Crops/Commodities:
horses - stable work.
Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):
Safe handling concerns require that, to be qualified for this position, workers must have no less than three months of prior verifiable experience as stable assistant in a standardbred 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, stallions and young horses. Persons seeking employment should be available for the entire period requested by employer. Applicant must be capable of safely handling breeding stallions especially subject to international quarantine restrictions. The employer is a large standardbred (harness) horse breeding/sales farm where employment is dependent on the annual breeding through yearling sales seasons. January through July, workers will be responsible for feeding and monitoring broodmares for impending foaling, assist with foal delivery and aftercare, and routine animal husbandry practices. From July through October, workers will handle, train and groom young horses in preparation for annual sales, move horses between fields for weaning, and assist in routine healthcare management. At the conclusion of this period, workers will perform general farm maintenance as needed in preparation for the next season.
Workers perform a variety of tasks associated with the breeding, handling and preparation for sale of standardbred equine stock. These include the following: identify and catch horses in fields, affix halters and lead ropes, lead into barn and tie securely. Competence in basic grooming practices including bathing, brushing, hoof care, clipping. 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 according to instruction. Hold horses for farriers and vets and administer routine intra-muscular injections. Assist in handling young horses in preparation for sales.
Help maintain equipment, assist with mowing and weeding, cutting and baling hay, work in fields, clean around barns. Workers will load trucks with bales of hay and sacks of grain and feed weighing up to and including 60 pounds and lifting to a height of 5 feet. 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.
In addition to the work outlined above, workers may be required to perform variable tasks such as the following: operation of tractors, mowers, rakes, and other haying equipment under supervision, painting and repairing farm buildings and similar tasks of a general nature common to a horse breeding operation.
Workers are expected to begin work early in the morning when fields may be wet with dew. Temperatures may range from 10 to 100 F. Work requires repetitive movements 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. Saturday work required. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs.
Instructions and general supervision will be provided by a designated lead worker or company supervisor. Exceptionally complex or non-routine activities will be closely supervised. Workers will be expected to perform basic horse management and handling duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision.