Return to Freedom appreciates our dedicated volunteers who assist with keeping the sanctuary running smoothly! Each year, volunteers contribute over 3,000 hours of work around the ranch in a variety of volunteer activities. Join us for a volunteer work day, arrange a youth group volunteer day, or participate in our In Residence Volunteer Program! Whatever your availability, interest and skillset is, we are happy to have you as part of our volunteer team at a Return to Freedom's Wild Horse Sanctuary!

Learn more about our volunteer opportunities below. If you are interested we would like to get to know you! If you would like to volunteer for one of our public volunteer days, please email volunteers@returntofreedom.org

PUBLIC VOLUNTEER DAYS
Return to Freedom hosts weekly and quarterly volunteer days at our LOMPOC sanctuary location! Please bring your own lunch. Recommended minimum age is eight years. Light refreshments are provided. Wear closed toed shoes, hat, sunblock and bring your water bottle!

QUARTERLY: Once per quarter, join us as we push up our sleeves and tackle specific projects around the ranch.

WEEKLY:For local and regional residents who want to volunteer on a regular basis,
we will schedule a general safety training!

To participate in our next Quarterly Volunteer Day or inquire about Weekly Volunteer days; please contact volunteers@returntofreedom.org. You will receive a short application form so we can learn more about you and then schedule a safety training!

VOLUNTEER AT OUR SAN LUIS OBISPO LOCATION

After volunteering in Lompoc and completing a safety orientation, you may want to join us to volunteer at our satellite sanctuary in San Luis Obispo. Projects there include; water trough cleaning, star thistle eradication, fence maintenance projects, clearing old barb wire, wood and other debris!

Join our volunteer email list to receive volunteer updates. Let us know if you would like to volunteer for fundraisers or tabling events! For more Information, email: volunteers@returntofreedom.org.

IN RESIDENCE/LONG-TERM VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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Participate in the everyday activities of running a wild horse sanctuary: feeding, cleaning, checking fence-lines, observing herds, equine recordkeeping, pasture maintenance and management, nutrition, foal watch, night checks, and assisting our staff veterinarian. Conduct daily herd observation. Depending on your skillset you may also work with our advocacy team, social media, events, development and administrative support!

In-Residence Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis, but limited space is available in the program. After you complete the entire application process, you may be invites to schedule a Skype interview. If you are accepted into the program, you will be eligible to stay onsite at the sanctuary. Accommodation is rustic. In-residence volunteers are required to stay a minimum of one month to three months. On a limited basis, there is also the possibility to extend your program for a longer term.

Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary partners with Experience International, a nonprofit whose mission “promotes leadership development and technical and cultural exchange in fields related to agriculture, forrestry, fisheries, and natural resource management and conservation.” International applicants are encouraged to contact Experience International to learn more about long-term work exchange VISAs when they apply for this program.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE IN RESIDENCE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION FORM

  • DEMOGRAPHICS

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • EDUCATION

  • List: Name and location Graduate? Subjects studied
  • List: Name and location Graduate? Subjects studied
  • List: Name and location Graduate? Subjects studied
  • EMPLOYMENT

  • Include Job Title, Dates employed, Address, Name of supervisor (May we contact? If so, list contact info), Description of work, Reason for leaving.
  • Include Job Title, Dates employed, Address, Name of supervisor (May we contact? If so, list contact info), Description of work, Reason for leaving.
  • Include Job Title, Dates employed, Address, Name of supervisor (May we contact? If so, list contact info), Description of work, Reason for leaving.
  • REFERENCES

    Please list the name and contact information of 3 references we may contact to learn more about you.
  • EMERGENCY CONTACTS

    In the event of an emergency, please contact:
  • Contact #1

  • Contact #2

  • CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT

    CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT It is the policy of the Return to Freedom (RTF) that all employees, contractors and volunteers to hold as privileged and confidential all information, including materials presented to committee and subcommittees, including all minutes of such committees, all results of activities and all members and providers names. All directors, employees, consultants and others who have access to, or are involved in these activities shall adhere to a strict code of confidentiality regarding this information and shall keep information protected and secure at all times. None of the protected information shall be released or discussed in or outside the RTF with any persons who do not have authorized access to and the need for such information. Staff and volunteers shall refrain from asking individuals of celebrity status for autographs or favors. Failure to comply with the above may result in immediate dismissal or other equivalent sanctions by the RTF.
  • AUTHORIZATION SIGNATURE

    “I certify that the facts contained in this application are true and complete to the best of my knowledge and understand that, if I am accepted into the Work Study Program, falsified statements on this application shall be grounds for dismissal.

    I authorize investigation of all statements contained herein and the references and employers listed above to give you any and all information concerning my previous employment and any pertinent information they may have, personal or otherwise, and release the company from all liability for any damage that may result from utilization of such information.

    I also understand and agree that no representative of the company has any authority to enter into any agreement for employment for any specified period of time, or to make any agreement contrary to the foregoing, unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized company representative.”
  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY

Picture Gallery of Volunteers at Work

LEARN MORE

DETAILS ABOUT OUR IN RESIDENCE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

We welcome the opportunity to work with individuals who are seeking to broaden their experience and education. If you are interested in wild horse herd behaviors and social dynamics, observing how wild herds interact with one another in a natural state, or learning about the gentling process of horses never-before-touched by human hands, this is the Work Study Program for you.

Work-study volunteers assist with daily ranch chores and special projects while learning and developing valuable horsemanship skills by observing behavior among the wild herds at the sanctuary. You will be given time each day to study herd dynamics and are recommended to maintain a journal of your observations. There will also be an opportunity to participate in a Wild Horse Walk during your stay.

Return to Freedom Volunteers and Visitors with Wild Horses
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If you are selected to participate in our Work Study Program, you will be expected to volunteer six to seven hours a day on either equine care, sanctuary improvement projects, or administrative support, as well as assist with night check. We want to be sure you manage your daily projects within six to seven hours so you can give yourself a minimum of one hour a day to observe wild horse herd behavior. Depending upon your skill level, you may be assigned a special project to focus on during your stay here.

All participants are responsible for their own food and towels. We shall provide accommodations where possible (limited availability). An $80.00 cleaning deposit for your accommodation will be required upon arrival. Cooking supplies, a microwave, and fridge are available for our volunteers to use. Due to our limited staff, we prefer that you arrange your own transportation to and from the airport and trips to town, but will do our best to assist in helping participants to schedule transportation to and from the sanctuary from nearby airports or train stations. If necessary, we can also make sure that you get into town from time to time to purchase supplies, etc.

Our Work Study program is popular and, because of this, we do have a formal application process. After we have received all of your application materials, we will review them and contact you to arrange an interview. Additionally, please know that we can only accommodate participants able to commit a minimum of two weeks to the program. Longer work-study visits are arranged on a case-by-case basis.

It should be noted that you are responsible for and must supply proof of medical insurance coverage. Volunteers must notify their carrier of their pending participation at our sanctuary and provide coverage in the event of any accident or injury. You must be 18 years or older to be considered for our Work Study Program.

Our Projects Include But Are Not Limited to:

  • Ranch management and improvements
  • Rare and heritage breed documentation and record-keeping
  • “Herd Histories” project research and development
  • Kid’s Programs
  • Special Events
  • Sanctuary sustainability infrastructure development
    (i.e. water catchment, solar panel installation, manure composting)
  • Habitat preservation and restoration
  • Horse communication, care, and handling (for people with prior horse experience)

Additional programs entail team projects with different experts involved with ecology, anthropology, wildlife, and other fields of study.

INTERVIEW WITH THREE IN-RESIDENCE VOLUNTEERS AT RETURN TO FREEDOM
Return to Freedom Interns
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Above, from left, Samantha Asher, Karen Schellekens and Josephine Blossfeld are three of Return to Freedom’s 2016 In-Residence Work-Study Volunteers

This summer, Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary hosted a dozen terrific work-study volunteers from Europe, Canada and the United States.

Samantha Asher, Josephine Blossfeld and Karen Schellekens often spent long days preparing and providing special feeds and homeopathic remedies to our special needs horses and burros, making daily checks of water, fences and the overall well-being of the horses, updating the equine database, making notes about the horses, assisting when horses were vaccinated, wormed and having their feet trimmed, and helping out with visitors, volunteers and special events. In their spare time, they went riding and spent hours watching the horses interact in their family bands on the ranch.

In August, Samantha, 20, of Cirencester, England, returned to The Royal Agricultural University to complete her degree in Equine Management after five months at Return to Freedom’s Wild Horse and Burro Sanctuary. Josephine, 19, of Hornbeak, Denmark, and Karen, 21, of Antwerp, Belgium, arrived in June and July, respectively, and will finish up their work study program this month. Josephine has spent her time since school working with horses and sharpening her photography skills. Karen, will have completed her studies in biological and agronomical studies when she finishes her work study program here, where she came to write her thesis on herd dynamics and dominant behaviors.

How did you come to RTF?

Samantha: Through a mutual friend of (Return to Freedom President and Founder) Neda (DeMayo) and mine. I came for a university placement.

Karen: I needed an internship, and I was very interested in the situation of the American wild horse. I was looking for sanctuaries, but I didn’t see anything that met my expectations. My mom saw a video online about the horses being rounded up and it was from Return to Freedom, so I sent in an application for the In-Residence Work-Study Volunteer Program.

Josephine: I was here for a clinic in May with horse trainer Linda Salinas. Then, I found out you can apply for an In-Residence Work-Study Program, so I applied right before I got on the plane. I came back three weeks later.

What did you know about wild horses and burros and about the wild horse issue before coming to RTF?

Samantha: I knew very little, but I wanted to learn. I knew about the horrible things (the Bureau of Land Management) did during and after roundups and how horses and burros have emotional and family bonds. I knew most about the Sulphur Springs herd from studying at university, how rare and special the breed is.

Karen: I looked up a little bit about the whole situation and what was going on. What inspired me most in the beginning was the Cloud documentary. Then, I looked on the website for Return to Freedom, where there’s lots of information. Once you come here, you realize how bad it is – there are so many horses (in government holding pens and pastures) that need homes. There’s nothing like that in Belgium.

Josephine: I knew there were wild horses in America and about the Spanish bloodlines, because I’d worked with Spanish horses in Europe. (After attending the training clinic), I thought (RTF) was amazing and that (an internship) was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I met Samantha at the clinic and we got along really well. I wanted to know more about wild horses. When you’re a horse trainer, it’s key to know about wild horses.

What challenges did you encounter as an in-resident work-study volunteer?

Samantha: At first, it was just me working so it was a lot to take on and cope with time management. Once I established a schedule things were much easier. But my hardest challenge was becoming a leader and a manager when two other interns came to the ranch.

Karen: I have never worked with wild horses or horses that are completely unfamiliar with people, so that was pretty challenging. You have to be really careful about your body language and what sort of energy you project. The training method that (RTF uses) is by Carolyn Resnick, and I wasn’t familiar with that method until I came here. You have to be so focused on yourself — that you’re not doing anything that the horses can pick up on. The traditional method that’s used back in Belgium is nothing like that.

Josephine: We are responsible for many things, so to know everything that’s going on can be a challenge with more than 100 horses.

How is working with RTF’s horses and burros different than working with other horses?

Samantha: The RTF horses and burros are so special and sensitive. The domestic ones are so easy to do so long as you are calm and quiet around them (that is what they are used to). Domestic horses are trained to put up with anything and to not be so sensitive to the little queues that the RTF horses pick up on and react to.

Josephine: There’s a huge difference. It’s something completely different. You have to think. You really have to stay focused all the time. But it’s so much more interesting because they haven’t been broken by people. These are pure horses that are totally themselves.

If you attended a BLM roundup, what was that experience like?

Samantha: The roundup was an incredible experience. Luckily, it was not as awful as some and most of them are. No horses died while I was there (although one did die later, as a result of capture), whereas at a lot of roundups many horses die every day. It was long hard days of getting up early taking pictures, writing continuous notes, sending information back to Neda and then coping with the emotional heartbreak of watching these (wild horse) families being split up.

What question or questions did you receive most often from visitors or volunteers?

Samantha: How many horses does Return to Freedom have? [Answer: 333 horses and 46 burros total in three locations].

Josephine: They ask how we like it or how did we hear about it. Many say that they are so jealous because this is such an amazing opportunity.

What’s something about wild horses or burros that might surprise people who haven’t worked with them?

Samantha: Burros: they can be very reclusive and some can be mean/territorial. Horses: their family bonds are just as strong, if not stronger, than bonds between humans.

Karen: The fact that they’re so sensitive and that they’re incredibly social. People forget that horses are social animals and have to live in a herd. I’m very happy to see that the family bands are respected here and are not being torn apart like they are on the range.

Josephine: I have seen a few people be surprised about how scared (wild horses) can be of you. (People may be surprised) that there are so many different bloodlines and so much history in the horses.

What was the highlight of your time at the sanctuary?

Samantha: Working with Neda and learning from her. She is so knowledgeable and really understands the horses. Being able to watch her and learn some of what she knows is information I will take with me for the rest of my life and never forget.

Karen: I met Jaime Jackson, who is a very famous barefoot trimmer. He’s one of my idols. He also invented the Paddock Paradise (a management system based on how horses behave in the wild). You don’t just give horses hay and some water; they have to walk around to get to the hay and get to the water. There’s a lot of movement. Another one of the highlights is just being able to observe the horses. You don’t get bored because it’s so interesting. Wild horses are the best way to learn about horse behavior — you can’t learn that from a domestic horse that’s in a stall all day.

Josephine: That I’ve been able to connect with some of the horses here and get a relationship with them — especially after knowing what they’ve been through. They still want to connect with you. That’s been pretty rewarding.

I know this will be a tough one, but what’s your favorite RTF horse and why?

Samantha: I would have to say Hubert (a 4-year-old gelding from the Fort McDermitt Paiute Shoshone Reservation area of Northern Nevada). When he first got put under my radar for training I knew he was special. He started out scared of everything, leaving you to sit in his corral for an hour or so with a bucket of grain and a halter waiting for him to come to you. After just a few months of working with him he is now the most loveable, kind and friendly horse I know. Everyone who meets him wants to adopt him, and I am just so proud of how far he has come. But I can’t forget about my Buenos Aires (a 15-year-old Kiger / Pryor Mountain mustang gelding and the son of Spirit). He has taught me so much about being more sensitive with horses and relaxing and just having fun. I didn’t train him — I think he trained me and I love him so much. He is amazing to ride and just an awesome horse in general.

Karen: I would have to go with Chloe (a rescued 9-year-old buckskin mare). She was one of the horses that we were able to work with. We had the opportunity to go into a pasture and just see which horse would come up to us, and Chloe came up to me. I didn’t have a lot of expectations. Once we started working, we just clicked. She’s so focused on you and picks up on everything you do. She’s such an amazing horse.

Josephine: Sutter, Neda’s 30-year-old stallion. It’s so unique that he was caught in the Calico roundup (in Nevada’s Calico Mountain Complex) when he was 2, then he was abused, yet today he is still willing to bond with people and welcome people into his world. He shouldn’t really trust people, anymore, (because of his past), but he just does. And Heather, (a rescued 9-year-old gray mare) — Neda gave me her as a horse to work with on her ground manners and ride. We’ve been out riding a lot. She’s a challenge, but it’s been fun.

What are the most valuable lessons that you learned?

Samantha: I learned that the wild horses and burros aren’t what they seem. You always have to look that little bit deeper to really understand them. But I really learnt to come out of my shell and take charge of the situation when in a management position, which I really needed to learn. I am so glad I got the opportunity to take on that position and grow both in the job and myself.

Karen: Just being with (horses) can give you so much more than working with them or riding them. Most people who are with a horse always want to do something with it. You can get so much more if you spend time just being with them in the pasture. They’re magnificent beings, and they have to be respected.

Josephine: It’s always a huge lesson just to travel and be in a new environment. You learn to communicate with people and other staff members. I’m going to take so much from the horses that will stay in my toolbox forever. (For example), to work with a wild horse gives you such a basic knowledge about the horse. It gave me a totally new understanding that will definitely benefit me in the future.

What do you aspire to do next?

Samantha: If everything works out, I would love to come back and work at Return to Freedom. It was the best working place I have ever been in, and I learnt more in these few months than I have at university.

Karen: My dream is to become a trainer or someone who can work with problem horses and educate people about how to take care of their horses. I would like to do a post-graduate course in animal behavior, especially horses.

Josephine: I’m probably going to come back! I aspire to do more with my photography. I’ve done a lot here. I’m going to come back here and volunteer and travel around California. And, of course, I’ve been inspired to help the wild horses.

What one piece of advice would you give young people interested in working with horses?

Samantha: Just do it! When it comes to horses they need to know that they can trust you and that you won’t lead them to danger. Once you have their trust they will do anything for you. If you are kind and understanding but sure of yourself, the horses will just come to you. If you ever falter, something will go wrong. Working with horses is a very rewarding thing. It may not make you rich, but if you really love them, it will make you unbelievably happy.

Karen: Learn to appreciate them the way they are. Learn to not want anything out of it. The traditional horse industry is you have to win and do this or do that. If you’re just with them, you’ll get so much more out of it than if you win a competition. I feel like those kind of people don’t let a horse be a horse. When you’re with them, you get this sense of gratitude that you’re allowed to be part of their lives and they’re accepting you. Horses don’t judge you — you can be who you are with them.

Josephine: My best advice would be just to appreciate that we are able to be around horses today and that there are still actually wild horses. It’s such an incredible, rewarding thing to be a part of. I think everyone should try to have a relationship with a horse.

PROFILE: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN RTF VOLUNTEER (January 17, 2017)
Return to Freedom Stalla and Lisa
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Above: RTF volunteer Lisa Drittenbas visits new friend Shalla.

What’s it like to be a volunteer at Return to Freedom’s American Wild Horse Sanctuary?

Let Lisa Drittenbas, who recently spent time at RTF, tell you all about it:

My very first day as a volunteer started with a ride on the Kubota to the upper field with Jay, one of RTF’s sanctuary team members. It had rained and rained the days before but today was sunny and beautiful, with the deep green hills as a backdrop. I jumped out and plunged my big black boots into mud a foot deep, carefully waded over to open the chain on the big metal gate and swung it open. Jay drove through and we stopped and spread a bale of hay out for about 10 horses and a burro. The horses were getting excited and nipping at the hay in the back of the Kubota but a few claps and waves of Jay’s arm sent them a few feet away so that we could finish spreading the hay. We slipped and slid through the mud on our way back out in the Kubota and I closed the gate again.

Then we headed to the stables. The stables are where some of the special needs horses live. There’s Antonia, who is old and doesn’t have any teeth, some other horses who might have gotten colicky and needed some special food and care, and a couple donkeys, one who was so sweet and gentle, named Lola. My first job was — you guessed it — cleaning stables. Scooping up poop and putting it into a big green wheelbarrow with a rake is excellent exercise. I highly recommend it to work off those Christmas cookies.

Meanwhile, Jay and Elric, another RTF team member, were trimming hooves. They had to temporarily separate Shalla, who is (RTF President) Neda (DeMayo’s) horse, and her mother, Taj, beautiful white, Arabians. But Shalla was not having it. She kept banging her front hoof on the metal gate and causing a big commotion. That afternoon, when I came back, they had been put back together in the main arena and were running around it in circles, bucking and kicking and generally having a great time.

After lunch, it was time for the afternoon special feed. Now, the donkeys in the stable don’t get an afternoon special feed, and they were letting their displeasure known with a loud “Hee awwa! Hee awww!’’ Lola did get one little ball of wet food though, because she needed the medicine hidden inside it, and she ate it so tenderly from my hand I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t realize burros could be so gentle and soft and lovely!

We made up the afternoon special feed, customized for each horse. Not all horses get special feed, just 30 or so. Each one has a big white bucket with their name on it, like “Cowboy” or “Texaco.” Their food requirements are listed on a big white board. Jay and I formed an assembly line: he scooped in the low or high carb pellets or oats, I added water to it and a half scoop of vitamin powder and stirred. We hefted these heavy white buckets onto the Kubota (a great triceps workout!) and drove down to the lower pasture, mucked through the mud again and distributed the feed to various horses. By then, the days’ tasks were pretty much finished.

All of the animals have their own dispositions and personalities. Sutter, the 30 year old, is pretty mellow, as you would expect. Spirit — has a lot of spirit! Diamante slobbers whenever you feed him.
Some of them will come right up to you and snort hot breath on your face as they smell you and say hello. Or, they will turn around and present their rumps to you for a nice scratch. Others are a little skittish, such as Marilyn, who is blind in one eye. You have to stay on her right side and talk to her so she doesn’t get spooked.

The horses are amazing. They are so natural. Sturdy, healthy. Some are friendly, some shy away from people, but I never felt afraid of them. Of course, I was careful to watch out and respect them from a distance. They are huge, powerful animals and I let them have their space. Some have such beautiful coloring — dark, almost black hooves gradually yielding to warm reds, with manes that alternate blond and brown. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to contribute to their care. And to make it even better, several times I was sincerely thanked for being there. Today, my task was to help spread absorbent pellets and shredded wood in the stables, a relatively simple thing to do. After I helped fill up the food bins with big 25-pound bags Elric seemed to read my mind. He said, “Even if you don’t think you’re doing much, your help is so much appreciated. It really means a lot.” And I really felt he meant it. It feels great to be so valued and to have a chance to make connections with such amazing animals and people here at RTF. I will definitely be back!
—Lisa Drittenbas
January 13, 2017