Horse Groomer

Perform manual tasks associated with care, grooming, raising, and/or training horses. Must be competent in basic grooming practices including bathing, brushing, hoof care, clipping. Assist in handling young horses, including preparing horses to show at farm and preparing stall grounds. Set up feed and hay storage and supply room. Set up bathing and grooming stations. Walk yearlings for exercise. Practice walking, standing, and presenting yearlings. Clean stalls by removing soiled bedding and manure. Replace with fresh bedding. Strip stalls and disinfect floors, walls, and surrounding areas for broodmares. Sweep barn aisles, stall areas, ceilings to remove dirt, hay, cobwebs, and other detritus. Mow, cut, weed, and otherwise maintain horse pastures. Maintain/clean and fill water troughs and buckets. Handle basic feeding activities including apportioning grain, hay, and feed supplements according to instruction. Must demonstrate common sense and awareness of safe equine handling procedures (i.e. no running in barns, shouting, abusing horses, leaving gates/stall doors/feed rooms open, or smoking in and around barns, sheds, and hay storage).

Assist in loading and storing hay/straw. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Bending, stooping, and kneeling required. Use hand tools included but not limited to hoes, shovels, shears, clippers, loppers, and saws. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assist with farm building/field maintenance and repairs. Repair fences.

Must wear assigned personal protective equipment when required. Must report for work daily wearing work clothing and boots or other durable footwear. Workers wearing clothing inappropriate for work will not be permitted to start work. Workers with a clean driving record and/or insurable drivers license may be required to drive company vehicles. Additional hours may be offered in emergency situations.

Outdoor work required when ground is wet, or during light rain, snow, moderate winds, direct sun, high humidity, and extreme temperatures. Temperatures in fields during working hours may vary. Workers may be required to work during occasional rain showers, not severe enough to stop field operations. Work is done outdoors for long periods of time and requires prolonged periods of standing and/or walking, repetitive movements, and frequent bending and/or stooping. Workers must be able to handle, lift, and carry heavy or bulky objects (products, containers) in accordance with the specified lifting requirements.

Supervisors will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively with supervisors. Unusual, complex, or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers are expected to perform basic duties in a proficient manner without close supervision.

Workers with appropriate licenses may transport other workers to-and-from employer provided housing directly to worksites each day, transport workers around employer's farm during the work day, and possibly transport equipment/supplies. This may involve the worker(s) operating vehicles across public roads in order to reach the other farm properties to perform their work. Workers are driving multi-purpose vehicles that have a capacity less than 13 tons, require a standard driver's license to operate, may be used on or off farm by the workers (e.g. drive to the grocery store, bank, etc. at their discretion). Workers are not required or expected to arrange for the routine pickup of another worker or groups of workers on a regular schedule at other housing locations or centralized pick-up points.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honeybees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested.

Requirements: 12 months of experience. Safe handling concerns require that, to be qualified for this position, workers must have no less than 12 months of prior experience as a stable assistant with an equine operation. Applicants must be able to furnish verbal or written statement establishing relevant prior work experience. Additional hours may be offered, including weekends, in emergency situations. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs.

Employer paid drug testing and background check may be performed during contract period. Crimes that disqualify an applicant are theft, violence, and drug charges. Drug test to ensure safety of workers when operating equipment. Tasks involve repetitive standing, walking, bending, stooping, kneeling. Work in unfavorable conditions such as high temperatures, wet or dry/dusty conditions and general summertime adversity. Workers with a clean driving record and/or insurable driver's license may be required to drive company vehicles. Must be 18 years or older.