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Diamonds in the Rough Farm, Inc. is run entirely by volunteers and it takes an enormous amount of work, of a variety of types, to create a safe, healthy and secure home for these wonderful horses. If you are thinking about becoming a DRFarm volunteer, please read the list to find your fit.

Cleaning up the grounds.  Water buckets need to be scrubbed, the barn needs to be swept, manure needs to be shoveled. Lots of work goes into maintaining a healthy environment for the horses. Regular waste removal, for example, keeps disease-carrying flies to a minimum and as an added benefit to the Farm; we bag our organic manure for local gardeners. 

Moving feed, hay, other materials. Food is constantly needing to be brought to the Farm, and once there, it needs to be stored in the barn, moved to fields or other locales. We need volunteers to move this and some of the other heavy materials that keep the Farm operating.  

Repairing fences, gates, building siding. hoses, plumbing, etc.  Have your own hammer and nails? Handy around a house and yard? These jobs might be perfect for you. 

Working directly with the horses. Our horses need regular attention. They must be groomed and bathed, have their hooves cleaned and their manes and tails brushed.  Many of our horses have been mis-handled in the past. We work hard to assure that they stay healthy and happy, learning to trust humans again and feeling comfortable at the Farm. To reach these goals, our horses need to see the same people consistently, and be handled in the same manner by all. If you wish to volunteer to work directly with the horses, you must be able to make a commitment to be at the Farm on a regular basis, and be trained in Parelli Natural Horsemanship (PNH) techniques.  (You can learn more about learning Natural Horsemanship the Parelli way at www.Parelli.com) 

Fund Raising. Because we are a charity, we must constantly raise funds to support the work of DRFarm. There are numerous ways you can help in fundraising. If you wish to be involved in one or more of the following activities, you will be invited to meet with the DRFarm Board to get the information and training you will need to become one of our fund-raisers. 

• Putting up posters in local businesses and regularly servicing those locations

• Talking to local groups once you have sufficient knowledge of how the Farm operates, its mission, and the message we wish to convey to the pubic.

• Writing for publications – local newspapers and magazines will carry stories about the Farm, its mission and its residents. We need to get the word out!

• Working at local farmers’ markets and special community events– handing out informational materials, manning a table to answer questions and receive donations

• Securing equine art – one of our biggest fundraising opportunities is to have fine art donated on behalf of the Farm for an auction that is held each year by Thoroughbred Charities of America in Lexington Kentucky. If you think you have contacts, we will be pleased to discuss this program further with you.

• Knocking on doors of potential donor businesses and individuals  – we need volunteers who will keep the Farm in mind as they move through the community. As examples: A friend or neighbor might have an old car or other motor vehicle they might donate for us to sell;  we desperately need a working tractor; a regular supply of feed and hay would be of tremendous value;  and more. Many of us also have associations with business or influential community members who can be of help to DRFarm.

• Grant writing – a number of organizations will support horse rescue/retirement operations like Diamonds in the Rough Farm. Volunteers with experience in identifying grant-giving institutions and writing grant applications would be a valuable asset. 

Have you determined the area of support you would like to provide as a DRFarm volunteer? As your next step, please print out and sign the volunteer information forms you will find on the web site. In addition, pay special attention to the General Rules. By signing that you have read the rules, you are agreeing to hold yourself responsible for following them and you are agreeing to serve as an ambassador for DRFarm in making sure visitors to the Farm adhere to them as well. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

 Know anyone else who you think might like to help us with any of these volunteer activities? Please pass the word and have them get in touch with us at Diamonds in the Rough Farm.  

Thank you for your interest in helping the horses!

Volunteer Information Forms PDF