Overview:
Are you passionate about horse care and eager to make a positive impact in your community? The Therapeutic Equestrian Center (TEC) is seeking a knowledgeable, organized, and compassionate Equine & Barn Manager to lead daily barn operations, care for our incredible horse team, and support our volunteers who help us transform lives through our equine-assisted programs.
Reporting to the TEC Board President, the Equine & Barn Manager ensures the health and well-being of our horses, manages barn operations, and works closely with staff and volunteers to support a safe, clean, and welcoming environment for all. This position plays a key role in upholding TEC’s mission, values, and standards, including compliance with PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) guidelines.
Minimum Requirements:
- Demonstrated experience in horse care, handling, and barn operations.
- Proficient in ground handling and understanding horse behavior.
- Basic knowledge of equine wellness, including emergency response care.
- Strong leadership with the ability to build positive, respectful relationships with the staff and Board of Directors, volunteers, visitors/guests at the barn, and the community.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills; detail-oriented, resourceful, self-motivated, and adheres to deadlines.
- Foster a positive and welcoming environment that promotes a collaborative team approach among staff and volunteers.
- Be mindful of the needs and capacity for volunteers and horses while assisting the Volunteer Coordinator with schedules.
- Professional appearance and demeanor when representing TEC.
- Comfortable using phone, text, e-mail, and social media for communications and able to utilize either Google Suite or Microsoft Office.
- Able to establish a designated e-mail for TEC communications only.
- Flexible availability, including mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergencies.
- Adaptable to change in the workplace.
- Work closely and collaboratively with the Volunteer Coordinator.
- Facilitate direct and ongoing communications with the Building/Grounds & Maintenance Manager about work that needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and who will perform the job.
- Maintain a safe and clean environment for horses and people in the barn and arenas.
- Able to lift up to 50 pounds and be able to bend, twist, and pull while carrying out job responsibilities.
Desired Requirements:
- Experience using cell phones for communication with groups and individuals.
- Previous experience supervising team members.
- Basic computer literacy with the ability to learn TEC’s programs, including e-mail, Google Drive/Docs, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office.
Major Areas of Responsibility:
Staff & Volunteer Leadership and Program Engagement
- Communicate regularly with TEC staff and Board of Directors.
- Lead and train staff and volunteers in equine care and barn management.
- Maintain open communication across teams regarding feed changes, medications, pasture rotation, and general updates.
- Collaborate with the Volunteer Coordinator to communicate assignments and confirm volunteer readiness.
- Assist Volunteer Coordinator with planning and staffing workdays and major barn projects; ensure proper communication and volunteer engagement.
- Support instructors and other program staff with equine-related needs for school or community group visits, including compliance with external requirements.
- Maintain respectful, positive relationships with TEC’s neighbors and community.
Barn and Facilities Management
- Oversee daily barn operations, including stall cleaning, turnout, aisle safety, and feeding.
- Maintain cleaning and maintenance schedules (buckets, troughs, hay movement, cobweb removal, etc.).
- Oversee ordering/delivery and exploration of new resources in grain, hay, medications, supplements, bedding, etc.
- Monitor weather and notify relevant teams regarding safety precautions for horses.
- Ensure the cleanliness and organization of horse blankets, tack, and equipment storage areas.
- Keep pasture and feed boards up to date with accurate instructions.
- Collaborate with the Building/Grounds & Maintenance Manager on seasonal tasks, including exchanging water buckets, replacing heating elements in troughs, and adjusting fans as needed.
Horse Management
- Schedule and attend farrier, veterinary, dental, chiropractic, and massage appointments; ensure that records are entered into Salesforce and that horse notebooks are kept current.
- Track each horse’s health, weight, soundness, vaccinations, medications, and overall well-being.
- Maintain the deworming and psyllium schedules for all animals.
- Order and coordinate timely delivery of feed, bedding, and supplements.
Other Areas of Responsibility:
- Other duties as assigned.
This is a paid, part-time position. Approximate work hours per week range from up to 25 hours. Compensation is based on qualifications. Interested candidates, please e-mail a COVER LETTER and RESUME to Rhett Kuhnen at [email protected] with the subject line: Equine & Barn Manager Applicant.
Be part of something meaningful. Be a Part of TEC's Ever-Growing Story
At the TEC, a great story starts with a few key elements … A strong plot, beautiful setting, and heartfelt characters. Our plot has been evolving since 2006, but the core remains the same, and that is to provide a year-round facility for people with disabilities to build stronger minds, bodies, and spirits through horse-related activities. And there’s no doubt our story’s setting is absolutely beautiful, as we get to work with amazing animals in a country setting. Our horses are the heart and soul of the organization, but it’s the characters of our story that truly make it memorable. From our small team of paid staff to our troop of volunteers, it’s these characters working together that ensure our participants achieve their “I Did It!” moments for their own story. You can be a part of this story and help us to continue building on the foundation of how it all began.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: From $15.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
