Wrangler

Knightsbridge Capital Corporation•Greenough, MT

12d•Onsite

About The Position

Paws Up Montana, America’s premier luxury ranch resort, is more than a workplace—it’s a chance to be part of something extraordinary. The ranch is located outside of Missoula, Montana and offers those interested (and qualified) the opportunity to hone their own horsemanship skills as well as teach guests, from beginners to advanced riders, how to advance theirs, all while becoming part of a family/community and while experiencing all the fun that Montana has to offer. Wranglers to join our ranch team for 2026/2027 guest ranch season. The position’s core duty is to safely lead guest trail rides and (for those Wranglers that show an aptitude for the job and its expectations) cattle drives. Wranglers must feel comfortable and confident riding at a walk, trot and lope on horses they are not initially familiar with, and in what many would consider a high stress environment (you are responsible for the safety of each rider and horse on your rides). Riders of all disciplines are welcome to apply! The busiest season is May-August so new Wranglers must be able to start no later than May 15th and stay through at least August 10th. Longer contracts are also available, starting as early as March 2026 and going through the Fall, and even into 2027, for the right people. Housing is available, and is disccussed at the end of the interview process. Wranglers may bring 1 personal horse to use as their work horse for the season (so long as it meets certain criteria). No pets of any kind are allowed in our seasonal staff housing or at work. This is not a “nose-to-tail” operation, though our horses will happily just walk straight down the trail if asked; we take novice riders (in addition to very advanced riders from all disciplines) out on trail rides and our aim for any guest who is interested and willing is to challenge the way they think about, and interact with, their horses and each other, through our use of our horsemanship. This means that you must be comfortable with multitasking while on the trail: minding/working your horse, talking with and instructing guests, and being vigilant for potential issues that may arise while riding in all gaits across all types of terrain. This position is first and foremost a guest service position, thus people skills are a must (the great majority of your time will be spent taking guests out on trail rides and (for some Wranglers) cattle drives). That being said, candidates for this position must also be interested in learning and working at the basics of Vaquero/Natural Horsemanship, chiefly the lineage of the Dorrance brothers, Ray Hunt and Buck Brannaman. In this program, those basics are defined as: Feel, Timing and Balance. We use these tenants, and a focus on biomechanics, to create a softness and willingness of response to aids. Wranglers can expect to work at: 1. Their feel 2. Their seat and leg aids 3. Lateral flexion 4. Independent movement of the front and hind quarters 5. Keeping horse within the rider’s rectangle 6. Vertical flexion/soft feel 7. Prompt responses to seat, leg and rein cues 8. Setting boundaries 9. Familiarization to flag, tarp, rope, etc. There is nothing quick about these practices so if you are looking for training exercises that will “fix a problem” or make a certain kind of horse to fit into a certain kind of performance discipline, this may not be the program for you. We believe in focusing on the growth and development of the mind and body of the horse, to create a well-rounded animal that is quiet, willing and freed up. Wranglers are expected to groundwork their horses at the beginning of each day, using the program approved checklist and, if time allows, put a first ride on them in the arena using the riding checklist. All wrangler horses are destined for the guest string, so all wrangler horses are projects, however the level of project horse given to each wrangler is determined by the individual's interest in, and dedication to, learning and executing our horsemanship methods, as well as his/her abilities and comfort level, amongst other things.

Requirements

Be honest and open
Be hard working and disciplined
Have problem solving abilities
Know how to hold themselves accountable
Be punctual and consistent
Have a positive, “can do” attitude and a willing, outgoing personality
Have a desire to grow themselves as humans and horsemen, and love to learn
Be humble, patient and empathetic
Be accepting of others, are judgement free and have a sense of humor
Have a deep understanding of and ability to RIDE FOR THE BRAND.
Horseback riding experience is a must, whether English or Western (riding videos will be requested during the interview process)
Valid State Driver’s License with two years of driving experience

Responsibilities

Safely lead guest trail rides and cattle drives
Instruct guests on basic horsemanship, assisting guests onto horses, guiding them on rides and conversing about the horses, The Resort and the history of the area to provide an exemplary guest experience
Prepare horses for trail rides and horse related activities, such as grooming, saddling, bridling, feeding, doctoring and tack repair
Working horses in the pre-season, using the ranch’s horsemanship techniques
General ranch chores
Assist in daily herd health management and identify injuries or soundness issues prior to selecting horses for activities; assist in basic veterinary care as needed.
Focus on the safety of guests, self, co-workers and livestock while executing daily job duties
Assist with dispatching rides and assigning horses as needed
Participate in and follow all health and safety standards, regulations, and policies
Converse with the guests at a high level, being aware of their needs and fulfill special guest requests as instructed by management or the guest directly
Ensure confidentiality of guests throughout their stay
Other duties as assigned