Family volunteering with brown horse

Volunteer at Horse Haven

Looking for face-to-face interaction with Horse Haven residents? You can help with daily care and provide companionship to the horses and our other equine friends.

The rescued horses who reside here in the scenic pastures of our animal sanctuary in southern Utah (along with a number of donkeys, mules, and goats) were brought to Best Friends because they were neglected, abused, or abandoned — or because their families could no longer afford to keep them. 

No matter what their background or current needs, all the animals at Horse Haven find refuge thanks to people like you who volunteer their time to help horses and other homeless pets.

Horse Haven Photo Icon

Enrich the lives of the Horse Haven residents with the gift of your time

Have a fun and fulfilling day with the horses and caring volunteers like you.

 See what a day in the life of a Horse Haven volunteer looks like: 

Here’s what you can expect as a volunteer at Horse Haven

When you lend a hand at Horse Haven — from feeding horses to cleaning a pasture area to taking a horse for a walk — you’ll be improving the lives of the horses and our other equine friends.

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Volunteer Tasks

As a Horse Haven volunteer, you can lend a hand with feeding and watering, restocking feed, mucking and raking, grooming, and socializing. You might also help with various cleaning, maintenance, and upkeep tasks.

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Time Commitment

You can choose from two volunteer shifts daily: 8:15-11:30 a.m. and 1:15-4 p.m.   

We also offer disability-friendly shifts that are shorter and last for one hour total. 

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Volunteer Requirements

To volunteer at Horse Haven, you need to be at least 16 years old. Minors under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult at all times while volunteering. One adult can supervise two minors. 

Safety guidelines: We're focused on keeping you and our animal friends safe while you're volunteering. Before your trip to the Sanctuary, make sure you've read through what to expect at the Sanctuary and in specific animal areas.

Book your volunteer experience

Ready to plan your time at Horse Haven? We’re so excited you’ll be joining us soon — and the horses are, too!

Scheduling your volunteer shifts in advance is highly recommended, and shifts can be scheduled as far as one year in advance. You can check the availability of shifts anytime.

Sign Up to Volunteer

Once you sign up and complete your volunteer agreement, you can access the full list of volunteer opportunities.

If you already have a Best Friends volunteer profile, go to the volunteer portal to see opportunities available to you.

Volunteers with disabilities are welcome! Contact us to learn about volunteering with a disability; we offer shorter hour-long shifts for anyone interested. Email volunteers@bestfriends.org or call 435-319-0622 with questions or sign up for a shift.

Read about the horses, mules, goats, and more!

Check out these tales about our friends at Horse Haven and the people like you who love them.

Equine trainer Christian Mathews putting a saddle on Byron the mustang

A mustang’s breakthrough

Byron was born in the wild, and today he’s learning the ropes to become a solid riding partner.
He's now a riding partner
Best Friends Magazine
Emma Dean the mama horse eating or drinking from a trough, next to Marina her foal

14-hour rescue of a stranded mama horse and baby

When rising water levels at Lake Powell marooned a mare and her filly, it took teamwork and ingenuity to get them to safety.
Read about their rescue plans A, B, and C
Feature
Two foals and two mares running

First frolicking foals born at Best Friends

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary just welcomed a trio of tiny trotters, and everyone is falling in love.
Meet the babies
Video
Silhouette of two horses and a goat

Adopt or sponsor a horse

Looking to welcome a horse or other equine friend into your life? Great! Start your search today and browse our adoptable animals.

Animal Previews
Animal Previews
Animal Previews
Animal Previews

Sponsor a Sponsor a Horse Haven resident

Touched by a horse’s story or feel a special connection to a horse here at the Sanctuary? Provide a little extra TLC with the gift of sponsorship.

See all equines available to adopt or sponsor

A horse and donkey together in a pasture

Volunteer opportunities for groups

We have rewarding group volunteer experiences for your business, organization, college, or community group looking for a one-of-a-kind volunteer opportunity.
Volunteering as a group

Know before you go

If you’re not sure where to get lunch or what to wear in southern Utah during seasonal weather, we’ve got you covered.

Our animal sanctuary is an incredibly special place, and we’ll help you figure out everything you need to know to ensure that your visit is the trip of your dreams. 

Find out what to expect
Entrance sign to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Getting to our animal sanctuary

Ready to plan your volunteer trip to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in beautiful southern Utah? We have everything you need to know to get started. 
Start planning your trip
Person giving a pig a bath

More ways to help at our sanctuary

With seven different animal areas and acres of canyon lands surrounding the Sanctuary, you’ll have plenty of choices for where you can lend a hand. 
Volunteering at the Sanctuary