Not your average Yard Manager role.

We’re looking for an experienced, knowledgeable and kind horse person to take ownership of our yard and herd of 13 horses and help young people who have experienced difficult life circumstances build skills, confidence and a future.

SLTH is a specialist equine therapy and education charity supporting hundreds of children and young people each year. Our multidisciplinary team brings together horses, mental health professionals, teachers and equine specialists to help young people learn, develop and thrive.

The role

You’ll take ownership of the day-to-day management of our 13-horse yard and track system, leading two grooms/apprentice grooms and ensuring excellent standards of horse care, welfare and yard management.

But this role goes much further than running a great yard.

Working alongside our education and mental health professionals, you’ll help deliver the advanced elements of our vocational equine programmes – teaching young people practical skills, supporting them towards equestrian qualifications and helping prepare them for employment in the horse industry.

For some of our young people, horses are the first thing they have really connected with and their first opportunity to discover what they are capable of.

You don’t need experience of therapeutic work or working with vulnerable young people. We provide full training in our approach and how to work safely and therapeutically alongside young people.

What we need you to bring is excellent horsemanship, strong yard management skills, professionalism and a genuine interest in developing the next generation of horse people.

Requirements

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has substantial practical experience managing horses and a busy professional yard
• Has excellent standards of horse care, welfare and husbandry
• Is confident taking responsibility for the management of a varied herd
• Can lead, organise and develop grooms and apprentice grooms
• Enjoys teaching and passing on practical equestrian knowledge
• Is organised, proactive and comfortable taking real ownership of their area
• Works well as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Is patient, curious and able to adapt their approach to different people
• Believes that excellent horse welfare and excellent education should go hand in hand

Experience of vocational equine qualifications, teaching, assessing or supporting apprentices would be particularly valuable, but we’re interested in finding the right person rather than someone who ticks every box.

Pay: Up to £40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Additional leave
• Casual dress
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance

About Our Orgnisation

Strength & Learning Through Horses (SLTH) is an award-winning London based youth charity delivering equine-assisted therapy, alternative education and mental health support to over 600 young people each year. Working from our centre in Barnet, we combine evidence-based therapeutic practice with the unique relational power of horses to help young people build emotional regulation, confidence, communication skills and a sense of belonging. Where young people are unable to learn in a classroom setting, we can support them to access an education via our alternative education provision.

Following 15 years of sustained growth, we have become one of the UK’s largest providers of equine-assisted services. We are now entering an exciting new phase as we complete the development of a purpose-built centre, expand the number of young people we support and refine our strategy for the charity’s future growth including looking at expanding our reach to other locations via a training offer.

The organisation’s ability to deliver excellence in its service quality is dependent upon a skilled and competent workforce where learning and continuous improvement is a fundamental aim. Central to this role is the ability to work according to the organisation’s core values of:

• Ambition: for young people, SLTH and ourselves as individuals
• Curiosity without judgement: about human and equine behaviours
• Embrace difference: a variety of perspectives & life experiences are essential
• Embrace difficulty: it’s where the learning happens
• Commitment to always improving: & owning areas that improvement is required
• Respect