Hill Country Equestrian Lodge
Hill Country Equestrian Lodge is a working guest ranch near Bandera, Texas, in a region called the Texas Hill Country. We focus on specialized instruction in both Western and English styles and disciplines for clients of all skill levels. We also welcome families and others who simply want to trail ride on a casual basis. We offer our signature 4-day Whole Horsemanship Clinics on specific dates throughout the year, twice yearly Cattle Sorting and Team Penning Clinics, and a 3-week long girls’ Summer riding camp.
The full-time position being offered would consist of the following:
- Assisting instructor/ owner Dianne Lindig Lovett with Western and English lessons, and eventually teaching independently to students of appropriate skill level, according to the Whole Horsemanship method, (Ms. Lindig Lovett’s trademark method).
- Assisting with twice-annual Cattle Sorting and Team Penning Clinics.
- Morning grooming and tacking up of horses for daily lessons, clinics, and trail rides.
- Giving tutorials to trail riders (in the round pen), and helping mount up groups of 5 or fewer riders.
- Guiding trail rides for small groups of 5 or fewer riders, for 1 to 3 hours, on various trail routes on the ranch and in the adjoining 5500 acre state natural area, to riders of all skill levels.
- Keeping horses conditioned and trained up during times with few guests, or between the guests’ riding sessions. Continued training and development of horses recently added to the remuda.
- Morning feeding of up to 16 horses, and sometimes evening of 2 horses.
- Daily administration of supplements and medications for some herd members.
- Daily cleaning of 8 stalls, two 50 X 100 foot paddocks, 60 foot round pen, raking of barn aisle and tidying of tack room. (Horses are only kept in during feeding time, or between riding sessions, then turned out, so cleaning is typically minimal.) Also twice-weekly picking of manure along driveways and wherever visible around office and cabins. Typically, 2 staff members work each day, and share or split and alternate these responsibilities. (Occasionally there is only one staff person working, in which case that person does only feeding, medicating if needed, filing water troughs, and maintenance of stable area.) On days busy with guest lessons and trail rides, a 3rd staff person is here to do chores while the other 2, (or 3 including owner), are taking care of guest riding activities. Manure is either picked into carts which are then emptied into an automatic spreader, or picked directly into the spreader, and spread via the ranch truck on a daily basis. Bedding must also be replenished by staff person as needed, for the ranch’s horses, as well as for horses that are brought by guests to the ranch.
- Daily checking/ filling/ cleaning when needed of 6 water troughs, daily or twice daily depending on the season.
- Collaborating with Ms. Lindig Lovett to keep feed, supplements and other supplies in stock, and in ordering medications as needed.
- Cleaning and oiling tack during times with few or no guests.
The exact daily schedule changes depending on how many guests are on the ranch, and which equestrian services they require. A schedule is made each evening for the following day, with horses and tack assigned for each rider, and tasks assigned for each staff person, and for part-time staff members, if any.
On days when there are no or few guests, the equestrian assistant either conditions or trains the ranch’s horses, or cleans and oils tack, cleans automatic waterers, and/ or does other maintenance tasks as asked and required of them. Some of the other tasks may not be horse-relates, such as landscaping, fence mending, etc. We ask that our assistants be willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the ranch working well, and we do not require them to do anything that we do not also do ourselves.
Days are typically 8 hours long, and sometimes up to 9 hours, but can be shorter when the ranch is not busy, and average between 7 and 8 hours. Work starts at 7:30AM or 8AM depending upon the season, except for during the 3 weeks of Summer Camp when it starts at 7AM. This position typically requires a 5-day work week. Consideration is given for requested days off, or for shorter days for personal needs. However, we do usually work on holidays, since this is when people travel and vacation. We do not do riding activities on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Compensation for this position may be discussed with the owner, depending upon the applicant’s experience and qualifications, and is at or above what is typical for this industry. Under certain circumstances, the staff person in this position may live rent free on the ranch. They may alternatively find their own housing. We pay utilities and internet, if you are living on the ranch. We are also looking into possibly subsidizing your rent if you choose to live off the ranch. Some meals are also included.
The person filling this position must have health insurance. If they do not have it upon arrival, we will assist them in finding an appropriate policy, within 1 month after their arrival. It will be the applicant’s financial responsibility to pay for their health insurance. If they need financial assistance to do so, they may request it.
TO APPLY:
Please feel free to email or to call with questions or for clarifications.
Thank you-
Dianne Lindig Lovett, Owner
Visit website here: https://www.hillcountryequestlodge.com/
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