Stable Attendant

Job description

Crops/Commodities:
stable work, hay.
Safe handling concerns require that, to be qualified for this position, workers must have no less than 12 months of prior verifiable experience as a livestock handling assistant in a horse breeding operation. Employer will hire any worker with the requisite experience who demonstrates he/she can safely and competently perform the job of handling brood mares and young horses. Persons seeking employment should be available for the entire period requested by employer. Workers perform a variety of semi-skilled tasks associated with horse breeding/racing farm activities. Tasks include but are not limited to the following activities required in the breeding, handling and preparation for racing/sale of purebred equine stock: identify and catch horses in fields, affix halters and lead ropes, lead into barn and secure in stalls, handle horses for veterinarian and blacksmith. Must have minimum of 12 months experience foaling mares and handling stallions during breeding sessions. Competence in basic grooming practices including bathing, brushing, hoof care and clipping. Saddle and bridle racehorses, hand walk horses after training until they are cooled out, apply bandages and liniments, and administer medications, including IV injections, as needed. 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. Maintain/clean and fill water troughs and buckets. Handle basic feeding activities including apportioning grain, hay and feed supplements and medications. Sorts and maintains winter hay supply, selects pasture, range and croplands to graze horses. Observes animals to detect signs of illness and injury, treats minor injuries and ailments, disinfects and vaccinates horses. Maintains and repairs machinery and equipment. Workers must demonstrate commonsense 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.

Help with irrigation, clean and maintain equipment, assist with mowing, cutting and baling hay, work in fields, clean around barns. Upon occasion workers may be required to dig ditches and install water lines to sheds, barns, stock tanks and other structures on the farm.

Workers will load trucks with bales of hay and sacks of grain and feed weighing from 50 to 60 pounds. Worker must be able to lift such weights to a height of 5 feet over the course of the work day. Work requires repetitive movement and extensive walking. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, animal dandruff, insect spray, related chemicals, etc. may affect workers' ability to perform the job. Workers should be physically able to do the work required with or without reasonable accommodations. Must be on call for up to 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. Workers are exposed to wet weather early in the morning through the heat of the day.

Employer assures that workers will be provided transportation from living quarters to work site every day (for workers who must be provided housing under the applicable regulations).

Persons seeking employment as experienced stable attendant must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Applicants must be able to furnish verifiable job reference(s) or comparable third party documentation from recent employer(s) establishing acceptable prior experience. Successful applicants will be subject to a trial period of up to 5 days during which their performance of required tasks will be evaluated. If the performance during the trial period is not acceptable to the employer the worker‘s employment will be terminated.

Special Requirements

This job requires 12 months of previous verifiable experience as a livestock handling assistant in a horse breeding operation. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs.