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Volunteer Horse Handlers:

We’re looking for volunteer horse handlers to join our team and support our Clinical Director and therapist, Brooke, during our equine-assisted therapy sessions.

Equine-assisted therapy is an essential form of healing for Veterans experiencing PTSD, anxiety, panic disorders, depression, and other mood disorders.  Through the horse and verbal processing with Brooke, Veterans develop grounding techniques and healthy coping skills throughout treatment.  By engaging with horses in a structured, therapeutic environment, they can process traumatic experiences, rebuild trust, reduce hypervigilance, and build meaningful connections with both the horses and those around them.

Our program follows the philosophy of Natural Lifemanship, so experience with or training in that approach is certainly welcomed. While it isn’t required to get started, we encourage volunteers to learn more about the model as they become part of our team.

If you have horse experience and are looking for a meaningful way to give back, we’d love to hear from you.

A few things to know about the role:

• Volunteers should be able to comfortably stand for approximately one hour during a therapy session.
• No riding is involved. Horse handlers remain on the ground and are responsible for safely handling and supporting the horse throughout the session.
• We’re looking for volunteers who can be available one ore more days per week.

If you’re interested, or know someone who might be, please reach out to Brooke Swinehart at brooke.swinehart@buildingbridgesfoundation.org