Rough Rider Jobs in Phoenix, AZ (NOW HIRING)

Job Overview

Desert Wolf Tours is a highly rated outdoor adventure company serving guests from across the country and around the world. We operate guided Tomcar UTV adventures, firearms adventures, private group adventures, and guest experiences that blend the Sonoran Desert, the Old West, and a 5 Star Plus level of service.

We are looking for a dependable, skilled, hard-working person who can help support both our small horse operation and our larger tour operation.

This is not just a horse job.

This is a hands-on operations position for someone who is comfortable around horses, vehicles, tools, trailers, guests, dirt, heat, hard work, and changing priorities. The right person will help care for our horses, support our tours, assist in the shop, help keep the Wolf Den guest facility clean and stocked, move vehicles, recover vehicles on the trail when needed, and do whatever needs to be done to help the company deliver outstanding guest experiences.

If you want a narrow job where you only do one thing, this is probably not the right fit. If you like variety, horses, the West, vehicles, guests, and being part of a hard-working team, this could be a very interesting position.

Position Summary

The Tour Operations Technician / Wrangler is responsible for daily horse care and ranch duties, supporting Desert Wolf Tours’ guest experience, assisting with tour operations, helping with vehicle movement and basic shop support, and completing other operational tasks as assigned by the President or CEO.

Our horses are part of our brand and guest experience. They help create the “Old West” atmosphere our guests love. You will help care for them, keep them legged up, trailer them safely, present them well to guests, and help make them part of the show when horse appearances are scheduled.

You will also be cross-trained in other parts of the business, including tour support, basic Tomcar support, trail recovery assistance, vehicle transport, facility support, and guest-facing operations.

The Balance We Are Looking For

This position requires an unusual balance of skills.

We need someone who is good enough with horses to properly ride and maintain well-trained western horses, but also tough enough and willing enough to do physical work, ranch chores, tour support, shop help, vehicle movement, cleaning, stocking, and general operations work.

This is not a position for someone who only wants to ride horses.

It is also not a position for someone who is rough, heavy-handed, or only comfortable with basic ranch horses or rodeo-style riding.

Our horses are trained western performance-type horses with more refined cues. They need a rider with timing, balance, feel, patience, and finesse. At the same time, Desert Wolf Tours is a working adventure operation, and the job also requires manual labor, common sense, flexibility, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed.

The right person does not need to be perfect in every area, but they must have the right foundation: real horsemanship, safe judgment, physical work ethic, reliability, good attitude, and a willingness to learn.

Horse and Ranch Responsibilities

Responsibilities may include:

• Feeding and watering horses
• Turning horses out and bringing them in
• Putting on and removing fly masks
• Mucking stalls and keeping horse areas clean
• Grooming, saddling, and preparing horses
• Riding horses on trails and/or in an arena to keep them legged up
• Helping maintain basic manners, conditioning, responsiveness, and confidence in the horses
• Preparing and feeding supplements
• Cleaning tack and basic horse equipment
• Cleaning water troughs, turnout areas, stalls, trailers, and ranch grounds
• Dragging the turnout or round pen as needed
• Safely loading, hauling, and unloading horses
• Trailering horses between the ranch and tour location when scheduled
• Helping present horses to guests in a safe, professional, and entertaining way
• Using PEMF and cold laser therapy as directed as part of the horses’ weekly care routine
• Completing normal ranch chores and maintenance tasks as needed

We currently have a small group of Quarter Horses that are used in our guest experience, branding, and marketing. The horses are expected to be handled carefully and professionally.

Horse Appearances at the Tour Location

Horse appearances at the tour location are typically scheduled several days per week, currently about three days per week when weather, temperature, horse health, and tour needs allow.

On those days, this position may include grooming, saddling, trailering, guest interaction, flag lead-out, riding or exercising the horse, and returning the horse safely to the ranch.

On non-horse-appearance days, the position will focus more heavily on ranch chores, horse conditioning, shop support, Tomcar support, Wolf Den support, vehicle movement, trail recovery assistance, and other tour operations needs.

Tour Operations Responsibilities

This position also supports the broader Desert Wolf Tours operation. Duties may include:

• Assisting with guided Tomcar UTV tours
• Being cross-trained as a tour guide
• Helping prepare vehicles before tours
• Helping recover Tomcars or other company vehicles on the trail when needed
• Helping transport Tomcars between the tour location and shop
• Driving company pickup trucks
• Pulling trailers
• Helping load, unload, move, and stage equipment
• Assisting guides, mechanics, instructors, and management as needed
• Helping maintain a safe, professional, guest-ready tour environment
• Supporting special events, private groups, corporate groups, and VIP experiences

Shop, Facility, and General Operations Responsibilities

This is a hands-on position, and not every task will involve horses or tours. Other duties may include:

• Helping in the shop with basic mechanical or maintenance tasks
• Assisting with cleaning, organizing, and staging equipment
• Keeping the Wolf Den guest facility clean, stocked, and guest-ready
• Stocking water, snacks, supplies, retail items, and guest areas
• Emptying trash and keeping work areas presentable
• Helping maintain the tour location, ranch, shop, and related work areas
• Operating a tractor when needed
• Helping with small repairs, maintenance, cleaning, and general labor
• Running company errands as needed
• Completing other reasonable tasks assigned by the President or CEO

This is a “do what needs to be done” position. We are a small company, and job titles do not get in the way of taking care of guests, animals, equipment, and each other.

Horsemanship and Riding Ability

This position requires real, verifiable horse experience.

Our horses are not beginner horses or dead-head trail horses. They are well-trained western horses with more refined cues, and they need to be ridden correctly to maintain their training and responsiveness.

The ideal candidate will be a good western rider with experience in one or more of the following:

• Reining
• Ranch riding
• Ranch trail
• Ranch versatility
• Cowhorse or similar western performance disciplines
• Trail riding on well-trained, responsive horses

You do not need to be a professional trainer, but you must understand how to ride a trained western horse correctly. This includes using your seat, legs, hands, timing, balance, and feel in a way that supports the horse’s training rather than undoing it.

A rider who is heavy-handed, unbalanced, unclear with cues, or unfamiliar with responsive western horses can unintentionally make a trained horse dull, confused, or “untuned” very quickly. Because our horses are part of our guest experience and brand, we need someone who can help keep them legged up, responsive, confident, and enjoyable to ride.

Please do not apply if your horse experience is limited to casual trail riding, occasional riding, or “I used to ride when I was younger.”

Riding and horsemanship skills may be evaluated during the interview process by a professional trainer or experienced horseman.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Reliability

This position requires dependable attendance and good communication. The horses must be cared for every day, and our guests expect us to be ready when they arrive.

You must be able to show up on time, follow instructions, finish what you start, and communicate before a problem becomes a bigger problem.

Physical Ability

This is a physical job. You must be able to perform manual labor in outdoor conditions, including heat, dust, wind, cold, and rain.

Duties may involve lifting, carrying, dragging, shoveling, cleaning, loading, unloading, walking, riding, climbing in and out of vehicles, and working around horses, trailers, tools, and equipment.

Driving and Trailer Skills

You must have a good driving record. It is a non-starter if we cannot get you approved on our vehicle insurance.

You should be comfortable driving pickup trucks. Experience pulling trailers and hauling horses is strongly preferred.

Mechanical and Maintenance Aptitude

You do not need to be a master mechanic, but you need common sense, basic tool ability, and a willingness to help.

Mechanical skills are a plus. If you are “all thumbs,” this is probably not the right place for you.

Problem Solving

No day goes exactly as planned. We need people who can adapt, think, solve problems, and get the job done without needing to be babysat.

When something does not go according to plan, we need someone who looks for a solution — not an excuse.

Guest Service

We are in the entertainment and adventure business. Our guests are often tourists celebrating vacations, birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette trips, family events, and corporate outings.

You must be friendly, professional, respectful, and comfortable interacting with guests.

The show must go on, and every guest deserves a 5 Star Plus experience.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to pass a background check.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• Must be able to work around horses, vehicles, trailers, tools, UTVs, firearms-related operations, guests, and outdoor conditions.
• Must be able to work as an employee of the company.
• Must be drug-free while working and comply with company safety policies.
• Must be able to work without bringing pets, friends, or visitors to the workplace.
• Must use cell phones appropriately and not allow personal phone use, social media, or texting to interfere with work.

Preferred Experience

Preferred but not required:

• Western performance riding experience
• Reining, ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch versatility, or cowhorse experience
• Horse trailering experience
• Ranch work experience
• Trail riding experience
• Arena riding experience
• Basic mechanical experience
• UTV, ATV, off-road, or powersports experience
• Tour guide or guest service experience
• Tractor experience
• Experience pulling trailers
• Experience working for a small business where everyone helps with everything

We Know This Is a Unique Position

We understand that not every applicant will already be strong in every area of this position.

This job involves horses, ranch work, guest service, tour operations, vehicle movement, basic shop support, facility support, and problem solving. That is a broad mix, and we know the “perfect” candidate may not exist.

What matters most is finding the best overall fit.

The strongest candidate will have a solid foundation in horsemanship, a good work ethic, common sense, reliability, physical ability, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn the parts of the job they have not done before.

Some skills can be trained. Attitude, honesty, dependability, safe judgment, and work ethic are much harder to teach.

The Right Fit

The right person for this job:

• Loves horses and the Western lifestyle
• Is a capable western rider
• Has enough feel and finesse to ride trained western horses correctly
• Is reliable and steady
• Has a good attitude
• Is physically capable of hard work
• Can work with owners, managers, guides, mechanics, instructors, guests, and animals
• Is not afraid to get dirty
• Can follow instructions
• Can think independently when needed
• Does not need constant supervision
• Understands that job titles do not matter when something needs to get done
• Takes pride in helping create great guest experiences

We are not looking for someone who only wants to ride horses. We are looking for someone who can help us operate a unique outdoor adventure company.

How to Apply

Please apply through Indeed and explain how your experience fits this position.

To be considered seriously, please tell us about:

• Your horse experience
• Your western riding experience
• Your experience with reining, ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch versatility, cowhorse, or similar disciplines
• Your trailering experience, if any
• Your mechanical, ranch, shop, or maintenance experience
• Your guest service or tour experience, if any
• Your availability
• Recent job references

If you want to get a leg up on the competition, include a link to a recent video showing your riding skills.

This is a local, in-person position. No housing is provided.