Ranch hand/caretaker opportunity near Phoenix

[Dusky Beauty]

I post these types of things when I find them-- you just never know if it's the answer to someone's prayers.
Looks like a good possibility for a single guy/gal or a hard working couple.

They want horse and handyman skills, no smoking or drinking, and provide what looks like a comfortable trailer AND pay $800 a month.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/grd/3701864320.html

[ErinP]

As someone who has done ranch jobs for 15 years, I wouldn't even consider this unless we're talking less than 15 hours of work per week...
A full time job should be a minimum of $2K per month, plus an actual house and free utilities.


I truly don't want to be a scrooge, but this kind of thing would only appeal to someone who doesn't know any better, IMO... Or, is just starting out and has no experience.

[arabian knight]

I did something like that in Peoria, AZ. on a Quarter Horse operation. And was A LOT Smaller unit, and a lot less pay.
Had half Saturdays off and most all Sundays.
And NOT ONCE did they even mention to me I could use the arena to exercise my Shetland Pony, who was kept in a SMALL OUTSIDE stall~!
Well I was there only a short time, and they Added work, and Added work, and added some more, till it was like 5 in the afternoon on Sat.
I called a friend to help me move out, and NEVER ever talked to THOSE PEOPLE again~!!!
Come to find out, I was really the wrong "Color", if you get my drift~!!!
So I would not even GIVE that ad a second look after what happened to me in AZ. at a place like that.

[joebill]

There is an odd "quirk" with Western ranchers and the "help".

I have lived around them most of my life, and been treated better than I ever could have expected by people who could have bought and sold me 20 times over, so I know they are good people, BUT....the only way I would ever be a cowboy or ranch worker would be on my own place.

There is some cultural thing I simply can't explain, where guys working on ranches are often treated with much less regard than any dog on the place, and expected to like it. Once again, the guys who behaved like ankleholes to the help treated me and everyone else just fine, so there is something there I do not understand, but I also would not suggest anyone participate unless he's willing to risk the likely result....Joe

[sisterpine]

I have also seen the other side where the ranch manager is a member of the family, works like a member of the family and is treated as such. Ranching is plain hard work- for that amount of money it best be a ranchette!

[arabian knight]

So true, but not all are that way.
After my experience on that Quarter Horse farm I went to a Andalusian horse place.
Fantastic place to work.
My duties, clean up after feeding. SHE DID ALL the feeding~!
I cleaned stalls after each feeding, and then worked with the "young stock".
that was cool~~~
and just LOOK at the place I stayed in~!!!!!!!!!
Her house was a log home as well, and so was the barn, a log barn. All were just BEAUTIFUL.
Her place was called. AOA
Andalusians Of Arizona She was working on selling one of her horses to Muhammad Ali when he went to Mexico for health reasons. I thought how neat it was to maybe meet Ali. But the deal fell through.

As a side note:
She fed her horses 4 times a day~! 4 small meals each day which by some is THE BEST way, IF a person can do it that is. LOL

[ErinP]

Originally Posted by joebill

There is an odd "quirk" with Western ranchers and the "help".

I have lived around them most of my life, and been treated better than I ever could have expected by people who could have bought and sold me 20 times over, so I know they are good people, BUT....the only way I would ever be a cowboy or ranch worker would be on my own place.

There is some cultural thing I simply can't explain, where guys working on ranches are often treated with much less regard than any dog on the place, and expected to like it. Once again, the guys who behaved like ankleholes to the help treated me and everyone else just fine, so there is something there I do not understand, but I also would not suggest anyone participate unless he's willing to risk the likely result....Joe

I've noticed this too, Joe. However, about 12 years ago I figured out that you can guage most jobs by the quality of the help's house. Trailer house in neon green with leaky windows? That's how the boss treats his cowboys.
Nice two story house with new carpet and a refinished deck? He realizes the help is the key to his success.

We also got into the habit of getting a burger at the local watering hole after the interview. Outfits that are big enough to need help make a name for themselves, and it doesn't take much to get people talking about how good or bad it is out at the O-5 Ranch...

[joebill]

One of the saddest situations I ever saw was a ranch manager, late 50's, owned NOTHING. Had a wife and grown kids, but no house of his own, no vehicle, no retirement. The ranch had been his whole livelyhood, and now the owner was turning the screws. It got worse every month. Finally, th4e manager took a bad check for hay from a local for a couple of thousand, and the owner was going to take it out of his check if he couldn't collect it.

Don't know how it finally came out because I quit doing businessw with the outfit over that very thing. I'm sure the owner didn't miss my paltry money I paid for hay, but I felt better not givging it to him....Joe