DEC is looking for colt breaking trainers to partner with us in our mission to bring high-quality training education to our community. We’re looking for people who align with our training philosophy of science-based methods and a horse-centric approach.
Ideal candidates will be hardworking, highly ethical, and completely committed to doing what’s best for our clients and horses.
We have several open positions as we build our facility and start to branch out.
- Riding Lesson Instructors
- Guest visiting clinicians
- Trainers starting horses under saddle
- Internship opportunities starting in 2022!
Our Philosophy – Training
We are looking for trainers who share our values, specifically:
- Training is more about communication and partnership with the horse, rather than dominating the horse.
- Our trainers are invested in continuous learning for themselves because they want to be life-long learners, curious by nature, and driven by a deep desire to constantly be better horse trainers, instructors, and people.
- Our trainer’s emphasize correct biomechanics and muscle/joint development. We never push horses past their physical and mental limits. We don’t believe in starting horses under saddle too early, and we are emphathetic that most horses start training undermuscled, and that sometimes “resistance” is from weakness rather than disrespect. We progress the training slowly enough that the horse’s body strengthens and becomes more beautiful because of the training.
- We believe young horses should be started under saddle gently, with halters and basic snaffle bits, or bitless options such as sidepulls or bosals. We do not believe shanked bits belong in a horse’s mouth until they are much older, are already beautiful to handle in a snaffle or bitless, and the motivation for using a shanked bit is for nuancing the training, rather than problem solving.
- Horses should always be provided with reward and release during training sessions. Abusive training methods such as tying a horse’s head to the stirrups are rejected by our training philosophy as it does not honor the horse.
- Tack should be simple, quality, and fitted to the horse. Emphasis is on the horse’s comfort, with the rider trying their best to stay out of the horse’s way.
- Our trainers believe in using minimal equipment in training, and reject gimmicks such as tie downs and martingales, etc, in favor of taking the time to properly educate the horse on the basics first.
- Riding instructors should be focused on insuring that all students understand the full range of requirements for caring for the horse. Riding students must learn basic grooming and tacking. This includes the proper use of each piece of tack, how to correctly fit it to the horse, and how to recognize broken/incorrectly fitted tack.
- Riding instructors must understand and support the value of groundwork as a safe and desirable training method, incorporating basic handling and ground exercises into riding classes to improve the student’s understand and confidence.
- We believe that beginner riding students should start out on horse with bitless options or basic snaffle bits whenever possible to allow them the freedom and safety of developing an independent seat without causing undue discomfort to the horse. Longe line lessons are strongly encouraged at all levels of riding!!
- Instructors understand that as people are learning, often the rider is the cause of mis-communications due to incorrect posture or cues. Emphasis should be placed on correct posture and timing in all riding interactions to reduce confusion and interference with the horse’s natural abilities.
Trainer/Instructor Qualifications
- Applicants MUST be 18 years of age or older.
- Applicants must have their own business. We will exchange 1099s each year for tax purposes. This includes your own personal and business insurance.
- Trainer applicants should have: a minimum of 20 horses trained, references from a minimum of 3 clients unrelated to them, and references from one veterinarian.
- Instructor applicants should have: 5+ years of professional horse experience (actively training, showing, teaching, high level horsemanship), and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. You should be able to provide references from a minimum of 3 students and 2 other instructors, none of which should be related to you.
- Applicants should have learned from trainers who practice methods that rely on science, communication, and respect for the horse as an individual. Trainers focusing on dominance of the horse will not be accepted.
- All applicants must be able to provide videos of (and/or access to) at least three horses/humans they have trained. This information must include the time spent training as well as contact information for the owner or student.
Dragonfly Equestrian Center, LLC in Thief River Falls, MN 