Senior Equine Yard Assistant

**30 hours per week including early mornings, late nights and weekends**

Stable Life is a successful, highly respected charity based in the Scottish Borders. Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing and learning experience using the horse and its environment to help disadvantaged young people reach their full potential and achieve their aspirations and dreams. With an impressive reputation, our day-to-day purpose is to improve the health and well-being of the young people referred to us. Based at Dryden Farm, we utilise Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) to provide support. In addition, the Equine Centre offers a range of equine activities to the general public to ensure the sustainability of the charity.

We are looking for a cheerful, hardworking, self-motivated individual, to join our team on our busy yard from which we deliver lessons, hacks, run competitions and hire out the facilities amongst other activities. The Senior Yard Assistant will be carrying out general yard duties and daily care of horses and ponies, field management and dealing with clients. They will also assist with tacking up and leading ponies in our lessons and sessions. They will also be responsible for managing yard staff, care of the horses, all aspects of health and safety and dealing with all clients in the absence of the Equine Manager.

The Senior Yard Assistant will also support and enhance individual learning of young people participating in Stable Life.

**PRINCIPAL DUTIES**
- Care and feeding of ponies and horses kept at Stable Life, including mucking out stables, sweeping the yard, mixing feeds, soaking hay, watering horses, checking horses that are turned out, bringing in and turning out from fields etc.
- Ensure that all the horses are kept in good health and condition and fit for work, checking for changes in the conditions of the horses and reporting problems to the Equine Manager
- Management of farrier or veterinary attention as appropriate in the absence of the Equine Manager
- Along with the Equine Manager manage yard rotas including weekend, evening and holiday duties plus events
- In the absence of the Equine Manager supervise and manage the Yard staff and volunteers
- Assist with the general maintenance of the yard, to ensure a safe environment
- Keeping the yard tidy (this includes the muck heap, outdoor & indoor schools, tack room, feed room and all other storage areas) under the direction of the Equine Manager
- Grooming, tacking up and un-tacking ponies, before and after lessons
- Daily tack cleaning and washing equipment
- Helping other members of the equestrian centre with riding activities
- Assist with lead rein lessons as required
- Assisting with the treatment of injured or sick horses
- Deal with queries from clients including answering the phone, taking bookings and face to face contact
- Ensure pasture and grazing are kept in line with best practice and to a high standard and that the riding surfaces are maintained
- Maintain safe working practices and Health and Safety Regulations ensuring the welfare of animals, staff and service users at all times
- Along with the Equine Manager, take it in turns to be on-call in case of staff illness or emergencies
- Participate in the practical training and assessment of young people participating with SQA’s, Youth Achievement Awards, work experience, college placements and volunteering as required
- Liaise with visitors, welcome young people and promote the ethos of Stable Life

**ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS**
- In addition to the above, the post holder may be required to undertake such other duties as the organisation may require
- To observe all Health & Safety requirements
- To work with Stable Life policies in relation to Equal Opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
- The post holder will receive regular recorded supervision sessions from the Equine Manager
- The post holder will also be required to undergo Emergency First Aid Training and undertake the duties of a First Aider
- The post holder will be expected to undertake any additional and appropriate functions as required by the Equine Manager

**PERSONAL SPECIFICATION**

**Experience**

**Essential**:

- Proven experience of working with a range of horses
- Experienced, confident rider
- Experience of supervising staff
- Proven experience of working in a commercial and/or livery yard

**Desirable**:

- Experience of working with young people as individuals or in groups in a variety of settings

**Education & Qualifications**

**Essential**:

- Good standard of education - e.g. English/Maths

**Desirable**:

- SVQ Level 2 in Horse Care or equivalent

**Skills & Knowledge**

**Essential**:

- A genuine interest, knowledge and experience of working with horses and their welfare
- Awareness of good land management
- Good organisational and leadership skills
- Excellent people skills with an ability to deal with people at all levels
- Experience of working unsupervised with the ability to use own in