VOLUNTEER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Triple H Equitherapy is volunteer powered--volunteers are essential members of the therapeutic team and make it possible for horse power to heal. Volunteers also participate in many special activities throughout the year, such as marching in the Bandera Labor Day Parade.

Triple H offers many volunteer opportunities for teens and adults. Some volunteer jobs require no horse experience and are ideal for teenagers and adults who love horses and love spending time outdoors. Best of all, volunteers experience the joy of helping children, adults, and Veterans with special needs participate in programs that enrich and often change their lives. Three volunteer jobs truly are the life-blood of our therapeutic riding programs: Horse

Handlers, Side Walkers, and Mentors. These volunteers are integral partners of the therapeutic team that includes certified instructors, specially trained therapy horses, volunteers, and for some programs, a licensed mental health therapist.

A Side Walker helps facilitate therapeutic horseback riding by keeping riders with disabilities safe. They must be able to walk for up to an hour and at times to hold arms at shoulder height. No previous horse experience is necessary.
A Horse Handler is responsible for the horse. They need some previous horse experience and the ability to walk for an hour. Horse Handlers are responsible for grooming and tacking horses before and after classes.
A Mentor is a key member of the psychotherapy team. They primarily work with at-risk youth struggling with an array of mental health and emotional issues. Mentors offer guidance and support. They convey unconditional love and acceptance working alongside young people to help them find inner strength, courage, and responsibility.

Triple H offers many more volunteer opportunities for teens and adults which include individual “on-the-job”
orientation and training. A few areas where volunteers can really make a difference include the following:
Barn Work
Ranch Maintenance
Horse Care
Fundraising
Clerical
Special Events
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Any individual who has a talent they’d like to contribute or just a desire to serve is welcome to find out more. Contact Volunteer Director, Keisha Laughy at 830-510-9515.
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Pix from this December’s
​Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at Samantha’s of Bandera

Award Winners & Pix of Award Sculptures by Esther Benedict.
General group pictures of the many Volunteers in attendance.
Caught some folks off guard.
Pix of Samantha's of Bandere "Puttin' on the Spread" for Triple H Volunteers!

Volunteer Training Pictures & Video, 2018

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 Volunteer Stories

Jeff & Brenda Sellers--Volunteers Extraordinaire; Click below to read their story.
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Jeff Sellers artwork slideshow below.

Volunteer

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Keisha presents the Volunteer of the Year Award to Penny.
​Penny Phillips
Penny Phillips has done it all—horse handler, side walker, mentor—and then some. In recognition of her countless hours and energy, Triple H honored Penny as Volunteer of the Year at its Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the end of July 2014.

“Since she came to us in May 2012, Penny has volunteered with EVERY program we have: Hooves, Hearts & Heroes, From Fear to Responsibility, Riding to Independence, Driving, and Veterans. She helps with barn duties, horse care, and facilities maintenance. She is the ‘go to’ volunteer for special projects and has helped with countless outreach activities,” said Keisha Laughy, Director of Volunteers & Community Outreach.                     ​

Volunteer

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Jo Ann is the Horse Handler for Texan. James is a Riding to Independence program client, and his father, Randy, is the Side Walker.
Jo Ann Strayer​
Jo Ann Strayer has been a Triple H volunteer for 19 years. She’s worked with every program and done numerous special events.  For the last three years, she has been an integral part of The Magic of Horses Gala Committee. Jo Ann was honored as Triple H’s Volunteer of the Year in 2012. She is so knowledgeable and well-rounded that she is often called upon to train new volunteers. ​

Volunteer:  Interns

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Tiana poses with her favorite horse, Daisy
Intern Opportunities
Triple H offers excellent opportunities for college students to complete internships in Physical Therapy and Psychology as well as graduate internships for those working to become licensed professional counselors.  We have interns from UTSA and UWI on a regular basis and welcome other colleges and universities to explore intern opportunities at Triple H
​Tiana Hunter
Tiana Hunter had no experience with horses when she started her internship at Triple H in January. “While at first it was a little overwhelming because they [the horses] are so big, especially the Clydesdales,” admitted the University of the Incarnate Word psychology major, it  didn’t take her long to fall in love with these gentle giants, especially Daisy. The internship was a perfect fit with her psychology degree plan and goal of becoming a speech pathologist. Tiana completed side-walker training and horse handler training. She also learned how to be a mentor to work with the youth from the Hector Garza Center.          

She describes her work at Triple H as “awesome and life-changing for the young people with disabilities.” One day when she was working with a non-verbal boy, she had the thrill of hearing him verbalize “and whoa” for the first time. She knew then that she would use equine-assisted therapy with her patients when she becomes a speech pathologist. “It’s amazing how the horses have an almost instantaneous effect on the riders,” Tiana said. 

Having completed her UIW internship, she will continue to volunteer at Triple H. “Working with the horses keeps my stress level down,” she noted, “and I’ve learned to be more observant of non-verbal language in other people. For me, it has become a family affair. My two oldest sons and my mom are going to become sidewalkers, and the boys will also help in the barn.
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