The Hearts Behind the Herd

This is our way of celebrating the people behind the scenes—those who show up to offer helping hands and give their hearts to every horse, animal, and project that crosses our path.

Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization. Without you, we cannot do what we do. From feeding and grooming to event support, outreach, and beyond, your time and dedication are what keep the herd thriving.

Each month, we’ll highlight some of our volunteers so you can get to know the amazing individuals behind the work. Whether you’ve been here for years or you’re just getting started, we hope you see a bit of yourself in these stories.

Meet Kim!

AAE Volunteer at the barn for 1 year

I volunteer at the ranch where I feed, medicate, and groom the horses – I also clean-up after the horses, fondly called mucking. I have participated in project days building a round pen and demolishing the old mare motel in preparation for the new barn. I was able to assist with contacting donors requesting donations for the silent auction at the Boots and Bling event this past Spring, and I was on the team that set-up the event. Most recently, I represented AAE at the 2025 Western States Horse Expo at the Murieta Equestrian Center in Rancho Murieta, one of AAE’s favorite outreach events.

What do you love about AAE and/or volunteering at AAE?

I love being able to spend time with the horses and give them the loving care that many of them have never received before coming to the rescue. Each of them have their own trauma and often need special medication or care. It’s such a good feeling to make them feel better. After someone passed away that was close to me, I was grooming one of the horses, and he rested his face on my chest with a comforting rub. It was such an amazing moment for me that it still brings tears to my eyes. Volunteering to help raise funds and awareness of what we do at the rescue is essential and so rewarding.

Who is your favorite AAE horse and why?

My favorite horse most recently was Olivia, she needed special care, so I was fortunate to spend lots of time with her…hugging her and soaking up her amazing horse smell. Leading such a huge animal around and gaining her trust was very special. Unfortunately, her body failed her too soon. We never truly know what these horses have been through. We try to save them all, it’s heartbreaking when we can’t – lots of love and tears….the highest paying job there is volunteering at AAE. ️

We’re always looking for more helping hands and kind hearts. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved, now’s a great time to join us.

Learn more about becoming an AAE volunteer below and help us change lives, one hoof at a time.

We are currently looking for volunteers to help in the following ways:

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

·     Daily Horse Care/Barn and AAE Used Tack Store volunteers, always

·     2026 Boots and Bling Planning Team. The next event will be May 16, 2026, and we are looking for volunteers to support all areas of the event, including the auctions, dinner, decor, set-up, break-down, and more. Interested? Share more about how you would like to volunteerhere.

·     Like what you see? We would love to find a volunteer who enjoys shining the spotlight on our amazing volunteers to coordinate our monthly volunteer spotlights. If you’re interested, reply to this email and let us know!

·     Used Tack Store Support (e.g. tack cleaning, customer service, sales, donation drives, etc.)

·     Many more volunteer needs can be found here.

SPECIAL FACILITY PROJECTS

·     Install more sections of electric fencing

·     Basic maintenance for vehicles/equipment (trucks, trailers, van, ATVs, tractors, etc.)

·     Welding repairs for panels

·     More special projects here.