Ranch Hand

Work description

PRIMARY DUTIES: Workers will perform duties associated with operating a commercial cattle ranch and horse operation in Shiner, Texas. The ranch maintains stocker cattle, a cow-calf herd, and trains roping horses. Employees will assist with livestock care, horse care, equipment operation, facility maintenance, and general ranch operations. Essential job duties include: Cattle Ranch Operations • Feeding and watering: Distribute feed, mix rations, place mineral blocks, and ensure automatic water troughs or natural sources are accessible. • Health monitoring: Check herds daily for signs of injury, illness, or disease, and administer required medications or vaccinations. • Calving and breeding support: Assist with birthing, care for newborn calves, and monitor cows during calving season. • Processing and branding: Handle branding, tagging, ear-notching, castrating, and weaning calves at designated times. • Herding and moving: Move cattle between pastures using horses, ATVs, or trucks to prevent overgrazing Horse Care and Barn Duties • Feed and water horses according to established schedules • Turn horses out and bring them in safely • Clean stalls, remove manure, strip bedding, and rebed stalls • Clean and refill water buckets and troughs • Handle large horses confidently and safely, including draft horses • Halter, lead, tie, groom, and prepare horses for riding or ranch activities • Pick hooves and observe horses for stones, cracks, heat, swelling, or tenderness • Maintain clean aisles, tack areas, feed rooms, wash racks, and storage spaces • Clean and organize saddles, bridles, grooming equipment, blankets, and other tack • Assist with saddling and unsaddling horses • Help load and unload horses when necessary • Monitor horses for changes in appetite, attitude, movement, manure, hydration, or general condition • Immediately report signs of illness, injury, lameness, colic, damaged fencing, or unsafe behavior • Follow feeding, turnout, medication, veterinary, and farrier instructions exactly • Assist with holding horses for veterinarians, farriers, and other equine professionals • Help maintain safe and professional horse experiences Grounds and Property Maintenance • Mow, shred, weed-eat, edge, and maintain ranch grounds • Keep barns, roads, trails, entrances, fence lines, and guest areas clean and presentable • Remove brush, limbs, rocks, trash, manure, and other debris • Assist with pasture maintenance, weed control, seeding, fertilizing, and erosion prevention • Monitor and maintain water troughs, hoses, irrigation systems, and drainage areas • Inspect fences, gates, latches, signs, and livestock enclosures • Make routine fence, gate, barn, and property repairs • Maintain the covered arena, including dragging, leveling, watering, and monitoring footing • Assist with seasonal projects, storm cleanup, freeze preparation, and fire prevention • Safely operate and maintain tractors, mowers, utility vehicles, trailers, skid steers, chainsaws, and other ranch equipment • Complete routine equipment inspections, lubrication, cleaning, and minor maintenance • Report larger equipment, fencing, water, or facility problems before they become expensive repairs General Ranch Support • Engage in equipment operation and maintenance using 75 and 100 horsepower tractors and skid steers. Assist with animal chores and ranch projects outside the horse operation when needed • Check gates, water systems, roads, fences, feeders, and ranch facilities • Help receive feed, hay, bedding, fencing materials, and other supplies • Maintain clean and organized shops, storage containers, barns, and work areas • Document completed work and report maintenance needs to ranch management • Follow ranch safety procedures and equipment operating requirements • Work cooperatively with management, other employees, and contractors