Anyone with a love for horses and a desire to help is welcome to volunteer. Volunteers come from all walks of life and can be of any age, shape, or size. Retirees, students, and working professionals are all encouraged to apply. Teens ages 16–17 can also get involved through our Junior Volunteer Program.

The first step is to complete a Volunteer Application, either online or by printing the PDF version (both available above). If printing, please mail or hand-deliver the completed form to Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines, 1710 Ridge Road, Pottstown, PA 19465.You'll also need to complete a background check and the Photo Release Form.You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application. Teens ages 16–17 can learn about our Junior Volunteer Program above.Once your application is reviewed, our office will reach out to schedule an interview. If you're accepted as a volunteer, we'll follow up with next steps to get you started.

There are a few volunteers who come and help several times a week, faithfully, all year long. There are several volunteers who are able to give us one or two days a week, and many who can offer to be here at least twice a month. All are valuable and appreciated for the time they are willing to give!

Ryerss Farm uses its volunteers for many different tasks. Some volunteer in the administrative office and gift shop doing work on the mailing lists, selling items in the shop, making some of the hand-crafted items we sell, answering phones and doing general office duties. Other volunteers work in the barn and outdoor areas doing things such as: cleaning and mucking stalls, spreading straw, lime, shavings and hay in stalls, cleaning and filling water pails and troughs, cleaning feed buckets, cob-webbing, re-placing salt licks, painting stall numbers, painting gates and other barn areas, cleaning and sweeping, filling feed buckets, grooming horses, bringing horses in and turning out of the barn, gardening, giving tours, decorating the barn for holiday events and helping with those events (i.e., Open House in December, Yard Sale and Blessing of the Animals). This may be an incomplete list, but know that everything at Ryerss is done with the welfare of the horses in mind. After all, our mission statement is “The care and shelter of aged and abused horses,” and that is our ultimate goal.Please note: all incoming volunteers begin their service in our Gift Shop or Special Events. Openings for hands-on barn and horse care are offered on a seniority basis to active volunteers as spots become available.

Yes, a background check is required for all volunteers. The $22 fee is waived for Ryerss Farm volunteers.

You have three options:Complete your background check online, then upload the confirmation document directly with your application.Complete your background check online and email the confirmation to our Office Manager, Melissa Tiska, at mtiska@ryerssfarm.org.Download the form, fill it out by hand, and mail it to the Pennsylvania State Police in Harrisburg. This will take 4–6 weeks.

This depends on which background check option you choose (see above): upload the confirmation directly with your application, email it to our Office Manager, or mail the paper form to the Pennsylvania State Police.

There are no costs to volunteer. The $22 background check fee is waived for Ryerss Farm volunteers.

Yes! Families are encouraged to volunteer together. It’s a great way to bond while supporting a worthy cause.

Yes, groups are welcome to volunteer. Please contact Ryerss Farm in advance to coordinate group activities.

Yes, all volunteers will receive training to ensure they are comfortable and confident in their roles.

It is not necessary to have experience with horses, only to love them! There are many chores to be done around Ryerss Farm that do not involve direct contact with the horses (see list above). If you eventually would like to do more hands-on work with our horses, this is possible as you gain experience and training from our helpful and capable staff and fellow volunteers.

Some tasks, such as cleaning stalls or lifting supplies, may require physical activity. If you have any limitations, let the staff know, and they will assign you to tasks that suit your abilities.

Our standard Volunteer Program is open to adults ages 18 and older. Teens ages 16–17 can apply through our Junior Volunteer Program, which includes a required parent or guardian orientation and co-signed application. Please see the Junior Volunteer Program section above for details.

Wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes or boots suitable for working around horses.

Yes, short-term opportunities are available for specific events or projects. Contact the office to learn more.

Contact Ryerss Farm at (610) 469-0533 for more information.

Junior volunteers (ages 16-17) help out in our Gift Shop, greet visitors, and bring our community events to life, gaining hands-on experience in nonprofit operations, retail, and hospitality. Because our resident horses are seniors with specialized care needs, hands-on barn and horse-handling activities are reserved for adult volunteers.

The first step is completing our Junior Volunteer Application. A parent or guardian will need to join for a brief initial orientation and co-sign the application to get started.