Horse Handler

Position Summary:

NCEFT is looking for a Horse Handler to join its enthusiastic and dedicated team! Horse Handlers are responsible for exercising and caring for horses and handling horses in our nationally-renowned programs including mental health workshops, hippotherapy, and adaptive riding sessions. This position may be responsible for working in all programs. This position is full-time, includes benefits and does include some evenings and/or weekend work.

Direct Responsibilities:

• Act as an equine specialist supporting all three of NCEFT therapy programs.
• Help with the daily conditioning/warm up of all horses, including hand walking, hot walker, turn out, lunging, and riding under the supervision of the Barn Manager.
• During exercise and handling, closely monitor each horse’s performance and report immediately any soundness or behavior problems to the Barn Manager.
• Long line or lead horses during sessions as needed.
• Closely monitor the horse’s behavior during all sessions and immediately communicate any concerns to the treating therapist or instructor and the Barn Manager.
• Check all tack and fittings prior to each therapy session.
• Clean, condition and inspect all tack and equipment on a weekly basis. Report any repairs needed to the Barn Manager.
• Maintain a clean, orderly, and organized barn/arena work area at all times.
• Participate in demonstrations and events as needed throughout the year, including NCEFT sponsored events.
• Use NCEFT staff communication tools as defined by the management team and Barn Manager.
• Maintain current CPR and First Aid status.
• Other duties as needed.

Position Requirements:

• Possess strong horsemanship skills, ideally 3+ years working with equines, having experience handling, lunging, and riding a variety of horses at the walk/trot/canter.
• Demonstrated knowledge of equine behavior.
• Work well in a team environment with the ability to work with staff from a variety of disciplines.
• Work independently and possess good time management skills.
• Follow established safety and horsemanship protocols.
• Able to lift up to 35 pounds from the ground to waist height frequently during a normal workday (hay, grain, feed, tack boxes, saddles, feed buckets, etc.).
• Able to walk and stand in/on uneven surfaces for up to 7 hours per day (i.e., warming up horses, tacking horses for sessions, leading horses for therapy sessions, bringing horses to and from their stalls over a 12 acre “farm/ranch” facility).
• Possess the agility and dexterity to rapidly move toward or away from full-sized horses to protect the safety of the disabled rider and/or sidewalkers / horse handlers / therapists.
• Must be able to jog, without stopping, approximately 150 yards on an uneven surface, while driving or leading a therapy horse.
• Good communication and people skills.
• Bilingual Spanish proficiency is a strong asset for this role but not required.