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

Training, Lessons, Clinics, Camps

Working Student Positions

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

All our working student positions for 2012 have been filled.
Applications for 2013 will be accepted starting October 1.

Falling Star Ranch also offers mentorship programs.
These programs are different from our working student program in that the mentees are not involved in the day-to-day running of the ranch and therefore are able to immerse themselves into horsemanship full-time.
There are still spots available in 2012 for the mentorship programs.
Click here for more information.

Please note:
Preference is given to applicants for working student positions who have completed a one-month mentorship program at minimum at Falling Star Ranch.
A working student position is, however, not guaranteed upon completion of the one-month mentorship program and depends on availability of working student positions and skill level of the applicant.

Falling Star Ranch offers adventurous, enthusiastic, young (or young at heart) horse people the chance to experience the Canadian way of life on a small horse ranch.

Falling Star Ranch is a small training and lesson barn. We currently own thirteen horses, some of which are used as lesson horses while others are being started under saddle or are already in more advanced or specialized training.

Working students receive a comprehensive education in all aspects of our horse business, including horse health care, feeding and stable management, tacking/untacking, tack care, as well as horse handling. Working students basically learn how to run a farm. If interested, working students may also help out with other aspects of the business, such as advertising and marketing, web design, and other computer related tasks.

Working students work full-time, 6 days a week with one day off per week. This position, like any agricultural business, is not a 9-5 job. Days are long and hard. It is a lifestyle for those who don't mind working hard, long days in any weather conditions.

Working students receive room and board and riding, horsemanship and groundwork lessons (time and weather permitting) with Chris Irwin Gold Certified Coach and Trainer Birgit Stutz in exchange for working on the farm, in both horse-related and non-horse related activities (including, but not limited to gardening, housework, cooking, baking, weeding, general maintenance of buildings, gathering and stacking firewood). Horse-related activities include general farm chores such as feeding and watering livestock, cleaning pens and shelters, turning out horses, haying, fencing, painting fences, grooming horses, tacking up and untacking horses, cleaning tack, medicating horses, and assisting with the handling of horses, etc. Depending on their skill level, working students may also assist with exercising and training of horses (lungeing, round penning and other groundwork, as well as riding).

Working students from non-English speaking countries get a chance to improve their English language skills. However, it is important that working students already have a good working knowledge of the English language. Working students also get to meet local residents as well as attend and participate in local events (see recreation). In the past, working students have come from Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Holland, France, England and Australia. Several of our working students have become certified Chris Irwin trainers. Click here for more info on past working students.

OPPORTUNITIES:
All working students, regardless of prior experience, start out at the same level. Working students earn authority, privileges and responsibilities based upon their performance, work ethic, problem solving skills, riding and horsemanship skills, etc. The working student gets out of the program what he/she puts into it. As working students develop in their own horsemanship, both on the ground and in the saddle, they gradually get to take part in the teaching of lessons and training of horses and eventually develop into "assistant coaches and trainers".

Many opportunities exist within the program (depending on the working student's skill level), including:
- Overseeing new apprentices
- Helping with the training of young, green and "problem" horses
- Riding advanced horses in training and schooling sessions
- Assisting with lessons, clinics and workshops
- Participation in a Chris Irwin clinic or a private/semi-private lesson with Chris Irwin (at their cost) and, depending on their skill level, may ask for an evaluation to become certified by The Irwin Institute for Equestrian Arts.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
- Preference is given to applicants who have a healthy comfort level around young horses, problem horses, and stallions, have experience handling and riding young horses and difficult horses, have a good, solid seat, soft hands and following elbows, and know how to ride a horse from back to front into a frame with effective seat and leg aids.
- A keen interest in learning Chris Irwin's non-resistance training methods is required. Working students are expected to study in their sparetime our extensive DVD collection of Chris Irwin training videos to accelerate their horsemanship skills.
- Horse training is a physically demanding occupation. You MUST be physically fit and able to carry out the demands of the job, which includes, but is not limited to, handling horses, cleaning shelters/pens, hauling water buckets, unloading feed bags, stacking hay, lifting heavy saddles, etc.
- A good working knowledge of the English language is important.
- Working students need to be able to think ahead, solve problems, work well alone as well as with others.
- Working students must be hard working, reliable, trustworthy, responsible, self-motivated, and able to stay on task even when the going gets rough. A good work ethic and a positive attitude are essential. A love of nature and a willingness to live in a remote area (the closest small town is 25 km away) is also required.
- Working students must have a commitment to improving oneself through physical development (general physical fitness, strengthening, flexibility development), as well as intellectual and emotional development.
- Working students must have a commitment to the further development of one's education, and must take responsibility for their own learning.
- Required minimum length of stay is two consecutive months. Longer stays are encouraged to make the most out of your stay. Experience has shown us that it takes the average volunteer two to four weeks to get into the swing of things.
- It is advantageous for a working student to have a clear idea of where they are heading in their riding/career.
- Every working student is required to carry personal liability insurance that covers horse-related activities. Insurance can be purchased through Horse Council BC for $60 a year if you don't have your own insurance (http://www.hcbc.ca/Individual-Membership.html?).

HOW TO APPLY:
- Applicants for working student positions must be at least 19 years old.
- The application for a working student position consists of a questionnaire as well as a video of the applicant riding a horse at all three gaits (English or Western) as well as bareback at all three gaits, catching a horse in a corral/pasture (haltering), picking out feet as well as tacking (saddling and bridling) a horse. You can either post the video on YouTube and email us the link or mail us a CD. Please also include a resume as well as three references (one personal reference as well as two from riders/trainers/coaches). Please email us for more information about our working student program and to require an application form.
- A good working knowledge of every day English language is very important. Otherwise, a stay in an English language school is highly recommended before your visit to Falling Star Ranch in order to make the most out of your stay.
- A $200 deposit per month is required to hold a spot in our working student program. The deposit will be returned at the end of the working student's stay.
- Local applicants (those within a 2-hour drive from Falling Star Ranch) will be expected to come for an interview in person. If you are not local, but willing and able to come for an interview, please indicate this on your resume/letter. All other applicants are required to do an interview by phone or via Skype.
- If you are accepted as a working student, your acceptance is on a "probationary" status. After two weeks, your performance will be reviewed and a decision will be made whether you are to remain in the working student program. However, please be aware that at any time, we can terminate your apprenticeship based upon sub-performance (in your work or your riding/horse handling skills), inability to follow orders, inability to work well with others, dishonesty, mistreatment of the horses, etc.

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)

Picture to follow soon	Kerstin from Germany Length of stay: August 22-September 29, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Daniela from Germany Length of stay: August 1-September 2, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Isabel from Germany Length of stay: July 31-September 29, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Clara from Germany Length of stay: July 1-August 1, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Chantal from Switzerland Length of stay: May 10-July 13, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Louisa from Germany Length of stay: April 4-June 23, 2011
Picture to follow soon	Jackie from Germany Length of stay: August 30-September 12, 2010
Picture to follow soon	Anja from Australia Length of stay: August 2, 2010 - August 30, 2010
Picture to follow soon	Anina from Switzerland Length of stay: June 13, 2010 - July 21, 2010
Picture to follow soon	Justine from France Length of stay: April 26, 2010 - June 21, 2010
Picture to follow soon	Mandana from Germany Length of stay: April 15, 2010 - June 10, 2010
	Anneke from Germany Length of stays: October 10, 2009 - December 10, 2009 July 3-July 27, 2010 July 9- August 4, 2011 Chris Irwin Bronze Certified Trainer and Coach
	Lia from Australia Length of stay: October 24, 2009 - November 16, 2009
	Marjolein from The Netherlands Length of stays: July 29-September 28, 2009 July 12-August 30, 2010 Chris Irwin Gold Certified Trainer and Coach
	Alana from Germany Length of stays: June 13-August 7, 2009 July 15-August 23, 2010 July 31-August 21, 2011   Chris Irwin Bronze Certified Trainer and Coach
	Corinne from Switzerland Length of stay: April 4, 2009 - September 28, 2009 Chris Irwin Bronze Certified Trainer and Coach
	Marina from Austria 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 Length of stay: July 8 - September 26, 2008
	Corinna from Germany Length of stay: July 10 - September 11, 2008
	Pat from Switzerland Length of stay: May 4 - July 2, 2008
	Marcia from Holland Length of stay: April 3 - June 20, 2008
	Corina from Switzerland Length of stay: July 9 - November 3, 2007
	Fabienne from Austria Length of stay: July 17 - August 6, 2007
	Dominique from Switzerland 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) 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 and helps out wherever needed. She is a gem.

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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.

Falling Star Ranch now also offers mentorship programs for a fee. These programs are different from our volunteer/working student program in that the mentees are not required to work in exchange for learning more about horsemanship, but instead are able to immerse themselves into horsemanship full-time. Click here for more information on our mentorship programs.

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

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