Horse Adoptions Preparation Handler

Department: Rehoming & Fostering Services

Location: Burford

Compensation: £19,195 / year

Final date to receive applications: 26 February 2026

Contract: Permanent, 30 hours per week
Salary: £19,195 per annum (£23,993 FTE)
Location: Burford rehoming centre, OX18 4PF

Closing date: Thursday 26th February 2026
Interview date: 10th & 11th March 2026

Join our team at Blue Cross Burford rehoming centre as a Horse Adoptions Preparation Handler! We’re looking for a passionate and experienced individual to care for and train our horses, helping prepare them for rehoming. If you’re dedicated to animal welfare and have solid equine experience, we’d love to hear from you!

As a skilled horse handler and trainer, you will manage and care for horses in our rehoming and temporary crisis care services, ensuring they meet welfare standards and are quickly prepared for new homes.

Each day, you'll handle and train a variety of horses and ponies, collaborating with the Rehabilitation, Trainer and Behaviour Advisor (RTBA) and the Adoptions Preparation Lead. This includes starting and training unhandled horses and ponies.

You will work as part of a team to optimise training and provide excellent customer service, promoting Blue Cross horses and ponies to maximise rehoming opportunities. You'll also collaborate with centre-based volunteers and the Foster Yard Coordinator regarding potential foster horses.

As the public face of Blue Cross, you'll prioritise customer service in every interaction. Your role is key in helping us achieve our mission and support more pets and horses.

At our Burford rehoming centre, we provide onsite accommodation for pets in our care 24/7. Overnight shifts are usually undertaken by team members who live on site. Occasionally, you will be expected to carry out night checks or stay in on site accommodation overnight when the resident team members are either not working or away for a period of time. These duties are organised on a local rota and shared between all members of the team.

This is a part time role working 30 hours on a rota which includes weekends and bank holidays.

For a more detailed look at the role and its requirements, please see the attached job description.

You are intuitive with horses, empathetic, and welfare-focused, with experience in a similar environment. Skilled at assessing horse needs, recognising behavioural signs, and knowledgeable about medications like hibiscrub and worming treatments, you understand the importance of quickly finding new homes for horses.

Self‑motivated and forward‑thinking, you bring creative, collaborative, and pragmatic solutions for horse care. You quickly assimilate and accurately record information while effectively communicating with clients and stakeholders.

In an emotionally charged environment, your resilience and emotional intelligence shine, showing empathy and support for clients and colleagues alike.

• Demonstrable experience of having previously worked or volunteered with horses or in a horse welfare environment.
• BHS stage 3, NVQ3 or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience of handling and training a variety of different types of horses and ponies.
• Experience of starting and producing a variety of young horses.
• Knowledge of basic horse veterinary procedures, common horse ailments and injuries.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Current full driving licence.
• The ability to demonstrate, understand and apply our Blue Cross values.

Although not essential, it would be great if you also had:

• Qualification or similar experience in horse behaviour or animal training.
• Understanding of safeguarding issues.
• Practical application of behavioural science and learning theory when training horses.

Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Thursday 26th February 2026
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We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.

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