Summer Work – Horse Trainer/Ranch
Hand
I
need 5 or 6 experienced riders to train ranch horses
for the summer. They must be competent riders
able and willing to make the horses gallop,
do roll backs correctly and stop correctly. They need
experience riding in a western saddle or in dressage. They must be able to sit quietly in a western saddle at a trot and canter, with no bouncing in the saddle. They must be able to ride with a soft feel, using a minimum of pressure to control the horse.
The horses will be trained as trail and cow horses and
possibly started on barrels, poles and obstacles. The horses need to do enough
work to become safe for anyone to ride. There is an
outside arena, but most of the riding is done out in
the fields and hills.
Time off is flexible. You
will work as much as possible when the weather is good
and take time off when the weather is bad. Safety is
very important. We usually don’t ride when the ground
is icy or muddy or when it is too windy. You must obey my safety rules, including wearing a helmet, always warm up your horse before riding and gallop only in designated areas. We usually
start in late April or early May and ride until the
weather gets bad in Oct. There will be some work in
the early spring halter breaking yearlings and ground training horses. There will
be some ranch work including cleaning tack, repairing fences and driving
tractors. You may take time off to attend the Calgary Stampede, visit Banff, etc.
The ranch is located in the Porcupine Hills about an hour drive south of Calgary. There are hills, trees, and some streams. It is usually sunny, often windy and sometimes dusty. It is about 20 km. from Nanton, the nearest town. I have more than 200 registered quarter horses, including mares, stallions, foals and riding horses. I raise, train and sell horses. You will be riding and training young, inexperienced horses. It is dangerous work. I try to do it in away that is as safe as possible for riders and horses.
There
is an old ranch house that you will share with other
trainers.. High speed internet,
satellite TV and long distance telephone are available
at no cost. Furniture, bedding and dishes are supplied.
There are also 2 bedrooms in the basement of my house.
Volunteers receive room and board in exchange for 25 hours of work
per week. I cook plain, healthy food and rarely buy junk food.
I
expect my trainers to be kind to the horses, but they
must be able to get the horses to trust, respect and
obey the rider. I expect everyone to work together safely
and to help each other to get the horses trained efficiently
and safely. You must be physically fit, honest, reliable and have common
sense and a good work ethic.
There will be no
smoking, alcohol or drugs on my property.