# Help! Volunteering on a farm



## Aaldari (Nov 25, 2012)

Good day all, 

This is my first post, so I apologize before hand if this is a repeat post!

I am volunteering at a local farm in trade for horseback riding lessons! I'm super excited because I love horses but I've never had the opportunity to be around them or ride them to be honest!

Would anyone be able to advise me as to what I'll be looking at as far as work around the farm? I have been researching a lot around the Internet but I haven't really found any information as to what staff do on the farm. I know I'll be cleaning stalls as well as other duties.

If you were new to horses and farm life what would you have liked to know that no one told you?!


Thanks,

Aaldari =]


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

We can't really tell you _what_ you'll be doing, as that will be up to whoever will be assigning tasks. 

Since you're unfamiliar with horses in general, you probably won't be asked to turn horses out or bring them in until you're more comfortable around them.

Cleaning stalls, sweeping aisleways, and cleaning and filling water buckets are all things that you'll become very acquainted with doing. Newbies are always given the easiest but labor intensive tasks at first. 

Good luck, and have fun. It's a whole different world, but if horses are something about which you're passionate, you'll find it's all worth it.


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

You may be taught to tack up/untack for lessons being held and groom also. Have fun! Its a great experience. Honestly, working at the barn for hours is more fun to me than just going there to ride and leave. Plus, you get to know everyone and the horses a lot easier!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Aaldari (Nov 25, 2012)

Thank you both, I am definitely up for anything due to the fact that I'm passionate about horses and willing to learn as much as possible. It's just the first time being around horses and a farm in general so I didn't know what I'd be expecting. Thank you for your views.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Try to never stand around doing nothing. When in doubt, clean something. If a horse is acting oddly, SPEAK UP and tell someone. It's better that you report a non issue than something important be ignored.

Ask questions, but dont overstay with non-staff. Boarders are there to be with their horses and you dont want to ce off as pushy. Smile a lot. Try to remember people's names and horses. Offer to help and if you're not sure what to do, ask.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Gypsybell (Sep 28, 2012)

Watch and Listen. You will learn almost as much about what to and what not to do with horses while you are working on the ground as you will with your lessons. Because it is all new, you will probably be overwhelmed at first. This will pass. ALWAYS remember safety first. You should be given some basic instructions about safety, but if it doesn't make sense, ask someone. Decent gloves, I would recommend leather, and work boots would be wise. If you are going to work, don't show up in sandals. 
Pet peeve-leave the IPOD, MP3player or whatever behind. You can't hear anything else if you have the tunes cranked in your ears. This also goes back to safety. 
Have Fun. Don't expect it all to make sense right away, but eventually it will click, and you will be amazed.


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## Aaldari (Nov 25, 2012)

Great advice, thank you!

When you say "acting oddly" what kind of behavior is that I should be looking out for or will that come with experience?


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

Great opportunity-listen, watch, ask questions. When you get a nugget of information,don't think you know it all. With horses, even after decades, we're all still learning. Read lots of threads on this forum-there is so much knowledge here. Good luck to you, please keep posting & don't be afraid to ask more questions here.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

I had my new kids sweep the rafters for cobwebs, rake the leaves behind the barn, paint the pasture fence, clean stalls of course, and use the weedeater. They new they were in trouble when I sent them off to weedeat every tree in the back 40.
It takes time, you learn a little at a time. Even with cleaning stalls and sweeping, there is a certain way I want it done. Listen, put things away, leave things the way you found it, gates!!! Have fun.
My pet peeve was two people doing a task that only needed one person.


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## Aaldari (Nov 25, 2012)

Taffy Clayton said:


> They new they were in trouble when I sent them off to weedeat every tree in the back 40.


LOL, XD *Prays not working for this guy*


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## Aaldari (Nov 25, 2012)

Cacowgirl, Thank you so much! What hospitality!!!


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Aaldari said:


> Great advice, thank you!
> 
> When you say "acting oddly" what kind of behavior is that I should be looking out for or will that come with experience?


It will vary a bit from horse to horse. As you get to know them you'll see what's normal. Biting, kicking or staring at the stomach, lying down and refusing to get up, lying down in odd places (like if a horse is lying down at feeding time and ignoring food), repeatedly getting down and standing, excessive urination, excessive farting - all are things I've seen off the top of my head. These are some of the ways horses display colic.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

Just thought of this, when I first became a working student...my notebook and pen became my best friend. I almost always had it with me. I kept To-Do lists, some of the horses' pet peeves, and any important tidbits the BO told me about. Anything you can think of, write it down and go over it when you get home. I don't know what I would of done without my handy-dandy notebook!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

^^^
If you're given multiple tasks, write them down.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Annanoel (Mar 29, 2011)

I agree with the notebook! I always did this and it helped immensley especially if you have a lot of horses at the barn. You can write down their habits, and what you learn about them plus a list of chores! Saves you from wasting time trying to remember what you were told to do, always used to happen to me when I first started out. If you don't know something or want to know something, ask! There is no such thing as a stupid question.


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## Clayton Taffy (May 24, 2011)

Aaldari said:


> LOL, XD *Prays not working for this guy*


 
Hey now, I was also a lot of fun.:lol: 

Part of my job as manager of the property was to make sure all the adult "toys" were running. So the teenagers that worked for me got to play once a week on the jet skis to make sure they ran properly. I taught all of them how to water ski, to make sure the boats ran properly. When ever we had a big job like painting, or washing the 1200 ft PVC fence, they all asked their friends out and I hired them for the day too. I always scheduled them around their school, dates, and sports.

I was fun most of the time.:wink:


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

You've been given a great opportunity, OP! Not every stable will take a complete horse newbie (and I mean that in the nicest way possible. You're going to have so much fun!) to work for lessons.

I second the advice to never stand idle. That is my BOs biggest pet peeve and she'll really tan your hide if she finds you lollygagging. I work at a farm in exchange for personal ride time on their horses, use of their cart, and and a discount for boarding my horse, and I'm busy 110% of the time. I started out just like you with no real experience with horses, so I'll give you my experience as well as some advice that I've found helpful.

One big thing that helped them even CONSIDER me was my book knowledge of horses. While I hadn't had any real experience with horses, I knew basic horse colors, anatomy, genders, how to measure their height, basic care (theoretically at least), different types of tools for grooming/cleaning/tacking and what they are used for, a few major breeds, etc. They'll most likely teach you this as you go along but it will not only show them how much you want this, it shows them that you're already working hard to learn. Just don't sound like a know it all. Dont go around listing things just because you know them. Ask intuitive questions, be a good listener, remember what they tell you, and if they ask you something that you already know, don't be afraid to answer them. My BO loved that I already knew all of this information because it made it easier on them when they were teaching me. Remember though, book knowledge and experience are two different things!

When I first started working at the farm, my basic jobs were to clean the pasture and stalls (as well as rabbit kennels/turkey pen but I'm sure you dont have that! ICK), scrub water troughs and buckets, clean tack, sweep, and re-set barrels, poles, etc during other people's lessons. As I got more experienced I was allowed to help rug and fly mask the horses, turn them out and bring them in, tack them for lessons, teach kinds to tack the horses, and feed. 

I've been at the farm now for 4 1/2 years, and now I have just about every job you can think of xD I do all of the chores that I first mentioned (though I dont do much mucking anymore. The newbies get to do that because I'm too busy!) and I also help tune up the lesson horses, exercise the ranch horses, run birthday parties as the hostess, do basic medical care on horses that just have a scratch or something, bathe, assist with lessons, repair fences, and a few other things. I cant tell you if you'll ever have those kinds of responsibilities though. I'm only 16 so I feel VERY priviledged to have all of the jobs that I do. I'm also the head of our therapy program and am in charge of most of our horse's nutrition and worming scheduals. It gets pretty crazy!

One thing that I would of wanted to know when I first started that I didn't know though? Its EXTREMELY addicting! LOL. I now have 2 horses and am out at the barn every moment that I get, even when I'm not working!


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## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

xlionesss said:


> I don't know what I would of done without my handy-dandy notebook!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Somebody's a Blues Clues fan. haha.

I had a similar experience to yours! Congrats! This first step is so hard to come by! You're in! (the horse world, I mean) I started at a kids camp. I helped get horses ready for lessons and worked my way up to Lead Riding Instructor. 

My first piece of advice- start learning the horses. I had 70 horses to learn most of which were just 'sorrel'. If you can, take pictures of the horses and write their names down, quirks, special treatment. Oh my goodness, I felt so overwhelmed trying to remember which horses were safe to tie and which weren't, hoping I caught the right horse in pasture (Please tell me this is Bon Bon?), which horses had separate grooming tools due to fungal things going on, the list goes on and the sooner you learn it, the more helpful you can be!


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