Natural Horsemanship Assistant

location
1 - 2 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Outstanding 5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Get trained in some of the best natural horsemanship methods under Asia's only certified Monty Roberts instructor
  • Discover the Marwari, a native Indian horse breed you can't find anywhere else in the world
  • Discover how to train horses in non-violent ways

Highlights

  • Get trained in some of the best natural horsemanship methods under Asia's only certified Monty Roberts instructor
  • Discover the Marwari, a native Indian horse breed you can't find anywhere else in the world
  • Discover how to train horses in non-violent ways
  • Learn how to teach others to connect with horses
  • Experience what it's like to live in Incredible India


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Spend some time with us and our amazing Marwari horses for a unique opportunity to be trained in natural horsemanship and experience Incredible India!

    Our program is for you if you're interested in learning about natural horsemanship, being around rescued dogs and cats, and discovering what it's like to live in Incredible India! 

    There are three main facets to our volunteer program: 

    1) Learn natural horsemanship, commonly referred to as "horse ...

    About the program

    Our program is for you if you're interested in learning about natural horsemanship, being around rescued dogs and cats, and discovering what it's like to live in Incredible India! 

    There are three main facets to our volunteer program: 

    1) Learn natural horsemanship, commonly referred to as "horse whispering"

    Manjeev is an officially certified Monty Roberts instructor - the only one in Asia. He has spent extensive time working with and training horses, including wild mustangs in the US. He also got involved in mental health projects using horses to help war veterans with PTSD and troubled youth, among many others. Charlotte is a Monty Roberts advanced student. She is passionate about helping people bond with horses as well as build leadership and confidence skills through their relationships with horses. 

    Our volunteer programs offer the opportunity to learn about horses, their psychology and body language as well as the right way to work and communicate with them and all from the ground! The first part of the program will focus on teaching you the basics of natural horsemanship in theory and giving you the chance to implement it in practice with our horses who are all safe and trained. You will then assist in our natural horsemanship workshop and courses, as well as in the workshops we run outside of the farm. 

    2) Rehabilitate rescued dogs and cats 

    We have 9 rescued dogs and two rescued cats. They are all very, very keen on attention and cuddles and the more we can give them, the better. Depending on your comfort level, the program involves taking the dogs for a walk, playing with them, as well as bonding. We are also very involved with the local animal rescue organisations. You are welcome to join us there too. 

    3) Experiencing Incredible India 

    The horse ranch is in the country side, about 15km from where we (and you, as a volunteer) live, in the heart of town. This means you'll get to experience two sides of India. On the one hand, you'll see the beautiful country side and it's surrounding villages, where we can go on long walks and hikes in gorgeous forests. On the other hand, you'll get to experience the excitement of being based at the heart of a bustling town, where there is a lot to do, from going to museums, experience cool cafes and book shops, going for a massage (and the downside: getting stuck the in-famous Asian traffic jams!)

    You'll get to see the side of India that you don't see on TV and in documentaries: how "normal" people live. You will be staying with us at our home inside a gated complex walking distance from modern amenities such as Starbucks, cinemas and plenty of delicious restaurants and street food and even a spa! You'll have your own room, bathroom, living room area with a private access to the balcony. 


    Why we need your help and what difference will you make? 

    1) bonding with animals

    With 9 dogs, 4 horses and two cats, we struggle to spend enough quality time with each of our animals. Real quality time is when you relax with them, cuddle, interact, and train them on a one-on-one basis. You'll make a big difference to them by giving them the much-needed attention they deserve. 

    2) learning gentle horse training methods 

    By learning natural horsemanship, you will help us spread these non-violent training methods. The more people understand horse psychology and gentle horse training, the better chance we will have to eradicate violent methods. 

    3) help with our courses 

    You will help us during our courses and workshops by assisting and, depending on your level of comfort and experience, guiding our students in their interactions with the horses, as well as dogs and cats. 

    4) help us with the local animal shelters

    We are heavily involved in two local shelters. One is a dog rescue where we go regularly to walk the dogs and bond with them. The other is a sanctuary with horses (and many other animals) where we conduct pro-bono natural horsemanship workshops to help raise funds. If you want, you can help us with our work with them. 

    5) help out at the farm 

    Do you have a green thumb? Do you like learning about plants and taking care of them? Then we need you to help take care of the greenery on the farm! If you don't know much about that side of things, it's a great opportunity to learn. 

    6) help with social media 

    Do you like taking photos or writing? If so, we'd love you to help us create posts and updates about the farm, as well help write about equine welfare awareness. 

    ***

    We get very involved with our volunteers and want to make sure they have the best time possible, learning as much as they can as well as enjoying all the things we offer to our clients. This is why we don't take more than 2 volunteers at any time to make sure we can give the best quality time. 

    We'll provide you all your meals, delicious home cooked vegetarian food! 

    Although we run our program throughout the year, note that the best period is from October to March only as it is very hot in April-May-June and very wet (because of the monsoon) in Jul-Aug-Sept. If you're feeling brave (and it's been done!!) you are welcome during summer/monsoon!



    Typical day

    We usually start the day by driving to the farm. We do a round to check that everything is okay, and take that opportunity to say hello to every animal. We take some of the dogs out for a nice walk in the surrounding countryside. We then go on to groom all the horses, spending quality time in the ...

    Typical day

    We usually start the day by driving to the farm. We do a round to check that everything is okay, and take that opportunity to say hello to every animal. We take some of the dogs out for a nice walk in the surrounding countryside. We then go on to groom all the horses, spending quality time in the process, before doing some natural horsemanship sessions. The sessions include a mix of theory and practice and are designed to give you the tools to eventually handle the horses independently. You'll learn everything you need to know to read their body language so that you can create a beautiful bond with them. We then head back home for lunch (or have lunch at the farm, depending on the weather). Post lunch is usually a time of rest, where you can chill with the animals, read a book or head out to the local shops (or even get a massage!). 

    The afternoons are similar to the mornings: walking the dogs that didn't get an outing in the mornings, followed by some sessions with the horses. We also shower everyone (dogs and horses) depending on the weather. 

    We end the day by feeding the horses and chilling at the farm, enjoying the starry sky and farm cooked food, before driving back home for the night. 

    We are also very involved with the local dog shelter, and you are welcome to join our endeavours there, which include visiting the shelter, taking the dogs out and giving them much needed cuddles! We also like to take our own dogs on long walks in the forest, often combined with a picnic. 

    Our proximity to shops/cafes makes it easy for you to disappear and have a coffee, meal etc if you wish to or go and explore town. 

    We are also ideally located if you want to go take a day to go and visit the Taj Mahal, as well as major sights in Delhi 


    Free-time activities

    If you want to go anywhere you can easily call a taxi (Uber works great here). There all sorts of activities that you typically find in big cities such as yoga, parks etc. You can also take a day to go and visit the Taj Mahal. 

    Free-time activities

    If you want to go anywhere you can easily call a taxi (Uber works great here). There all sorts of activities that you typically find in big cities such as yoga, parks etc. You can also take a day to go and visit the Taj Mahal. 


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (intermediate level)

    Required Documents

    CV and Cover letter

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    You do need to be an animal lover. You also should not be scared of getting dirty as we are outdoors. In summer, we get up early in the morning (5am) to avoid the heat during the day.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 07:00 - 18:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Natural Horsemanship India

    The fees you pay go towards the care and well being of our horses and other animals, as a priority. It covers all the time we dedicate to teaching you. We are passionate about what we do and our methods, which is why we always ensure that you get to learn as much as possible. As such, by volunteering, you actually only pay a fraction of what you would be paying to learn all these skills. Your contribution also helps us finance the charity projects that we do and don't get paid for, as well as take care of the rescue horses and dogs we have picked up along the way.  

    The fees include a pickup and drop off from New Delhi airport (provided you land between 8am-9pm) 

    It includes all your meals on the days you work (if you take a day off to go to town or do something else it's not covered). You will also be given a local sim card with a one-off recharge. Alcohol and restaurant outings are not included. 

    Airport Pickup at Indira Gandhi International Airport

    We live approx 30-45 min from Delhi International Airport. We will organise airport pick-up/drops between 7am-10pm. If you land outside of these hours, we recommend you stay in a hotel in aerocity and we can pick you up the following day. 

    Accommodation

    You will stay with us, you'll have your own space and privacy, including a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and a private living room area.  Your meals are provided. We live in a safe, guarded, enclosed community.  

    Food & Beverages

    We eat mostly vegetarian food at home so we can easily accommodate vegetarians (and we don't mind meat eaters). We are happy to try to accommodate other dietary requirements but may need your help to cook the food you need in that case. 

    Alcohol, restaurants outings excluded. 

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in Delhi. We assist you to find cheap flights to India. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for India provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in India you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for India. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    We operate on a rolling basis so you can start whenever it suits you (depending on our availabilities of course). We will pick you up from Delhi airport. 

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 748€
    2 weeks (max. stay) 1,463€
    Average fees 739€/week

    Program fees

    739€ per week 1 - 2 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 2 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Natural Horsemanship India during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Natural Horsemanship India

    Outstanding 5 rating (9 reviews)

    Agency - founded in 2014

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Excellent response rate

    Coordinated by

    Charlotte

    About the project

    We teach and train people in the non-violent methods of Natural Horsemanship

    Meet your organization

    The organisation was created by two advanced students of the world renown horse whisperer Monty Roberts. After spending some time training at his school in California, we set up a Natural Horsemanship Centre in India's capital. We are India's only natural horsemanship school. Horses have long been part of India's history and culture but a lot of the methods used are traditional and can be painful and cruel for horses. Horses are also used in construction sites or markets as working animals, owned by people who are not educated as to how to best take care of them. We work in partnership with local NGOs to help train rescued horses as well as spread the word on non-violent ways of training and being on and around horses. We also work with stud farms and other equestrian organisations training their horses as well as teaching their teams. 

    We also use horses for equitherapy, personal developments and corporate leadership trainings. 

    9 reviews · rating5

    Timothy Kingsman rating5

    2024 at Natural Horsemanship Assistant

    I had a wonderful time volunteering at the horse farm. I learned so much about horses and about life in India. I also loved all Manjeev and Charlotte’s rescue dogs, they make the space even more special! ...
    mairi milne rating5

    2023 at Natural Horsemanship Assistant

    I love being around horses and the powerful affect that they can have on me so on 2nd October 2023 I arrived in Gurgaon to volunteer for 4weeks with Manjeev, Charlotte and their beautiful Marwari horses. It was an incredible experience so much so that my 4 was flew by! The flat I stayed in was ...
    Alice Rousself rating5

    2023 at Natural Horsemanship Assistant

    I have known Charlotte for years from France and I’ve been wanting to know the life and work she and Manjeev do with horses and animals in India. It’s been incredible to see everything they do on their farm, the love and dedication they have for their horses and how they work on spreading ...
    lauren kratzer rating5

    2020 at Natural Horsemanship Assistant

    I spent just over two weeks with Charlotte and Manjeev and it was an experience I will never forget! Both Charlotte and Manjeev made me feel at home, both at their place and at the farm. Our days were full and fun - busy with working with different horses, going to polo, learning to play polo (my ...
    I volunteered with Charlotte and Manjeev during October 2019. I was made to feel really welcome and they were both brilliant hosts. As a keen rider I felt like I gained huge amounts of knowledge and was exposed to a really interesting and beneficial range of skills and techniques to use when handing ...
    Joanne Mitchinson rating5

    2019 at Natural Horsemanship Assistant

    Charlottle & Manjeev are very welcoming and looked after us well. The farm and accommodation is safe, the horses are beautiful and there are 8 dogs which made my day. We got to see the workings of the farm, visit a stud farm and local animal NGO, as well as try natural horsemanship techniques. The ...

    Location

    Asia > Southern Asia > India > Gurgaon

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