Director of Equine Programs
Position Summary
The Director of Equine Programs’ role is to ensure the safe, efficient, and high-quality daily operations of Unbridled’s equine-assisted therapy program. This position oversees all aspects of barn and property management including: horse care, handler management, facility safety, scheduling alignment with therapy teams, and operational readiness to create a therapeutic environment where children can receive equine-assisted services aligned with Unbridled’s mission.
Scope
This position manages property, horses, equine operations, handlers/horse staff, therapist interface in the barn, and day-to-day barn systems across both therapy and non-therapy programming.
The Barn Manager works in close collaboration with therapists (OT/PT/SLP), handlers, property management, farm hands, volunteers, and leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Equine & Barn Operations
- Oversee all horse care and health: feeding schedules, turnout, stall cleaning, bathing, hoof care coordination, vet appointments, farrier scheduling, chiropractic scheduling
- Ensure horses used in therapy are physically and behaviorally ready for sessions
- Maintain individualized horse care plans, rehab plans, training logs, and workload tracking.
- Monitor horse health, behavior, soundness, and fitness levels
- Oversee daily workflow and ensure consistent standards across all shifts.
- Ensure all therapy horses meet safety, temperament, and conditioning standards for hippotherapy
Property & Facility Management
- Oversee daily property maintenance including fencing, pastures, arenas, barns, water systems, tack rooms, sensory trails, and equipment.
- Coordinate with contractors for repairs, improvements, or emergency maintenance.
- Maintain barn supplies, veterinary inventory, feed inventory, and all equipment to required standards.
- Ensure arena and property setups align with therapy needs (cones, props, pathways, sensory items).
- Assess risk and implement safety/compliance measures
Staff Leadership & Scheduling
- Supervise property management team, horse handlers, farm hands, volunteers, and on-site equine staff
- Complete weekly schedules for handlers and barn staff, ensuring alignment with therapy schedules and horse availability.
- Provide coaching, feedback, training, and onboarding for barn and equine personnel
- Monitor staff performance, time management, adherence to safety protocols, and communication with therapy staff
- Hold the team accountable to Unbridled's values, mission, and operational standards.
Therapy Program Support
- Coordinate daily horse assignments with therapy staff based on goals, safety, and horse readiness.
- Weekly communication to align on upcoming cases, horse suitability, sensory needs, and workloads
- Maintain smooth transitions between sessions, including readiness of horses, tack, grooming areas, and property condition.
Safety, Compliance & Risk Management
- Ensure adherence to all equine safety standards and emergency protocols
- Conduct safety audits of stall management, turnout processes, property hazards, and handler workflows.
- Maintain up-to-date documentation on vaccinations, Coggins, deworming schedules, and safety certifications.
- Oversee emergency preparedness: injury response, horse crisis protocol, weather evacuation processes.
Administrative & Operational Duties
- Maintain horse and property budgets in collaboration with owner and financial team
- Track equine expenses, feed orders, vet/farrier invoices, and barn supply procurement.
- Maintain records of horse performance, incidents, training logs, and therapy suitability.
- Collaborate with owner and team on strategic planning for herd expansion, pasture rotation, and facility growth
- Assist with volunteer coordination, training, sign-in, waivers, and compliance documentation.
Collaboration & Communication
- Serve as the primary daily on-site leader for barn operations.
- Communicate effectively with administrative leadership regarding property needs, horse readiness, staffing updates, and program challenges.
- Build strong, supportive relationships with therapists to ensure a seamless therapy experience for clients
- Represent Unbridled’s values and culture to families, volunteers, donors, and community programs.
Required Skills & Competencies
- Strong leadership and team management skills.
- Deep knowledge of equine behavior, care, and training principles; experience with therapeutic horses preferred.
- Ability to manage complex scheduling and dynamic workflow.
- Strong judgment and safety-first decision-making.
- Effective verbal and written communication.
- Ability to multitask in a busy therapy and barn environment.
- Problem-solving and crisis-management skills.
- Physical ability to perform barn work and safely manage horses.
Education & Experience Requirements
- Minimum 5 years equine experience.
- Supervisory or management experience (minimum 1 year required)
- Knowledge of hippotherapy, equine-assisted services, or pediatric therapy setting strongly preferred.
Pay: From $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
