What is a Ring Assistant? đ´â¨
At Justinâs Place, an amazing riding lesson is about so much more than what happens on the horse.
There are helmets to grab, tack to check, gates to manage, games to set up, participants to support, and sometimesâŚa little bit of chaos to navigate!
Thatâs where our Ring Assistants come in.
Ring Assistants are volunteers who work alongside our instructors during mounted programming to help create lessons that are safe, efficient, peaceful, and full of joy for every participant and their family.
So, what does a Ring Assistant actually do?
Think of a Ring Assistant as an instructorâs extra set of hands.
While the instructor is checking tack and getting ready for the lesson, a Ring Assistant may supervise participants and help make sure everyone is ready to go. They can also assist with mounting and dismounting when needed.
Once the lesson begins, they may be asked to sidewalk with a participant or jump in when something unexpected comes up.
And if you've ever spent time in a riding arena, you know that unexpected things happen!
A Ring Assistant might be the person who notices that a participant needs an extra hand, helps an instructor through a "sticky situation," or runs to grab a missing supply so the lesson doesn't have to stop.
Sometimes, you're part of the lesson. Sometimes, you're behind the scenes.
Ring Assistants help with the entire flow of a riding session.
Before a lesson, they may help set up the arena or prepare games and activities. During the lesson, they support participants and instructors. And afterward, they help reset and tear down the arena so it's ready for the next group.
There are also plenty of little jobs that keep our riding spaces looking and functioning their bestâsweeping and tidying the arena apron, pulling weeds, and even mucking manure from the arena.
But the most important job is being present.
At Justin's Place, our instructors can't have their eyes on everything at once.
A Ring Assistant helps create another layer of support so the instructor can focus on teaching, connecting with the horse and rider, and facilitating the goals of the lesson.
Sometimes your job might be very active.
Sometimes it might be simply watching, noticing, and being ready.
And sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer is a calm presence when a participant needs a little extra support.
You don't have to know everything on day one.
Our Ring Assistants receive specific training before stepping into the role, including Participant Approach training and Sidewalker training and check-off.
You'll learn what your role is, how to support participants safely, and how to work as part of the Justin's Place team.
You don't have to be the expert.
You just have to be willing to learn, pay attention, and jump in when you're needed.
One more set of hands can make a big difference.
Imagine an instructor trying to help a participant mount while also realizing a game piece is missing.
Imagine a participant needing extra support while the instructor is working with another rider.
Imagine an arena that needs to be reset before the next lesson arrives.
A Ring Assistant can step in.
And those small moments of help add up to something much bigger: more time for our instructors to teach, more support for our participants, and more opportunities for everyone to experience the peace and joy of being at Justin's Place.
That's what being a Ring Assistant is all about.
You don't have to be the one leading the lesson to be an important part of the experience.
Sometimes, the best way to help a child shine is simply to be the person standing beside them, ready to help. đđ´