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Non-Profit Director

Horses: LOPE Texas, Austin, TX
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Would you like a job where you can make a difference, support a cause and meet a need? Do you love animals and perhaps would prefer a job sittin’ up high in the saddle instead of hunkered down low at the computer? Then grab the reins and head for Cedar Creek, Texas, (only 27 miles from Austin) and join Lynn Reardon, founder and executive director of LOPE (Lone Star Outreach to Place Ex-Racers) Texas (and a career changer herself) for a VocationVacations® career mentorship on how to become a
non-profit director.

Lynn Reardon is a long way from her East Coast roots and finance job in a Washington, D.C. suburb. But if you ask her, she might say she’s back to where she imagined she’d be when she was a little girl. “As a kid, I spent a lot of time playing with plastic horses and rubber band bridles,” laughs Lynn. However, she was in her 20’s and working as an office manager before she learned how to ride.

Since time and riding options were limited, Lynn volunteered with park police and offered to exercise polo ponies, many of whom were ex- racers. She learned to love the sensitive, athletic natures of these former racehorses. “They just have a lot of heart,” Lynn says, “and don’t deserve the bad rep they get as being too difficult once their racing days are over.” Forcing any retiring or injured athlete to forego all competition causes stress and disappointment. Lynn points out it’s no different for an ex-racehorse transitioning from life on the track to being someone’s pet. The good news is as the horses settle into their more sedate life, they usually just love it.

While volunteering at The Canter Group, an East Coast adoption agency devoted to placing thoroughbred ex-racers, Lynn learned the ropes on how to match owners to ex-racehorses. However, she continued working, finished her college degree and climbed up the corporate ladder to a job as Director of Finance for an economic think tank. But…..

“I found myself waiting all day to go riding,” chuckles Lynn. “Obviously, something was missing. It seemed like an impossible dream to quit my job in my late 30’s and go work with horses.” Her husband, Tom, encouraged her and after some soul-searching and world traveling, Lynn eventually reached the conclusion that it was now or never.

Lynn and Tom moved to Texas in 2002 where Lynn started a chapter for The Canter Group and worked at horse-related jobs. In 2003, Lynn and Tom purchased a 26-acre ranch in Cedar Creek, just a half hour from Austin. Lynn decided to expand the agency into finding homes for ex-racers of all breeds, not just thoroughbreds, and LOPE was born.

A non-profit agency, LOPE takes in donated, injured or at-risk horses. They are assessed, allowed to rest, socialize, given time to heal and then retrained. LOPE attends to the health concerns of these horses by working with local veterinarians and providing a post-op facility which was opened in 2008. When the horses are ready for adoption, LOPE carefully works to find them approved, non-race homes. Each year LOPE places more than 100 retired racehorses into new lives as trail horses, farm and ranch horses or beloved pets. Lynn hopes to grow LOPE to several facilities across Texas as a way to accommodate its waiting list of ex-racehorses looking for homes.

“As a career changer myself, I found I can really empathize with these horses,” explains Lynn. “I have also found that in some ways they have been my mentors and career coaches as I continue to learn how to work with them.” Today, Lynn enjoys sharing her life and experiences with others and has written a book about the many lessons learned from the horses. “Beyond the Homestretch: What I’ve Learned from Saving Racehorses”, will be released in November 2009.

LOPE is a non-profit and is run like most non-profit organizations. “We work with at-risk clients, are involved in fund raising, outreach efforts, grant writing and all the activities needed to run a successful non-profit,” explains Lynn. However, there are a few differences. “Our offices are in a barn, and we affectionately describe our clients as ‘four-legged toddlers with bad hair’,” she laughs. “I find myself surfing “Mommy Blogs” for advice.”

Click here to see a story about LOPE Texas on KXAN.com

Click here to see a story that Lynn Rourke, Director of  LOPE Texas, wrote for Texas Thoroughbred

During your Horse Adoption Agency Director VocationVacations dream job holiday, Lynn Rorke will lead you through some or all of the following activities:
  • Assessment of new horses for disposition and job suitability
  • Riding, grooming and feeding of horses
  • Working with horses who are in the rehabilitation process
  • Round-pen training and ground work
  • Visiting barns at the racetrack
  • Assisting vet and/or farrier on calls to the ranch
  • Proper socialization for horses new to the herd
  • Screening of potential homes and learning how to “match-make” owners to horses
  • Horse facility upkeep and management
  • Marketing horses for new homes
  • Planning fundraising and promotion activities
  • Web site outreach and updating
  • Information on how to photograph horses for web site
  • Not-for-profit start-up and management training
The Horse Adoption Agency VocationVacation experience includes:
  • Three days of one-on-one mentorship in your dream job as a Horse Adoption Agency Director
  • The opportunity to participate in a total of one hour of pre- and post-VocationVacation career coaching from an accredited, affiliated VocationVacations career coach
  • A pocket-size VocationVacations journal so you can document your dream job becoming a reality
  • Light lunches with your mentor

Available: All year, based on mentor's availability with exceptions of holidays

Price: $949 Per Person

Book this dream job vacation


Suggested Accommodations

Colo Vista Country Club

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
(Not included in the price of your VocationVacations Dream Job Holiday)

Other activities and tourist destinations while on your VocationVacations adventure:
Reservation, Cancellation, and Reschdeuling Rules and Conditions:

Full payment of the VocationVacations dream job holiday is required to make a reservation. A $100 non-refundable fee is assessed if a VocationVacations experience is cancelled or rescheduled prior to 14-days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday, based on the approved availability of the mentor to reschedule. A VocationVacations adventure cannot be rescheduled and is non-refundable if cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled VocationVacations holiday. Written notification of cancellation or rescheduling is required in all cases. In the US, Grounded Nomads, LLC and VocationVacations holidays encourage all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling. In the UK, Grounded Nomads, Ltd and VocationVacations holidays must require all customers to acquire travel insurance to cover any unforeseen expenses due to cancellation or rescheduling and provide verification of such travel insurance to Grounded Nomads, Ltd.