Farmhand & Animal Trainer

Buckeye Ridge Rescue & Retreat is seeking a dependable, hardworking, and compassionate Farmhand & Animal Trainer to help care for our animals, support daily farm operations, and assist with animal handling for programs, events, and guest experiences.

This position is hands-on and requires someone who is confident around animals, comfortable working outdoors in all seasons, and able to manage daily responsibilities with care, consistency, and attention to detail. Experience working with horses is required. Knowledge of pigs and cows is strongly recommended.

Position Overview

The Farmhand & Animal Trainer will be responsible for assisting with the daily care, feeding, handling, training support, and overall wellbeing of the animals at Buckeye Ridge Rescue & Retreat. This role also supports barn operations, animal enrichment, pasture care, tractor work, fundraising events, and safe animal interactions during programs and guest experiences.

This position requires someone who is flexible, dependable, and able to pivot easily when plans change or last-minute requests come up. The ideal candidate can work independently with little direction, while also being a strong team player who is willing to jump in wherever needed. Because this is a growing rescue and retreat environment, the position may require wearing many hats on any given day.

In addition to daily animal care, the Farmhand & Animal Trainer may be expected to drive a tractor, assist with maintaining pastures, help with fencing or basic farm upkeep, and support the property during seasonal needs. This person will also assist with fundraising events, including day-of support, setup, breakdown, and helping ensure the animals, guests, and event spaces are safe, clean, and well cared for.

The ideal candidate understands that our animals are not only rescues, but also an important part of our mission. This person should be patient, reliable, observant, hands-on, and committed to creating a safe, clean, and respectful environment for both animals and people.

Key Responsibilities

> Animal Care & Daily Feeding

> Provide daily feeding, watering, and basic care for horses, ponies, cows, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas, sheep, and other animals as needed.

> Monitor animals for changes in behavior, appetite, movement, appearance, or overall health and report concerns promptly.

> Assist with turnout, stall care, pasture rotation, grooming, bathing, and general animal upkeep.

> Maintain clean water troughs, feed areas, stalls, barns, shelters, and animal spaces.

> Follow established feeding schedules, supplement instructions, and care routines.

Horse Care & Handling

> Safely handle, lead, groom, and care for horses and ponies.

> Assist with basic groundwork, manners, desensitization, and training support.

> Help prepare horses for programs, lessons, events, or animal-assisted activities as needed.

> Recognize basic signs of stress, lameness, injury, or illness in horses.

> Support safe handling practices around guests, volunteers, children, and program participants.

Animal Training & Handling

> Assist with basic training, conditioning, and positive handling routines for farm animals.

> Help animals become more comfortable with people, grooming, halters, leads, transportation, and program environments.

> Support animal enrichment activities that encourage confidence, trust, and healthy behavior.

> Help create calm, safe animal interactions for visitors, volunteers, and program participants.

> Use patience and consistency when working with animals of different backgrounds, temperaments, and needs.

Barn & Farm Operations

> Clean stalls, shelters, barns, animal areas, equipment, and common farm spaces.

> Assist with hay, feed, bedding, supplies, fencing, gates, and general barn organization.

> Help maintain safe walkways, pastures, pens, and animal enclosures.

> Report maintenance issues such as broken fencing, loose boards, unsafe gates, damaged equipment, or animal safety concerns.

> Assist with seasonal farm tasks, event setup, property cleanup, and general outdoor work.

Program & Event Support

> Help prepare animals and animal areas for nonprofit programs, retreats, field trips, volunteer days, and special events.

> Assist with safe animal introductions and interactions during public or private experiences.

> Support volunteers by helping explain basic animal safety, barn rules, and handling expectations.

> Represent Buckeye Ridge Rescue & Retreat in a kind, professional, and mission-focused manner.

Qualifications - Required:

> Experience working with horses.

> Comfortable handling large animals.

> Ability to perform physical farm work, including lifting, bending, walking, cleaning, carrying feed, moving hay, and working outdoors.

> Dependable, punctual, and able to follow daily routines.

> Strong awareness of animal safety and body language.

> Comfortable working independently and as part of a team.

> Compassionate, calm, and patient around animals.

> Willingness to work in different weather conditions.

Qualifications - Preferred:

> Knowledge of pigs and cows.

> Experience with goats, llamas, alpacas, sheep, or other farm animals.

> Experience with rescue animals or animals with behavioral needs.

> Basic understanding of positive reinforcement or calm handling techniques.

> Experience supporting animal-assisted programs, children’s programs, veterans programs, or public farm events.

> Basic farm maintenance experience is a plus.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to:

> Lift and carry feed bags, hay, bedding, buckets, and supplies.

> Walk and stand for extended periods.

> Bend, kneel, push, pull, rake, shovel, and clean animal areas.

> Work in barns, pastures, outdoor areas, and changing weather conditions.

> Safely work around large animals, including horses and cows.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is someone who loves animals but also understands that farm work is physical, detailed, and requires consistency every day. We are looking for someone who is dependable, calm under pressure, observant, and willing to jump in wherever needed.

This role is a great fit for someone who takes pride in clean barns, healthy animals, safe handling, and being part of a mission-driven rescue environment.

About Buckeye Ridge Rescue & Retreat

Buckeye Ridge Rescue & Retreat is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving quality of life for rescued animals, veterans, first responders, youth, and individuals impacted by trauma, disability, and behavioral or mental health challenges through animal-assisted and nature-based programs.

Our animals are at the heart of our mission, and we are looking for someone who will care for them with respect, patience, and purpose.

To Apply

Interested applicants should use the form below to send their name, contact information, relevant animal experience, horse experience, availability, and references. Please include any experience working with pigs, cows, farm animals, rescue animals, or animal training.