Lead Wrangler

At The Club at Crazy Mountain Ranch we offer the highest level of facilities, amenities, recreation, food, beverage and service to our members and guests. We are an hour drive from Bozeman, MT. We offer our associates a great work environment and opportunity to learn the highest levels of service and teamwork.

Position Summary

The Lead Wrangler will be responsible for overseeing daily operations of the equestrian program. With input from the Equestrian Manager, the Lead Wrangler will organize and execute wrangler training and weekly staff schedules, select appropriate horses for the day's activities, help wranglers with daily activity needs (catching, grooming, saddling, helping members mount, guiding rides, etc.) and handle changes and requests from members. This position also requires monitoring the horse herd for health and soundness, communicating concerns to the Equestrian Manager and being able to follow treatment protocols. Every day is different at the ranch, must be adaptive, creative, and willing to smile when stuff happens!

Applicants will be asked to submit saddling, riding and teaching videos at a later time. If applicant is local, there is potential for a working interview at the Crazy Mountain Ranch.

Job Duties

• The Lead Wrangler will be responsible for making decisions for members, wrangler crew and horse herd based on the ranch's safety practices and protocols.
• The Lead Wrangler will execute duties on a world-class level of hospitality and customer service, with safety being the number one priority.
• Along with the Equestrian Manager, they will help train new employees each season, and help grow the abilities of each staff members as it relates to horse skills and people skills.
• Help oversee weekly/biweekly staff schedule and events calendar with input from the Equestrian Manager. Help organize appropriate staffing levels based on activities and maintain appropriate work hours for team members.
• Be a motivational team leader who can address the concerns and needs of team members. Teach and lead in a professional and kind manner.
• Provide learning opportunities to help wranglers grow their horsemanship skillset, based on Dorrence/Hunt/Branamine techniques.
• Monitor team and individual performance and communicate to the Equestrian Manager.
• Assume responsibility and duties as needed when the Equestrian Manager is not present or off-property.
• Possess the ability to problem solve and pay close attention to detail. Be organized, on-time and show up every day ready to work.
• Practice kindness and empathy towards the ranch's horses. They are the backbone of this ranch. Unnecessary discipline and anger towards a horse will not be tolerated.
• General ranch duties including fence maintenance, arena and grounds maintenance, harrowing, tack care and repair, etc.
• Cow work, with and without members: trailing and moving from pasture to pasture, gathering, sorting, branding, etc

Competencies

Our ranch is not a nose-to-tail operation. We cater to all abilities but provide the instruction for our members to be confident and independent on horseback at what pace suits their level of comfort. We do provide a safe and memorable experience for complete beginners, but we also move cattle with guests, ride in wide open pastures at a lope and tailer each experience to the individual or group daily.

• Riding skills are absolutely necessary. Must be able to walk/trot/lope confidently and correctly. Demonstrate knowledge of leads, how to post (including diagonals). Be able to control and move front and hind quarters of the horse independently. Must know how to ride with your seat and legs before your hands, and work quietly and softly with your reins. Must know how to ask for and develop a soft feel/vertical flexion, as well as lateral flexion.
• The Lead Wrangler will be able to teach and correct others on their riding and horsemanship (your team and our members). The Lead Wrangler will help their team of Wranglers develop better overall horsemanship skills.
• Groundwork with horses - must know how to correctly lunge a circle, ask for a stop and change eyes and direction with a flag and/or lead rope. Know how to roll the hindquarters and forequarters on the ground.
• Must be able to haul livestock competently and safely with a gooseneck trailer, 16-22'
• Familiarity and handiness with general ranch tasks
• Physically fit enough to put in long days in a physical work environment.
• Flexibility - every day can be different on the ranch. You will be asked to complete assigned tasks occasionally out of a normal day's hours. This is a horse and ranch job and the schedule will change according to need.

Preferred Skills

• Have taught riding lessons in any discipline.
• Experience driving draft teams with different carts, wagons and sleighs.
• Worked or volunteered in a veterinary medicine position for horses, and/or are competent at veterinary care (bandaging, injections, medicine knowledge and application, etc)
• Have experience driving farm and ranch equipment including side-by sides, quads, tractors, skidsteers, etc.
• Handiness with hand and power tools, chainsaw
• Experience working with cattle.

Qualifications

• 2 years of leadership experience - this does not necessarily have to be in a horse related field, but a position that required you to lead a team of people.
• 3 years of horseback and guiding experience
• Valid drivers license and reliable transportation

Compensation

• Salary is competitive within the equine industry
• Housing provided, own bedroom and bath in shared ranch housing.
• Benefits, 401k, PTO
• Meals provided on workdays

Lone Mountain Land Company provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.