Equine Groom

**Job Purpose**

Contribute to activities of Glasgow Equine hospital by undertaking all stable duties concerned with patients at the Hospital and assisting the nursing staff, veterinary surgeons, and undergraduate students within the Hospital.

Main

**Responsibilities**:
**Husbandry**:
1\. Daily stable duties to ensure the stable yard, clinical examination/treatment areas, outside areas and isolation unit are always kept clean and tidy.

2\. Provision of a high standard of care for in-patients, including grooming and feeding and checking general demeanour. Be able to recognise abnormal or changes in behaviour/demeanour in stabled horses, reporting issues to the appropriate clinician.

3\. Daily husbandry of University of Glasgow undergraduate student teaching horses, including organising farrier appointments, and reporting health issues to nurses or clinicians.

4\. Ensure that post-operative patients, or others requiring special diets, are fed appropriately, and additional rations are prepared so that out-of-hours staff can feed patients accordingly. **Teaching Support:
5\. Restrain horses and supervise undergraduate students during daily clinical examination of in-patients if required to maintain safety.

6\. Prepare equipment and animals for animal husbandry and veterinary clinical skills practical classes.

7\. Supervise and instruct animal husbandry practical classes and revision sessions; delivery of assessments.

8\. Restraint and handling of animals during BVMS assessments, such as clinical examination of the horse.

**Clinical Support**:
9\. Assist the equine clinical and nursing staff with clinical procedures. Prepare patients for surgical procedures. Assist academic staff and clinical research staff with sample/data collection.

10\. Restrain horses for farriery.

11\. Lunging, long reining and trotting up horses during lameness examinations. 12\. Monitor feed and bedding supplies and ensure that orders are placed on time to maintain adequate stock. Arrange for all waste to be uplifted.

13\. Communicate with clients when they are visiting their horses and advising them on the feeding regimen received during hospitalisation. 14\. Set up the isolation unit when required and ensuring that all necessary biosecurity and other standard operating procedures are adhered to whilst the unit is in use. Cleaning and disinfecting the unit after use.

15\. Ensure that all patients are appropriately identified on admission and the items accompanying the patient are labelled and returned to the clients on discharge. 16\. Ad-hoc provision of back-up cover of Hospital reception duties.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

**Knowledge/Qualifications**

**Essential**

A1 Standard Grades or equivalent vocational qualification (VQ 2/3) or equivalent e.g., City & Guilds plus typically 1 years’ relevant work experience.

A2 Extensive experience in all aspects of caring and handling stabled horses to enable a wide range of clinical and diagnostic procedures to be carried out.

**Desirable**

B1 Computer/IT skills.

**Skills**

**Essential**

C1 Excellent animal handling skills to ensure safety of clients, staff and students.

C2 Ability to recognise changes in the behaviour and demeanour of horses.

C3 Ability to use own initiative and forward planning.

C4 Ability to work independently, assess priorities and manage workload with mínimal supervision.

C5 Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

C6 Ability to be discreet and maintain confidentiality.

C7 Standard oral and written communication skills, including ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.

C8 Good levels of hygiene and ability to contribute to Health & Safety guidelines.

C9 Ability to use power washer.

**Experience**

**Essential**

E1 Significant experience of working in livery, competition or racing yards with at least 10 horses, which has included being in sole charge of a yard.

E2 Evidence of ability to perform as a team worker.

E3 Evidence of flexibility regarding working patterns and work tasks.

**Desirable**

F1 Experience in teaching equine animal husbandry practical tasks to small groups/individuals.

**Standard Terms and Conditions**

Salary will be on the Operational Grade, level 3, £18,212 - £20,092 per annum (pro rata).

This post will be offered on a part time (14 hours per week), open ended basis.

New entrants to the University will be required to serve a probationary period of 6 months.

It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment.

We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equality.

The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401.