Horse Program Apprentice

About our team

We are a team of men and women who love Jesus and desire to see His name made known, not our own. We'll be the first to admit we aren't perfect. It's great then that God doesn't require us to be perfect when He uses us! Our mission of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and equipping believers for ministry drives everything we do. So, no matter the position, everyone impacts and drives our mission forward.

We are a highly relational staff who knows how to take breaks, get to know each other, and have fun while working hard together. Our heart as we pursue our mission is to serve God and those around us well. That means our guests and campers, but it also means each other.

• Mission driven
• Relational
• Development minded
• Flexible
• Fun!

About the role

This is a one-year apprenticeship that requires living onsite with other seasonal staff. As the Horse Program Apprentice, you will see the mission of New Life Ranch carried out through the interaction of our guests and campers with God's creation. You will assist in providing an engaging environment for our guests and campers to interact and learn from our horses with safety in mind.

You will assist in herd management and horsemanship activities such as Horse Camps, trail rides, summer horsemanship, pony rides, and riding classes across both sites. Your work in this position will require heavy manual labor.

The objective of the Horse Program Apprenticeship is to show you all aspects of running a successful horsemanship program and provide you with knowledge, experience, and tools that give you a foundation for further work in the horse and/or camping world.

Responsibilities

• Assist in providing an engaging and safe environment for guests and campers to interact with horses
• Assist in herd management and horsemanship activities (Horse Camps, trail rides, summer horsemanship, pony rides, riding classes)
• Implement and evaluate lessons for both groups and individuals
• Manage risk and emergency situations with strong safety awareness
• Maintain professional behavior, language, and attitude

Requirements

• Ability to safely catch, halter, lead, tie, groom, and tack horses independently
• Competent riding skills at walk, trot/jog, and canter/lope in arenas and open spaces
• Basic knowledge of horsemanship theory and riding skills
• Ability to effectively communicate instruction and physical assistance to students
• General familiarity with human anatomy, physiology, psychology, balance, coordination, and motion to assist in designing exercises for rider progress
• Basic knowledge of equine anatomy and physiology for feeding, health care, and maintenance of horses