Due to an internal promotion, Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons is seeking to appoint a full time Yard Technician to join our friendly and supportive yard team working within the Hospital and Diagnostic Centre, based in Exning. This is a 40‑hour‑per‑week position worked Monday to Friday, with participation in a weekend and bank holiday rota currently operating at one in three, for which overtime is paid. Additional hours may occasionally be required to meet business needs and will generally be recompensed as paid overtime.
Our Yard Technicians play a vital role in ensuring the wellbeing of our equine inpatients. Working closely with our Yard Manager, you will contribute to the highest standards of horse husbandry and handling, helping to ensure that every patient receives exceptional care during their stay.
The role involves the daily management of hospitalised horses, including feeding, watering, rugging and attending to individual requirements, as well as maintaining clean stables, handling horses confidently, and assisting with walking and movement around the hospital. Our patients vary widely and may include foals, youngstock, stallions, racehorses, competition horses and pleasure horses, so applicants must be both confident and competent in handling horses of all types, sizes and temperaments.
We are looking for a reliable and highly motivated individual with excellent attention to detail and a genuine passion for equine care. A good general knowledge of horse care and stable duties is essential, along with proven experience within the equine industry. Previous work in a racing or stud environment would be advantageous. This is a physically demanding role that involves working outdoors in all weather conditions, and we are seeking someone who will find reward in contributing to the smooth running of a busy equine veterinary hospital.
The main aspects of this role include (but are not limited to):
- Introducing yourself to owners/clients while admitting horses to the Hospital and Diagnostic Centre. Checking all horses are tagged on arrival and appropriately at all times during their stay.
- General husbandry – mucking out, feeding, watering
- Mucking out, taking wheelbarrow loads to muck heap.
- Feeding and administering oral medication to horses under the instruction of the Line Manager.
- Paddock maintenance
- Use of Billygoat and other small machinery as required.
- Assisting with intensive care cases in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU).
- All aspects of handling different horses (including foals, breeding stallions, racehorses and pleasure horses), e.g. movement of horses between boxes, trot-up areas and lunging. Holding horses for veterinary inspection /procedures.
- Ensuring horses are clean and tidy before they are discharged. You will be required to groom those cases with which you have been involved, bathing, hot clothing, etc., every day.
- Liaising with the yard manager or vet in charge of the case whilst the horse is resident at Rossdales regarding any concerns you may have to the needs/welfare of that horse.
- You will be required to stable bandage horses after medications and other treatments. This will be at the discretion of the attending vet and if you are asked to do this you will be given appropriate training.
- Responsibility for adhering to Infection Control procedures and ensuring compliance procedures in place.
- Following post discharge Infection Control procedures - steam cleaning stables and ensuring that the stables are maintained in a clean and sterile state.
- Responsible for the general cleanliness and maintenance of the yard areas in which you work and participating in daily and weekly cleaning procedures when appropriate and in conjunction with colleagues, i.e. painting stables and strimming.
- Maintain and update Eclipse software with stabling, admissions, discharges, and paddock records.
- You will be required to lead a small team on your weekend working, when needed
- All Rossdales support staff are required to have a flexible approach to their duties and may, at any time, be required to cover absence and illness in closely associated departments across the site, sometimes at short notice including general horse care.
- Any other duties reasonably requested by the Practice.
Please be advised that we are unable to sponsor visas for this role. Only candidates who already have the full Right to Work in the United Kingdom without sponsorship will be considered for this position.
We offer an excellent benefits package including:
- Enhanced holiday
- Opportunity to buy and sell holiday
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Enhanced family schemes, including maternity and paternity leave
- Employee Discount Scheme
- Westfield Health Scheme
- Life Assurance
- Workplace Pension Scheme
- Employee Activities/Events
Pay: From £26,436.80 per year
Benefits:
- Additional leave
- Bereavement leave
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Enhanced paternity leave
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid volunteer time
- Private dental insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
