Equine-based community service offered through horse breed association youth programs: Parent and community partner perceptions of participation, benefits, and program growth.

BACKGROUND

Equine-based community service activities offered through horse breed association youth programs provide opportunities for youth to engage in volunteerism while interacting with horses. Although these programs are widely available, research examining stakeholder perceptions remains limited.

OBJECTIVES

To examine parent and community partner perceptions of equine-based community service activities offered through horse breed association youth programs, including perceived benefits, participation patterns, recruitment, implementation challenges, and opportunities for program development.

METHODS

Parents of youth participants (n = 39) and community partners hosting equine-based community service activities (n = 26) were recruited through participating horse breed association state affiliates. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews consisting of 10 open-ended questions were conducted. Responses were analyzed using descriptive qualitative content analysis, and categories were summarized using frequencies and percentages.

RESULTS

Youth participants were between 13 and 19 years of age and primarily volunteered at horse shows (95 %). All parents perceived their youth exhibited a positive mood following participation. Parent-perceived benefits included leadership (82 %) and self-confidence (72 %). Community partners most identified benefits related to volunteer assistance with equine events (81 %) and expressed interest in continuing future opportunities. Parents and community partners identified time commitment (92 % and 96 %, respectively) and financial costs (51 % and 85 %, respectively) as barriers to participation. Both groups also identified recruitment as an area for improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents and community partners generally perceived equine-based community service activities as positive experiences supporting youth engagement while benefiting host organizations. These findings characterize stakeholder perceptions and identify opportunities for program development and future evaluation of youth outcomes.