Barn Manager

Job Description

Job Description

This is a full-time leadership role at a private, family-owned dressage facility set on 160 acres in Delano, Minnesota. The Barn Manager oversees the daily operations of the barn and leads the team responsible for the care of a small string of performance and retired horses. The facility is heated, so the horses are ridden and conditioned year-round. They are turned out safely in all weather, with friends. The right person is organized, proactive, and committed to exceptional standards for both the horses and the property. Because this is a close-knit barn, leadership here means working alongside the team and setting the standard through example. The horses are the priority at this facility. The Barn Manager protects their physical and mental well-being while building a professional, accountable, and supportive environment for the people who care for them.

Job Duties Will Include:

• Lead, train, schedule, and develop a team of 5 to 8, including stable hands, an assistant barn manager, night-check staff, and seasonal help
• Hire and manage staff, and support their ongoing education
• Oversee all daily barn operations, including feeding and watering, stall care, turnout, aisle upkeep, ensuring the team executes to the facility's standard
• Manage the care of performance and retired horses, including their specialized medical and feeding needs
• Coordinate farrier and veterinary schedules and keep all records current
• Handle inventory management and ordering
• Trailer horses locally when needed and drag arenas to maintain footing
• Maintain paddocks, pastures, fence lines, and roads, including ice management with sand and salt and repairing ruts for the safety of the horses
• Oversee equipment and facility upkeep
• Represent the facility warmly within a small, personable barn community
• Lead by example, stepping in alongside the team when the day calls for it, including handling horses and mucking stalls

REQUIREMENTS

• Extensive hands-on experience managing performance horses in a private barn setting, must have some experience with dressage or eventing at the upper levels
• Fluency in the terminology and conditioning of upper-level horses
• Proven experience leading teams, including hiring, training, scheduling, and accountability
• A hands-on leadership style, with the willingness to lead a horse or muck a stall
• Experience caring for horses in cold-weather climates and year-round outdoor conditions
• A genuine commitment to the same high standard of care for retired horses, who often carry specialized medical and feeding needs
• Strong documentation and organizational skills
• An outgoing, personable nature and comfort with direct, clear communication
• Willingness to commit to a year-round role and relocate to the Delano area if necessary
• Spanish is a plus

You may be a good fit if:

• You deeply value horses regardless of their life stage, athletic ability, or level of training, recognizing that retired horses deserve the same thoughtful care as their ridden counterparts.
• You support turnout practices that allow performance horses to be outside safely in all weather, with friends.
• You are aware that providing this type of turnout requires careful and observant management.
• You enjoy educating others and take pride in building a knowledgeable, capable, and confident team.
• You are committed to helping team members develop their skills and reach their potential.
• You have a passion for detail and are energized by maintaining high standards. You show up with enthusiasm no matter what tasks are scheduled for the day.
• You are an approachable and confident leader who can communicate clearly, address problems directly, and navigate difficult conversations when needed.

Benefits:

• Private 3-bedroom house provided to the Barn Manager, with a fenced yard, located minutes from the barn. Pets welcome.
• Relocation assistance
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Vacation and Sick Days

Start Date:

• As soon as the right fit is found

Schedule:

• Full-time, year-round, 5 to 6 days per week including one weekend day Barn operating hours are 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a one-hour onsite lunch break (timing, and potentially the duration of the break may shift with the needs of the day) Night check occurs at 8:00 PM and will be covered by the Barn Manager when other staff are unavailable

Pay: $100,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• How many horses were you responsible for in your previous role?
• How many staff members were you responsible for in your previous role?
• Describe the horses you've managed day to day, including competition level and any special care or management requirements.