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
early April halter breaking yearlings and ground training horses. There may 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 90 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 a way that is as safe as possible for riders and horses.
There
is an old ranch house that you may share with other
trainers.. High speed internet,
satellite TV and telephone are available
at no cost. Furniture, bedding and dishes are supplied.
There are also 2 bedrooms in the walkout basement of my house.
Payment for paid workers (Canadians and anyone with a work permit) depending on the skills and effectiveness of the trainer, starts at $15.00 per hour.
The rent is free. There is a refundable $100.00 cleaning fee plus $360.00 per month per person to cover the cost of utilities.
If you want board and room, I will buy food and cook. Cost of food will be $30.00 per day.
You will work as a contractor and invoice me for your hours worked.
Visitors receive room and board in exchange for 25 hours of volunteer work
per week. I cook plain, healthy food and rarely buy junk food.
There is space for horses and outside pets. Shared pasture for horses is $4.00 per day per horse and owner supplies feed. I can not have any pets in my house because I have allergies.
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.