Reports to: Program Manager
Category: Hourly (Full-Time 40 hours week, year-round)
Pay Grade: $19.00 per hour to start
Benefits: Full-Time Instructors eligible for vacation and health care stipend
Position Summary:
The Therapeutic Riding Instructor (TRI) develops and facilitates riding lessons for individuals or groups based on the rider’s specific needs. TRI will have the responsibility to ensure the lessons are conducted in a safe, professional manner and will follow the appropriate skill progression process for each rider.
Duties:
- Expected to teach up to 6 hours of therapeutic riding lessons per day
- Research and understand disabilities of each rider that he/she is teaching
- Communicate with rider, guardian or involved therapists to ensure needs are being met
- Develop specific lesson plans for each rider which include goals, plans to reach goals and on-going assessment of goals
- Conduct riding lessons that encourage independent riding through skill progression, strength building, and building self-confidence while considering the physical, mental, and cognitive abilities of the rider
- Provide a detailed record of rider requirements/needs, plans/goals, and progress notes as required to ensure continuity of riding lessons and goal accomplishments
- Work with assigned volunteers in a professional and appropriate manner and encourage the highest level of support from the volunteer.
- Assist with volunteer training as needed
- Assist with special programs as needed
- School horses as delegated and instructed by the Equine Manager (EM)
- Mentor other instructors as delegated by the Lead Instructor (LI)
- Other duties as assigned
Skills:
- Excellent horsemanship skills and the ability to articulate riding skills to riders
- Have the ability to understand a multitude of disabilities and the ability to research best practices for teaching to the rider’s specific needs
- Understand safety issues/cautions when working with horses
- Be a positive model of Swiftsure Ranch mission
- Treat all individuals encountered at Swiftsure Ranch with dignity, respect, professionalism, and empathy (riders, volunteers, guests, other employees, etc.).
- Ability to identify solutions to problems with the whole picture in mind
- Be an excellent listener and communicator, understanding that there are multiple ways to communicate and be able to modify teaching strategies to match each individual rider and their learning style
- Be a positive leader and change agent, always looking for new ideas and teaching tools
- Team player who is willing to cooperate and collaborate with coworkers and volunteers
- Be able to organize and multi-task
- Ability to plan and organize multiple lessons each day
Physical Requirement
- Ability to physically handle horses and the required equipment
- Ability to lift no less than 50 pounds
- Ability to handle safety issues as they arise
- Ability to be on feet and walk at least six hours a day
- Ability to work in cold and hot environments
- Ability to work in a dusty environment
Preferred Experience and Education:
PATH Int’l Registered Instructor – If not certified, work toward certification within one year of employment
Encouraged to strive for Path Int’l Advanced Certification
Maintain First Aid/CPR (become certified as soon as possible after hire)
Thank you for your interest in working at Swiftsure Ranch Therapeutic Equestrian Center. Our employees are the most valuable asset to our organization so we pride ourselves on creating a positive and collaborative work environment—when our employees thrive, our programs thrive!