Ranch & Property Work

Do you love working outside? Have a knack for making ranch properties look pristine? Like the satisfaction of seeing your hard work pay off? Or want to gather with a group of co-workers or family members and make a difference?

TROT is a non profit organization that enriches the lives of people with special needs using equine-assisted activities and therapies. We are situated on 18 acres on the east side of Tucson just on the other side of the Tanque Verde Wash. Our property allows us to build an engaging, safe and beautiful environment for our participants and horses -- and our property volunteers make that happen!

Property projects vary by day but examples include: weeding, raking, tree trimming, hauling debris, picking up mesquite beans, painting mounting blocks & arena obstacles, cleaning horse feeders & water buckets, installing fresh bedding in stalls, digging trenches for irrigation, leveling walkways, etc.

To put it in perspective, the success of a participant and horse is based on their communication. When a participant wants their horse to move forward, they say "Walk on." Getting their horse to go is a huge motivator for our clients, some who may have difficulty expressing themselves with words, others who have a difficult time focusing and staying on task. Weeds and mesquite beans are a tasty treat for a hard working horse and can be the distraction that keeps the horse from keying into their participant and responding appropriately. If a horse is not moving forward after hearing "Walk on", our participant is not getting the positive feedback they need to be successful.

If only we had a team of volunteers dedicating to assisting our Property & Barn Manager in keeping the property in pristine, working condition to facilitate these human/horse connections!