges you face during vol- unteer inductions?


A: Connecting with people or youth who are interested in being a volunteer is often a challenge as there is no easy pipeline to get out to all the individuals who may be interested. Once we have dedicated volunteers on- site, we take them for a tour of our display and point out some of the fun things we can talk about to encourage interaction with our audi- ence. For those that are dedicated to being an im- portant part of the day, and have the willingness to learn, this goes well and is an enjoyable part of setting the volunteer up for a fun day. We do stress safety, and that is of more interest to some volunteers than oth- ers! ~ Gayle Ecker, Equine Guelph


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A: People often complete all the paperwork and training to volunteer and then decide that the work is not what they expected and was not what they were looking to do. Volunteers often have limited time to donate and their timing may not fit into when CARD operates throughout the week. We often have volunteers that are experienced riders. They learn the CARD procedures quickly but don’t always carry through with them when at CARD. ~ Judy Wanless, CARD


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Q? What are your top three traits that sum up a great volunteer? A: Enthusiasm and a dedi- cation to helping others learn about horse health,


welfare and safety! ~ Gayle Ecker A: 1) Reliability and com- mitment: CARD cannot op- erate safe and productive classes without its volunteer team. 2) Positive attitude and will- ingness to learn: Volunteer work can be hard, but hav- ing a positive attitude will make for a better experience and will uplift people around you. 3) Team player: As a volun- teer at CARD, you will work with lots of different people. Being friendly and flexible is important and makes you a valuable team member. ~ Judy Wanless


PERKS What I do know(in my


humble opinion) is that *as- sisted therapy research has much positivity. Although, without dedicated volun- teers (whom *assist in a va- riety of ways) the courses become backlogged. The selfless act of con-


tributing — no matter how much or how little time we can contribute — working together with other volun- teers, becoming aware and, understanding the physical and mental challenges for children with disabilities — who may not have access to fun adventures astride a horse — will elevate your sense of pride! Be in the moment;


once your phone is locked away, all that is asked of you is to insure the safety of the riders, enjoying whatever unfolds! Familiar with horses or not, your confi- dence around horses will (hopefully) escalate your fondness towards them. And you just may spontaneously smile days later remember- ing the giggles and joy you were a part of. (“heart swell”) That sums up a major perk!!


Volunteer at EquiMania! You couldn’t help but


become somewhat of an “expert” by interacting with all the kids and adults as they scramble from polo- wrapping, the bone box, the horse’s guts, grooming, feeding,


understanding


colic, horse anatomy… (I for one was polo-wrap-chal- lenged so you could spot me when the kids weren’t around… practicing over and over and over…) Can you see where


I’m heading and why volun- teering holds a plethora of learning opportunities? If it were not for my


interest and participation as a volunteer, my confidence wouldn’t be the same. As time progressed and I could relax and interact with peo- ple of all ages, that’s when I felt in my zone. And my presence was well-received and respected; I never felt overworked or discon- nected. There’s so much to


learn in this desirable horse life (and industry) but ac- quiring the proper expecta- tions of handling myself —


from entering the barn…to riding…to taking the time to properly care for


the


horses…to being aware of my surroundings — I be- came well-versed with how much was required of me — somewhat daunting! But hey; everything it takes to make a success is what makes you a success. “They [volunteers] take away more than they


give!” ~ Judy Wanless, CARD


“If you are interested


in volunteering with CARD, please visit our website www.card.ca or contact me at judy@card.ca" “Anyone interested in volunteering


Janice is a UofG recognized freelance writer/photogra- pher specializing in equine. She can be contacted at can- teringonthru@gmail.com


for Equine Guelph, and in particular for our EquiMa- nia! youth education exhibit, can


horses@uoguelph.ca and let us know!” Many thanks to Gayle


Ecker and Judy Wanless for their contributions!


Janice is a freelance writer/photographer special- izing in equine. Feel free to reach out at any time! can- teringonthru@gmail.com


e-mail


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