As riding instructor your focus is to teach horse riding sessions, lead trekking and also administer pony rides, maintaining all health and safety policies, administer riding safety equipment to the customer and follow all safety procedures while safeguarding animal welfare through the 5 freedoms.  You will prepare the horses for riding, ensuring you have a level of understanding to effectively teach in accordance with your lesson plan and the rider’s own ability. You will ensure that the horses and ponies are fed on schedule, maintaining good animal welfare at all times. You will work with the riding colleagues and volunteers to collect the horses from the field ready for riding, aid tacking up, grooming, and ensuring that they return back to the field once finished; safeguarding that the horses are not overworked and that they are regularly rotated for riding. You will ensure everyone in the riding team delivers an outstanding level of customer service, making sure that the customers are well informed, of health, safety and hygiene processes while being around and riding horses. You will help maintain the cleanliness of the yard and follow all processes put in place to maintain such measures.  You will report any actions arising from maintenance and animal care and will work closely with the farm team to ensure high levels of animal care giving information and reporting any issues directly to the riding manager. Your tasks are wide-ranging and subject to change when necessary. You will commit to the company’s core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, enjoyment, and inclusivity and will work ultimately to achieve our mission which commits you to the welfare of our animals and staff, making Matlock Farm Park a world class visitor attraction that offers accessibility for all to a wonderful day out through a wide range of interactive animal activities and playtime fun, along with providing great quality food. 

Core Responsibilities: 

• Work in line with all Health and Safety protocols,  

• Work in line with first aid protocols. 

• Ensure the tack is well maintained and available. 

• Groom all horses and ponies. 

• Prepare horses and ponies ready for riding or trekking. 

• Issue safety equipment to customers. 

• Identify any health issues with the animals. 

• Carry out feeding and watering of animals in accordance with schedule. 

• Ensure the accurate completion of all paperwork. 

• Work with volunteers in relation to their job list  

• Keep the yard well maintained and clean.  

• Communicate effectively with the riding team. 

• Deliver outstanding customer service to all. 

• Keep all areas clean and tidy. 

• Work well with others. 

• Follow all company policies and procedures. 

• Promote equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

The day-to-day activity of the position: 

• Complete all start of day tasks. 

• Identify any issues and report to the riding manager.  

• Safeguard animals 

• Ensure horses have been watered and fed in line with the yard processes. 

• maintain the yard area to a high standard. 

• Inform farm operation manager of any issues with the animals. 

• Inform general manager of any issues with customers/visitors. 

• Supervise others in your care to ensure they fulfil their jobs efficiently and effectively. 

• Support Volunteers. 

• Ensure horse and pony rotation for riding. 

• Carry out equipment checks according to schedule. 

• Carry out cleaning duties to reduce the risk of cross contamination. 

• Deliver outstanding customer service to all. 

• Monitor health and safety and report any issues.  

• Monitor hygiene and cleanliness and act on any issues. 

• Any other duties to meet the needs of the business. 

Qualifications and Skills

Essential requirements: 

• Riding instructor qualification (minimum L2) or 3 years’ experience 

Desired requirements: 

• DBS checked. 

• Customer Service qualification level 2