Equine Yard Assistant

**20 hours per weekwith a view to extend, 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 utilising Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW) 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. 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 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.

The way we work at Stable Life is characterised by five strong and distinctive values:
Respect: We will treat people with respect and consideration and provide our services without judging or discrimination.

Empower: We seek to empower all those whom we work with, building self-esteem and providing opportunities to learn new skills.

Integrity: We take responsibility & accountability for our actions and are open and transparent in all we do.

Collaborate : We are committed to working in collaboration with one another, our partners, service users, volunteers, customers, and communities to achieve the best possible outcomes for our young people.

Excellence: We deliver high-quality services to meet the expectations of our children, young people and families as well as our own personal and organizational aims.

Overview of role

The 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.

**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 Operations Director
- 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, Health and Safety and ABRS Regulations ensuring the welfare of animals, staff and service users at all times
- Participate in the practical training and assessment of young people on work experience/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 Operations Director
- 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 Operations Director

**PERSONAL SPECIFICATION**

This lists the qualities you need to become a Yard Assistant with Stable Life. When completing the Application Form, please use each ‘quality’ listed here as a heading and give examples underneath of how your experience, skills, abilities and knowledge match those required. You will need to show how you can meet all the essential skills in the left-hand column. Please also show us if you are able to meet the desirable skills. We will consider these to distinguish between applicants if a number of applicants have all the essential skills.

Examples can come