Kids' Program Wrangler & Guide - Summer 2025

Every family and child has a different adventure goal to reach and our Kids Program Wranglers figure out what that is and help them get there. Horseback riding, archery, .22 rifle shooting, campfire games, zip lines, crafts, kayaking, swimming, rock wall climbing… our guides love everything outdoors and sharing their knowledge with children. Every guide brings a different skill set to the table as we learn and grow together.

You have to enjoy working with children and not just horses to like this job and you will thrive if you want to learn more about how to mix your love of the outdoors with world class hospitality. Lead by kind and encouraging managers, you can expect to be held to a high standard, be on the move, work hard, have a lot of fun, and be proud of the summers you’ve spent with us.

What Your Day Will Look Like:

You Will Be With the Children (ages 3 and up) Who Sign up for Kids Program

• Talking with children and getting to know them and their goals for the week

• Talking with their parents and respecting their concerns

• Learning their names

• Keeping them safe on all activities

• Answering questions

• Teaching riding instruction according to the principles of Western horsemanship

• Creating memorable moments

• Encouraging them as they learn

• Being hospitable and welcoming to them

• PLAYING not just supervising. Having fun WITH them!

You Will Be Guiding Trail Rides in the Mountains and Doing Lessons in the Arena

• Loading and unloading riders

• Leading guest trail rides in mountainous and wooded terrain 

• Learning our vast trail system

• Taking children with various skill levels into the arenas to teach lessons 

• Walking next to and holding on to the the lead rope for our youngest and most inexperienced riders

• Keep children engaged and having fun while out on the trail

You Will Be Guiding and Participating in Fun Activities with Kids

• .22 rifle plinking and possibly Sporting Clays

• Challenge Course & High Ropes Course

• Crafts and Pottery

• Lake Kayaking 

• Zip Lines

• Swimming

• Organizing scavenger hunts and coming up with other fun impromptu activities

• Archery

• Crafts and Pottery

• Campfire Games

• Playing various different sports and games WITH them

• Hiking

• Changing things up each week to accommodate the personalities of those children

You Will Be Caring for Our Herd of Horses

• Sticking to feeding and watering schedules

• Aiding our Herd Manager in some horse training

• Performing basic veterinary procedures

• Learning all the horses’ names and personalities

• Approaching and haltering horses from the pasture and catch pen

• Grooming and picking feet

• Saddling and bridling horses

• Turning horses out

• Working with various different types of horses

• Working with various different personalities of horses

You Will be Doing Ranch Chores

• Completing daily checklists

• Repairing fence

• Picking pens and spreading manure

• Barn and barnyard cleanup

• Clearing trails

• Braiding Horse Tails...just kidding.

• Weeding and Mowing

• Repairs

• Prepping for guided activities

• Cleaning and organizing

You Will Have Other Ranch Duties

• Hosting a Thursday evening kids campfire or other evening event one night a week

• Helping in other departments (like busing and dishes!) because everyone helps each other here. Plus, the lodge people are a pretty fun crowd to work with too.

• Yes, you usually get 2 days off a week here because we value ME time. But, you can also expect to be scheduled a couple of those weekends to cover barn chores and vetting, because, you know, horses are 24/7! Extra hours are almost always available for our folks who prefer the 6-7 day work week.

• Attending ranch meetings and training sessions

• Doing assigned employee housing chores in your free time because it is your home for the summer and it “magically” gets messy.

• Must enjoy working with children, be creative, and patient

• Show strong safety for riders and horses

• Have experience and be comfortable riding horses on trails and in arenas

• Familiar with handling and training horses and willing to learn more

• Have other outdoor recreation knowledge and experiences: sporting clays, .22 riffle shooting, kayaking, swimming, archery, mountain biking, zip lines, challenge courses or rock walls, and hiking.

• Physically fit and capable of all Kids Program Guide/Wrangler activities

• Be able to lift 50 pounds and work 45-50 hours/week

• Work with minimal supervision and use checklists

• Complete our onsite training program before guests arrive 

• Comply with our ranch policies and procedures in our ranch manuals and handbooks

• Familiar with, or willing to be trained on, how to share satellite internet with your roommates!!

• Able to demonstrate good communication skills with peers and guests

• Willing to help in other departments as needed

• Ok with a 10 minute drive to get cell phone reception or having to use a land phone (Gasp! What’s a land phone!?) to make a phone call while on the ranch….training provided.

• Wear appropriate Western uniforms and maintain a neat/clean appearance

• Able to laugh and have fun!

• Show proof of First Aid / CPR certification or pass certification on arrival

• Must be a citizen of The United States of America or possess a current and appropriate working visa

• Hold a valid drivers license with a clean driving record

• Be at least 21 years of age