IMPORTANT UPDATE February 1, 2024 : We are temporarily not accepting new volunteers into the program at this time. You are still welcome to fill out the interest form on this page. We will reach out once we are accepting new volunteers again.

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Thanks for your interest in volunteering with Oregon Horse Rescue! Volunteers play a very important role in non-profit work and we are so grateful for all the wonderful volunteer crews that have come out to help us care for the rescue horses.

As a volunteer at OHR, you’ll build new networks and connect with other animal lovers in the community. You can feel good serving a greater purpose by helping horses in need and giving back. You might get a little dirt on your boots and find that working in barns and around horses is not only great exercise, but provides a valuable opportunity to develop your equine skill set and learn more about horse care.

What Kind of Volunteer Are You?

There are two ways to become involved as a volunteer— regular volunteer shifts or one-time group volunteering.

Regular volunteers are responsible, empathetic, and committed individuals who aren’t afraid to get dirty and work hard. Regular volunteers pick from various afternoon and evening shifts offered two days a week. All shifts are chosen and assigned through our YourVolunteers platform (details below).

Interested volunteers who cannot commit to regular visits don’t have to miss out on the fun, either. By filling out our Volunteer Interest Form on this page (below), your name will be added to our volunteer email list and you will be contacted when we have one-time group volunteer opportunities, such as fixing fences or helping with events.

Please note that due to liability, we can only welcome volunteers who are 18 years of age or older at this time.

If you would like to become a volunteer with Oregon Horse Rescue in any capacity, please complete Steps 1 and 2. Those wishing to become regular volunteers should complete all steps (1-3).

Volunteer Interest Form

Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteering: 

Q) How Should I Dress? 

• Please wear closed-toed shoes (boots, tennis shoes, etc.)

• Long pants are recommended

• Avoid baggy clothing that may get caught on gate latches, tack, or otherwise problematic places

• Sunscreen, hats, and work gloves may be useful during a volunteer shift

• We advise that anyone working horses wear an FEI approved helmet

Q) What kind of interaction can I have with the horses? (Dependent on experience and approval)

• Grooming and bathing

• Hand-walking and grazing

• Lunging and desensitizing

• Basic medical treatment

Q) What other projects can I help with for the horses?

• Picking paddocks, dragging arena

• Removing rocks from turnouts

• Cleaning and filling water buckets and troughs

• Fixing fences

• Farm cleanup and organization

• Stacking hay bales and filling grain bins

• Garbage removal

Q)  How can I help if I'm not interested in interacting with the horses? 

• Provide farm labor for non-specialized projects

• Organize or work an event

• Volunteer a service or skill

• Donate an item for auction

• Host or coordinate a fundraiser

• Solicit in-kind donations and discounts

• Look for “non-scheduled shifts” on YourVolunteers

• Spread the word about our org!

Volunteer Resources: (All items are clickable links)

1. Pasture Layout Map

2. Quick Release Knot for tying horses

3. Volunteer Shift Tasks

4. Barn Rules

5. OLCC Liquor Training for Events

6. Volunteer Agreement and Policies

7. Release From Liability and Media Release

*Having trouble viewing the calendar below? Try clicking “Load content from unauthenticated source” or “Load scripts from unsafe source” — some browsers do not yet recognize the YourVolunteers platform.