• Life On Land

Horse Caretakers

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Good 4.2  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Support animal welfare and therapeutic initiatives
  • Immersion experience of the local heritage and traditions
  • Learn Croatian and develop your language skills
  • Meet other international volunteers and share incredibles memories
  • Discover Split and its surroundings

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Become a volunteer and make a lasting impact! Support the well-being of horses and empower lives through therapeutic riding—an experience like no other.

The program's main objectives are to ensure the health and happiness of the horses, support the preparation and execution of the Sinjska Alka cultural event, and assist in delivering therapeutic riding sessions for children with disabilities. Volunteers also engage with the local community, learning ...

About the program

The program's main objectives are to ensure the health and happiness of the horses, support the preparation and execution of the Sinjska Alka cultural event, and assist in delivering therapeutic riding sessions for children with disabilities. Volunteers also engage with the local community, learning about its culture, history, and the significance of the club’s activities.What to Expect:

  • Stable Maintenance: Clean horse stables and living areas, ensuring cleanliness and hygiene.

  • Animal Care: Feed, brush, and care for the horses, including applying treatments if necessary.

  • Exercise and Training: Walk or ride the horses for daily exercise and prepare them for riding sessions.

  • Therapeutic Riding Support: Assist in preparing horses for therapeutic riding sessions and help children during the sessions.

Why Join?

  • Make an Impact: Improve the well-being of horses and support therapeutic riding for children with disabilities.

  • Gain Experience: Develop skills in animal care and therapeutic riding.

  • Cultural Immersion: Experience Croatian culture and the traditions of a historic equestrian club.

Ready to Care for Horses and Support Therapeutic Riding?

Typical day

After the initial orientation day, you will have a morning or afternoon shift at the Special Needs Support placement and will work for approximately up to 4 hours per day. 

A typical schedule is as follows:

07:00 - 07:30 am : Early breakfast or packed breakfast 

07:30 am : Travel to the project site

01

Typical day

After the initial orientation day, you will have a morning or afternoon shift at the Special Needs Support placement and will work for approximately up to 4 hours per day. 

A typical schedule is as follows:

07:00 - 07:30 am : Early breakfast or packed breakfast 

07:30 am : Travel to the project site

01:30 pm : Lunch is served at the restaurant.

03:00 - 06:00 pm : Explore the city, relax, attend Croatian language lessons or enroll other activities if you have a morning project.

08:00 - 10:00 pm : Dinner is served at the restaurant. After dinner you will have the remainder of the evening free to relax and use as you wish.


Daily Activities: Potential extensions if additional help is needed. Volunteers will be informed beforehand of any schedule changes.

Therapeutic Riding: Sessions are held every Tuesday, Thursday, and sometimes Friday, either at the equestrian base or in nature next to the river Cetina.

Free-time activities

Amidst the Kozjak and Mosor mountains and surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, just a few hours away from one of the other European capitals, the small peninsula where Split is located has a lot to offer to every visitor and traveler.

Croatia, as a Balkan nation is a must stop country for anyone who ...

Free-time activities

Amidst the Kozjak and Mosor mountains and surrounded by the Adriatic Sea, just a few hours away from one of the other European capitals, the small peninsula where Split is located has a lot to offer to every visitor and traveler.

Croatia, as a Balkan nation is a must stop country for anyone who chooses to visit eastern Europe in a meaningful way. On the one hand it has a rich historical heritage full of monuments classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the other it is a country that is still recovering from a political war, in the group of countries with the highest number of people living below the poverty line.

With its charming ancient towns and villages, beautiful beaches and more than a thousand islands, its history has produced a very rich cultural diversity, shaped by Roman and Turkish, that is, Mediterranean and Eastern European influences. These historical heritages mark the different regions of Croatia. Between Istria, Dalmatia and the center of Croatia, the gastronomy, lifestyle and accents can change a lot, making the country very diverse and interesting. Split, the second biggest city, has a specific Mediterranean influence that makes it especially welcoming, cosy and warm. With its palace just on the seaside, Split brings a peaceful and fresh atmosphere that invites you to come and stay for a while.

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 (basic level)

Education Requirements

at High school level

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

Copy of Passport or European ID and Criminal Background check

Nationality Restrictions

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

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 12:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by ImpacTrip

What’s included?

  • Pick up at the international airport in Split & transfer to the accommodation - sunday

On Sunday, the ImpacTrip team will be at the airport waiting for you with a big sign and a smile on our face! :)

If you arrive prior to the Sunday, you will still be able to receive an airport pickup and our team can transport you to the accommodation, but you will need to pay an extra fee for this service.
  • Accommodation at a dormitory in a local hostel, female dormitory or mixed dormitory with private bathroom
  • Three meals everyday: breakfast, lunch and dinner (Local style. Vegetarian, gluten-free and meals for lactose-intolerant are also available upon request)
  • Shared use of common room, and free WIFI
  • Orientation event on arrival (including introduction to Croatia and it's culture, the volunteer experience, overview of programs, practical information and safety guidelines)
  • Guided city tour
  • The best tips to discover the city!
  • Allocation and coordination of a work placement in an impactful non-profit project
  • Introduction on the first day of volunteering
  • Ongoing support throughout the stay
  • 24h/7 emergency support

Airport Pickup at Split Airport

On Sunday, the ImpacTrip team will be at the airport waiting for you with a big sign and a smile on their face! :)

If you arrive prior to Sunday, you will still be able to receive an airport pickup and our team can transport you to the accommodation, but you will need to pay an extra fee for this service.

We will reach out to you by WhatsApp a few days before your start date to connect :)

Accommodation

You will stay accommodated in a friendly and comfortable hostel in the city center.  With its young and welcoming staff you will feel like home!

The hostel is in a neighborhood where you can find everything you need: local coffee shops, supermarkets, ATMs, utilities you will need just around the corner. The Hostel is 2 minutes walking from the bus stop with few buses running by that can bring you to the city center.

There are various common areas and the restaurant is just next door :)

Private rooms are available upon request and are subject to availability. The private rooms are located within walking distance of the hostel and restaurant and are self-catered. Volunteers staying in private rooms will also have lunch and dinner included in the partner restaurant but breakfast is not organised.

Food & Beverages

We will provide breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hostel every day. 

The hostel restaurant offers meals with fresh local ingredients for all volunteers in a very Croatian style and they are prepared to accommodate most diet restrictions such as vegan and vegetarians, gluten-free and lactose intolerant.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Split Airport (SPU) in Split. We assist you to find cheap flights to Croatia. 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 Croatia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

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

Details on arrival

Our Croatian programs start on the Sunday before the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month AND every Sunday from May to the end of August.

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

Program fees

2 weeks (min. stay) 1,440€
3 weeks 1,855€
4 weeks 2,270€
5 weeks 2,685€
6 weeks 3,100€
7 weeks 3,515€
8 weeks 3,930€
9 weeks 4,345€
10 weeks 4,760€
11 weeks 5,175€
12 weeks (max. stay) 5,590€
Average fees 592€/week

Program fees

592€ per week 2 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

2 - 12 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 ImpacTrip during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

ImpacTrip

Good 4.2 rating (70 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2015

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Cristiana

Spoken languages: Portuguese, Spanish, English

About the project

ImpacTrip is a social enterprise that promotes Responsible Travel Experiences in Portugal, Spain and Croatia.

Meet your organization

ImpacTrip is a social business internationally certified as B-Corp that promotes Responsible Travel Experiences in Portugal, Spain and Croatia.

Founded in 2015 by two dedicated social entrepreneurs that want to change the way people travel, ImpacTrip aims at combining the best of travel with a positive social and environmental impact.

We really want travelers to have the most unique and meaningful travel experiences.

We offer short-term Travel Experiences across our country that allow you and other Responsible Travelers to connect with the locals, experience the culture and contribute in a positive way to the local communities.

We also offer long-term volunteer programs in which you can dedicate 1 to 12 weeks volunteering for local non-profits for a specific cause while meeting people from all over the world.

Since 2015 we've received people from over 50+ different nationalities that contributed with over 30.000 hours of volunteer work to support over 300 non-profits.

70 reviews · rating4.2

Alba Gala Torrero rating5

2024 at Youth Supporter

I recommend this experience to absolutely anyone, it was the best of my life. The first week my placement was in a Skatepark in Cascais, so I had to catch a train and then a bus. Although it was good and the commute was fine, I didn't feel comfortable at the beggining so I asked to switch to a ...
Martin Hag rating3.6

2024 at Environmental Scuba Diving

The people working there were really supportive and genuinely wish for you to have a good experience. My first day was an introduction to the area, possibility to get help with the tickets for the public transports and a guided tour of Lisbon. They also have communication chats for you to contact ...
Thomas Payne rating3.2

2024 at Animal Care and Protection

Honestly, I was surprised, when on the website it shows photos of so many dogs, animals, it turned out I was working at a cat sanctuary. It's not that I was disappointed by the cats, it was just a shock, and also, at points of the sanctuary I feel like I wasn't apart of it massively, there wasn't ...
Isabel Hager rating2.6

2024 at Environmental Scuba Diving

Here’s a more formal and assertive version of your feedback: After months of requesting a detailed schedule for our diving experience, we only received the information after all payments had already been made. To pay €1,500 for a week, only to end up with just four dives, is completely ...
Louise Rivet rating1.8

2024 at English Teaching to the community

Unfortunately, my experience was not the best one. The lodging was too far from the project; we had to travel almost two hours to get there. The classes were not organized. After one week, and following my request, I was assigned to a school which was fine but still one hour bus and metro to get ...
Lian Van Haaster rating1.4

2024 at Impact Surf Camp

I would not recommend the Impact Surf Camp program. I thought it was way too expensive for what you get in return. When I was there, early November 2024, I was the only one who had booked the Surf Camp program. At first it was cancelled the day before it started because of the weather, even though ...

Location

Europe > Southern Europe > Croatia > Split

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Contact Cristiana
  Very high response rate
Portuguese, Spanish, English

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