Mustang Rescue Companion
Coordinator | Diane
Coordinator | Diane
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
Highlights
Gaining hands-on experience with our rescued and abused mustangs.
Observing the training and rehabilitation methods of professional horse trainers.
Participating in the daily care of our horses and other animals.
Learning about the history of wild mustangs.
Attending local eco-tourism activities.
As a volunteer, you will participate in every day horse care and barn upkeep and have the opportunity to have hands-on experience with our rescued and abused horses.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 21+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+
Volunteers are crucial to our rescue center – providing much needed help and allowing us to properly care for our rescued Mustangs.
Wild Horse Rescue Center (WHRC) is a 501(c)3 NG0. WHRC could not exist without our volunteers. By visiting WHRC, you are taking an active part in our rescue work and a critical stand against abuse and mistreatment of wild horses. You will help ensure a dignified life for our horses and help sustain America’s wild heritage – the Mustang.
What can you expect?
Anyone over 21 years old can volunteer at WHRC – regardless of physical abilities, there is always something to do. Rare exceptions to this age requirement may be made for volunteer applicants age 18-20 who have advanced horse experience and are approved after a video interview with Diane. If you sign up to volunteer, we expect you to work and participate in all activities; however, if there are any physical aspects that make you not able to participate in everything, we can adjust your tasks. As a volunteer, you will help with daily chores, such as mucking stalls, daily care of the horses, and infrastructural improvements to stables. You will also assist in real hands-on rehabilitation work with wild horses. The majority of our horses come from abusive environments, and when they first arrive, they are often genuinely afraid of people. As a volunteer, you will play a critical part in helping these horses understand that not all people are bad.
Weekly Volunteer Program
As a volunteer with us, you will get real hands on experience with our mustangs – both wild and tame! Our volunteers help with every day barn maintenance, horse care and exercise, capital improvements, and helping to socialize wild horses. You will see professional horse trainers in action and immerse yourself in our rescue work. We sometimes go for trail rides, and you will get to see the fantastic Florida landscape by horseback. We also take our volunteers to the beach, to the local wildlife rescue center, and kayaking. A big part of volunteer work with us is socializing with rescued and wild/semi-wild mustangs. Are you familiar with the plight of the American mustang at all? It's a very sad story!
Our rescue work with wild horses is drastically different than work with domestic horses, so please keep an open mind! You can expect to do some riding during your stay; however, as we are a rescue and rehabilitation center, the focus is not on riding. We do not allow volunteers to go off-site individually with the horses for insurance and safety reasons. All trail rides are done in groups with our staff members.
There will be activities scheduled such as beach trips, kayaking, horse riding trails, etc. for the volunteers, and, if you wish, you can arrange transportation to for off site activities on your free days. We are in a remote area, but public transportation, such as UBER, is available.
All volunteers will be responsible for keeping their living area clean.
What to bring
- Water bottle
- Toiletries, including sunscreen, insect repellant, and a small medical kit
- Travel size laundry detergent (washer and dryer is provided)
- Antibacterial hand sanitizer (does not need water to rinse off)
- Face mask
- Cell phone / charger
- Wear comfortable clothes. If you plan to participate in the trail ride, we recommend you wear long sleeves and full length pants.
- T-shirts, tank tops, long sleeved shirts, shorts, long pants, beachwear, and sleepwear
- Jacket, rain coat, and warm coat (in the winter)
- Walking shoes, trainers, or sneakers (You must bring shoes that cover the feet fully.)
- Mud boots and riding boots, if you have them. (Volunteers may borrow from our collection of boots, but we cannot guarantee the sizes or condition of the available boots.)
- Sandals or flip-flops
- Hat (to protect you from the sun)
- Work gloves (to protect your hands)
- Backpack / rucksack (for excursions)
- Don’t forget your camera!
- Bed linens and bath towels will be provided.
Typical day
A typical day starts around 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM, depending on the season. During the summer, when the weather is really hot, we start earlier and have more breaks. In the morning, you will be part of morning chores, which includes cleaning the horse pens and cleaning for our dogs, chickens and pigs. We also feed and hay all animals. After this, you will have the opportunity to take care of your assigned project horse, if you are a long term volunteer (at least eight weeks). At this time, you will brush, medicate, walk, and spend time with your project horse according to his or her special needs. Over time, you can have more than one project horse or even a dog, chicken, or pig, if you would like. We have a lunch break between 1-3 hours starting around noon. The length of the break depends on the season and the weather.
After lunch, we do different activities throughout the week. We typically work with the horses (this will be Diane, who owns the center, or the other staff members training the horses, and you will get the chance to learn and also participate the more experienced you get). We sometimes take you for a trail ride. We also have one day where we do a project like clearing, repairing fencing, or other maintenance tasks. Volunteers will clean their living area daily. Of course, we do some outings where we will take you to a restaurant, shopping mall, air boating, the dog beach or the regular beach, etc.
How much you get to do of this depends on the length of your stay. The longer you stay, the more you get to do!
A day at the center includes hard work. We are a rescue center and do everything ourselves, as it is expensive to hire staff. Our schedule has a tendency to change due to our many animals, the weather, and other factors. It is important that you keep an open mind, are flexible to change, and have a happy attitude! If you can do that, you will love working with us at the center!
Free-time activities
At your own cost, you may visit surrounding outdoor attractions during your free time as long as you can follow our COVID-19 "social distancing" safety guidelines that will be sent to you when you send your application. This will include many fun activities such as zip lining, paddle boarding, snorkeling, kayaking, etc. You will need to pay for all expenses including entry fees, rentals, and transportation costs through services such as Uber.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the high risk of exposure to COVID-19, all visits to the popular theme parks, such as Disney, Universal, Islands of Adventure, Seaworld, etc, much be scheduled AFTER your stay at Wild Horse Rescue Center has ended.
Water Sports
Swimming
Sightseeing
Diving/
Snorkling
Snorkling
Shopping/
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Museum/
Opera
Opera
Riding
Requirements
In order to join the program you need to be at least 21 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.
You need to speak English (intermediate level)
Please contact us by clicking the blue "Message us" button so that we can send you the documents you need to fill out.
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
Volunteers have to be fluent in comprehending and speaking English. This is a safety matter, as it is crucial for them to understand instructions at the center.
Your helping hand will be required on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
from
07:30
- 17:00
What's Included
The fees include accommodations, food, and transportation to and from the airport.
We pick you up and drop you off from the Orlando International Airport (MCO) either via personal vehicle or shuttle.
You will stay in a room or cabin with up to four people to a room. It is a bunk bed setup, and you will have closet space for your clothes. The kitchen is shared as well as the bathrooms. There is a living room with a television and several movies.
We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. We bring you to the store for you to buy snacks or other food you want apart from what we provide. Dinners and eating out at restaurants is optional but will be at your own cost.
Gluten, lactose, vegetarian, vegan or other food allergies is not a problem! The meals we provide will be pescatarian diet, but you are welcome to buy and cook your own meat.
- You make your own breakfast, but we provide everything from bread, ham, cheese, coffee, tea, juice, fruit, cereals, oats, yogurt, etc.
- Lunch is lighter, and we eat leftovers, sandwiches, salads, wraps, and things like that.
- Dinner is a cooked hot meal with different alternatives such as pasta, fish, rice, potatoes, salad, soup, vegetarian alternatives, etc.
Limited access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
The nearest airport is Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Orlando. We assist you to find cheap flights to United States.
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for United States provides security and is a plus to have.
If you are intending to volunteer in United States you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for United States.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
Details on arrival
Our volunteer program operates 365 days a year, but our capacity is limited, so we recommend booking your stays well in advance. Our volunteer bookings always begin and end on Mondays. We ask that your flights go in and out of the Orlando International Airport (MCO) between 11 am and 8 pm, with arrival and departures on Mondays. Your arrival will need to be on either the first or third Monday of the month.
If flights are not able to be booked for Mondays, please contact us for approval, before booking your flights. There is an additional $50 fee for off-schedule airport transport to cover the costs incurred.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2 - 16 weeks
Program fees
2 weeks
(min. stay)
$1,600
3 weeks
$2,400
4 weeks
$3,200
5 weeks
$4,000
6 weeks
$4,800
7 weeks
$5,600
16 weeks
(max. stay)
$12,800
Average fees
$800
/week
Please note that the above shown program fees are estimated.
WHRC
will let you know about the final price during your application process.
The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.
Your final payment will be agreed with WHRC during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.
Why book with Volunteer World
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application process
- including all necessary payments. Planning your next meaningful trip with Volunteer World gives you free access to our:
Quality Assurance
High ethical standards & transparent social impact
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Change your reservation at no extra costs
Refund Guarantee
We refund your fees if WHRC cancels your trip
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Our services are free of charge!
All program fees are charged directly by WHRC.
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Mustang Rescue Companion
As a volunteer, you will participate in every day horse care and barn upkeep and have the opportunity to have hands-on experience with our rescued and abused horses.
$800/week
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