Description
This position will lead daily property maintenance to ensure safe therapy services and effective farm operations throughout the year. Job responsibilities include property care tasks related to seasonal needs of a 69-acre horse farm, opening the farm and leading morning chores, and horse handling during therapy sessions.
The candidate must demonstrate confident horse skills, farm operation experience, willing attitude, good communication skills, MN weather tolerance, and physical fitness demands for being active, upright and moving 4 to 5 hours at a time. Must be 18 years of age or older and have reliable transportation with a valid driver’s license.
The position is part-time 25 to 35 hours per week with regular weekend hours. Compensation is $20 to $22 / hr depending on experience, and future opportunity to grow into a full-time leadership position. Training or certifications with PATH Intl., AHA Inc., or CHA welcomed.
Responsibilities
Farm & Facility Maintenance (50% to 75%):
- Facility maintenance and special construction projects
- Farm equipment maintenance and repairs
- Fence installation and repairs (electric and non-electric)
- Automatic waterer maintenance and seasonal adjustments
- Dry paddock and indoor/outdoor arena maintenance
- Pasture maintenance and revitalization (reseeding, dragging, fertilizing, etc.)
- Manure management (use skid-steer to push manure, coordinate vendor pick-ups)
- Hay management (coordinating vendor deliveries, safe stacking and storage)
- Seasonal groundskeeping: winter snow removal and summer mowing, tree trimming, etc.
- Land restoration and water management
Farm Chores (15% to 20%):
- Opens the facility and property for services multiple days every week
- Participates in daily farm chores, as scheduled and available to fill schedule gaps
- Supports and reinforces barn chore training for volunteers
Horse Handling (5% to 25%, as needed for coverage):
- Independently provides horse warm up and tack changes for client sessions
- Calmly and attentively leads horses during therapy sessions while following clinician cues
- Communicates equine needs and collaborates with clinicians before, during, and after sessions
- Ensures safe equine interactions with volunteers, clients, and other participants
- Assists with set-up and clean-up of treatment area, equipment, and tack
- Assists with HYH public events to ensure horse safety
Horse Care & Conditioning (10% to 20%):
- Participates in the horse conditioning and care plans / schedules
- Documents all equine interactions and communicates any health issues to Equine Manager
- Supports the Equine Manager with routine care, volunteer training
- Participates in Equine Team Meetings
Qualifications
Required:
- 18 years old or older
- Valid Driver’s License with reliable transportation
- Able to lift up to 50 pounds
- 2+ years of experience leading farm operations; or 5+ years of experience supporting farm operations, including use of farm equipment: skid steer, small tractor, lawn mowers
- 5+ years of horse care and /or riding experience; able to identify common health concerns and lameness
- Comfortable working outside and moving 4 to 5 hours at a time in all weather conditions
- Ability to problem solve
- Excellent safety awareness
- Strong communication skills
- Self-reflective with growth-mindset and good sense of humor
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Passionate about the Hold Your Horses mission
Preferred:
- Construction skills
- Knowledge and /or experience with best practices related to: land restoration, water management, environmental stewardship
- Balanced riding skills (Dressage basics)
- Lunging and long lining expertise for horse warm-ups and conditioning
- Familiarity with administering equine first aid and medications
- Experience working within non-profit organizations
- Basic computer skills (email, spreadsheets, word processing)
- Experience leading project teams and /or volunteers
- Experience working with external contractors / vendors
- Crisis management skills
Skills
Required:
- 18 years old or older
- Valid Driver’s License with reliable transportation
- Able to lift up to 50 pounds
- 2+ years of experience leading farm operations; or 5+ years of experience supporting farm operations, including use of farm equipment: skid steer, small tractor, lawn mowers
- 5+ years of horse care and /or riding experience; able to identify common health concerns and lameness
- Comfortable working outside and moving 4 to 5 hours at a time in all weather conditions
- Ability to problem solve
- Excellent safety awareness
- Strong communication skills
- Self-reflective with growth-mindset and good sense of humor
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Passionate about the Hold Your Horses mission
Preferred:
- Construction skills
- Knowledge and /or experience with best practices related to: land restoration, water management, environmental stewardship
- Balanced riding skills (Dressage basics)
- Lunging and long lining expertise for horse warm-ups and conditioning
- Familiarity with administering equine first aid and medications
- Experience working within non-profit organizations
- Basic computer skills (email, spreadsheets, word processing)
- Experience leading project teams and /or volunteers
- Experience working with external contractors / vendors
- Crisis management skills
Benefits
HOURS: 25 to 35 hr/week, depending on availability, including some holidays and weekends for animal care. Opportunity to grow into full-time leadership position if its a good fit. Start Date: Immediate.
COMPENSATION: $20 to $22/hr, depending on experience
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested candidates should email Kenz Becco (kenz@holdyourhorses.org) the following items:
- Resume or LinkedIn profile (highlighting qualifying skills and experiences)
- 3 professional references
- Short letter of interest (500 words or less) that describes why you are a good candidate for the position, including any relevant skills and qualifications from your lived experience not highlighted in your professional resume or LinkedIn profile.
HYH will confirm receipt of and review all applications submitted with the complete information. Qualified applicants will be contacted for a phone interview. Final candidates will be invited to visit the farm for a tour, horse skill assessment, and meet-and-greet to determine goodness of fit.