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How
to Get Involved at Hoofbeats
How
can YOU help Hoofbeats?
Here
are some suggestions:
1.
Become a VOLUNTEER!
Hoofbeats is primarily a
volunteer organization; without volunteers we would not be able to provide
so many valuable services to the community.
Here are just a few of the many volunteer tasks.
-
Groom, lead, or sidewalk
horses for therapeutic riding lessons or horse shows
-
Clean the barn and
help with pasture maintenance
-
Run carnival games and help
with obstacle course stations at camps
-
Do minor carpentry repairs
or build special games or educational equipment
-
Post flyers for special
events, fundraise, or help with newsletters
-
Help with filing, scheduling
or special event planning
-
Sell merchandise or man
registration booths at special events
-
Photograph or videotape
lessons and/or special events, etc.
No
horse experience is necessary! If
you would like to be a part of the therapeutic riding lessons, we can
train you, or we can use your skills in other areas. For more about volunteering, click here.
2.
DONATE funds or goods to Hoofbeats - Hoofbeats is a 501(c)(3)
federally tax-exempt charitable organization; donations,
monetary or in-kind, are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
A. Donations of money:
Membership: We invite you to become members
of the Hoofbeats organization. Annual memberships are as follows:
Individual: $25; Junior (12 years and under): $5; Family: $50; Friend of
Hoofbeats:
$100; Lifetime: $1000.
Other monetary donations: Hoofbeats is
always looking for monetary sponsors for student fee waivers, therapy
horse adoption, horse show ribbons, replacement of worn tack or
equipment, or just general funding.
Please contact Hoofbeats if you would like to
become a member, or if you wish to lend financial support to any of our
projects.
B. Donate Horses or Ponies
- Hoofbeats occasionally needs new
horses or ponies for its program. Please
call about our current needs (Ph: 540-464-3337).
In general, therapy
horses at Hoofbeats must be reasonably sound at the walk, trot, and
canter. They should be people-oriented, very gentle, “bombproof”,
with excellent ground manners, and be relatively “easy-keepers”.
They should be able to stay sound with turnout in hilly pastures. We
prefer horses that have been ridden by many different riders and
capably tolerate a wide variety of rider behaviors and skill levels,
have some show or travel experience, and some training in lower
level dressage. Horses or ponies for donation are screened by the
Head Instructor and taken into the program on a 90-day trial basis.
To meet some members
of our current and former four-legged staff,
click
here.
C.
Donate Items -
The Hoofbeats Wish List:
-
TACK:
English (all-purpose or dressage, all sizes) tack or adult Western
saddles in serviceable, safe condition, or other items such as lead
ropes, horse blankets, coolers, etc. in good repair.
-
CLOTHING:
English (huntstyle or dressage) equestrian clothing–in serviceable
condition, please; all sizes - boots, paddock boots, breeches,
ratcatchers, show jackets
-
RIDING
HELMETS: Lightweight, ASTM-approved riding helmets, especially
Small or Medium Lexington or Troxel brand; must
be less than five years old and meet current safety standards
-
BARN
EQUIPMENT: manure forks, brooms, dustpans, feed tubs, water
buckets, large tarps (app. 15' X 20', to cover the sawdust bin), etc.
-
OFFICE
SUPPLIES - stamps, copy or printer paper, ballpoint pens, dry erase
markers, tape, staples, file folders, staplers (heavy - duty or
electric), envelopes, string, etc.
-
COUPONS - especially
coupons off Southern States feed products.
To
donate any of the above items or others that may not be on our list,
please contact our office. We will promptly supply an official
receipt to you for any donated items.
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