Contact Info

Falling Star Ranch

Birgit Stutz and
Marc Lavigne
General Delivery
Dunster, B.C.
V0J 1J0
Canada
Phone/Fax
(250) 968-6801

"Ask not what your horse can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your horse."

- Chris Irwin

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Welcome to the Falling Star Ranch

Home of Arabians, Paints and Quarter Horses

Volunteer/Working Student Positions

Come to Falling Star Ranch in Dunster in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, for the experience of a lifetime!

All our volunteer positions for 2010 have been filled.
Applications for 2011 will be accepted after October 1, 2010.

Falling Star Ranch offers adventurous, enthusiastic young people (or young at hearts) the chance to experience the Canadian way of life on a small horse ranch, nestled between two mountain ranges, the majestic Rocky Mountains and the Cariboo Mountains, in the beautiful Robson Valley.

We are a small training, lesson and breeding facility and currently have eleven horses. We stand our own stallion, EA Shades of Fire, and own several riding horses, some of which are also used as lesson horses, as well as young stock.

Our main business is training horses, therefore preference is given to applicants with a fair amount of horse handling and riding experience, experience with and a certain comfort level around young horses, problem horses, and stallions, and a keen interest in learning Chris Irwin's non-resistance training methods. Required minimum length of stay for people interested in working primarily with horses is two months. Longer stays are encouraged to make the most out of a stay. Experience has shown us that it takes the average volunteer two to four weeks to get into the swing of things.

Volunteers at Falling Star Ranch receive room and board and riding, horsemanship and groundwork lessons (time permitting) with Chris Irwin Gold Certified Coach and Trainer Birgit Stutz in exchange for gardening, housework and general farm chores such as haying, fencing, painting fences and corrals, gathering and stacking wood, grooming horses, tacking up, feeding horses and chickens, cleaning tack, assisting with the handling of horses, etc. Depending on their skill level, volunteers may also assist with exercising and training of horses (lungeing, round penning and other groundwork, as well as riding). Volunteers are given the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience in grooming, tacking up, stable management, feeding, horse health care, leather care, as well as horse handling. Depending on the time of year, volunteers may also assist with breeding and foaling.

Volunteers at Falling Star Ranch get a chance to improve their English language skills and meet local residents as well as attend and participate in local events (see recreation). Volunteers may also get a chance to participate in a Chris Irwin clinic (at their cost) and, depending on their skill level, may ask for an evaluation to become certified by The Irwin Institute for Equestrian Arts.

In the past, volunteers have come from Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Holland, France and Australia. Three of our volunteers have become certified Chris Irwin trainers.

The application consists of a questionnaire as well as a video of the applicant riding a horse at all three gaits (English or Western). Please email us for more information about our volunteer program and to require an application form.

Volunteers from today and the past
Recreational opportunities
What to bring for a stay at Falling Star Ranch 

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Volunteers from today and from the past
(click on the links or pictures to read some of their comments
and see slideshows of their stay at Falling Star Ranch)

	Anneke from Germany, age 23 Length of stay: October 10, 2009 - December 10, 2009
	Lia from Australia, age 26 Length of stay: October 24, 2009 - November 16, 2009
	Marjolein from Holland, age 20 Length of stay: July 29, 2009 - September 28, 2009 Chris Irwin Silver Certified Trainer and Coach
	Alana from Germany, age 23 Length of stay: June 13, 2009 - August 7, 2009 Chris Irwin Bronze Certified Trainer and Coach
	Corinne from Switzerland, age 29 Length of stay: April 4, 2009 - September 28, 2009 Chris Irwin Bronze Certified Trainer and Coach
	Marina from Austria, age 19 Length of stay: September 29, 2008 - November 9, 2008
	Urs from Switzerland Length of stay: July 28 - August 4, 2008
	Susanne from Switzerland Length of stay: July 23 - 28, 2008
	Bianca from The Netherlands, age 21 Length of stay: July 8 - September 26, 2008
	Corinna from Germany, age 33 Length of stay: July 10 - September 11, 2008
	Pat from Switzerland, age 19 Length of stay: May 4 - July 2, 2008
	Marcia from Holland, age 27 Length of stay: April 3 - June 20, 2008
	Corina from Switzerland, age 22 Length of stay: July 9 - November 3, 2007
	Fabienne from Austria, age 19 Length of stay: July 17 - August 6, 2007
	Dominique from Switzerland, age 21 Length of stay: July 2006
no image	Petra from Switzerland Length of stay: July 2006
	Desiree and Katharina from Austria Length of stay: 3 weeks (August 2005)
	Jeanine from Switzerland Length of stay: 1 week in July 2005
	Tanja from Switzerland Length of stays: 3 weeks (mid-May to beginning of June 2004) and 1 week in September 2005
	Karin from Switzerland Length of stays: 1 week in August 2001 11 weeks (July-September 2002) 1 week in October 2004
	Sabrina from Switzerland Length of stay: September 5 - November 30, 2004
	Corinne from Switzerland Length of stay: September 5 - November 30, 2004
	Marina from Switzerland Length of stay: July 17 - August 14, 2003
	Bettina from Switzerland Bettina comes to Falling Star Ranch for a week or two almost every year.

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Recreational opportunities

The Robson Valley is in close proximity to the world-famous Mount Robson, highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, as well as a 90-minute drive from Jasper National Park. The recreational opportunites in the area are endless.

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Campfires and cookouts
Hiking
Biking
Canoeing and boating
Rafting	Helicopter tours
Trail riding
Parades
Dances
Snowshoeing
Rodeos	Birgit, Marc and Jaci with Nadeika and Alyosha from Belarus at the Jasper Heritage Rodeo and Dance, which takes place every year in August

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Please email or call us for information regarding volunteer/working student positions. We'd love to hear from you! Limited availability of positions.

Three cowgirls - Corinne, Sabrina and Birgit -
riding Bandit, TS Bold Cody and Rockn W Jody

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Home || Horse Training || Lessons and Clinics || Facilities

Trainer Bio || Events || Volunteer Positions

Horses for Sale || Stallion || Broodmares || Foals || Riding and Lesson Horses

Photo Gallery || News & Info || Directions || Links || Gift store || Sitemap || Articles

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