Description
Contract: 35 hours per week - fixed term until May 2027
Salary: £26,000 - £30,240
Location: Rolleston on Dove, DE13 9AU
Closing date: Monday 4th May 2026
Interview date:
1st stage interview – w/c 11th May 2026
2nd stage interview – w/c 18th May 2026
Are you a specialist in equine behaviour and training who is ready to give horses a true second chance? We are looking for a Horse Rehabilitation Trainer & Behaviour Advisor to join Blue Cross. This is a fixed term role until May 2027. This is a specialist role focused on behaviour assessment, training, and rehabilitation. You will be working with horses that need expert support to overcome behavioural challenges so they can find their forever families. If you are ready to apply your expertise and uplift our team’s capabilities, we want to hear from you.
More about the role
As a Horse Rehabilitation Trainer and Behaviour Advisor, you are responsible for expertly managing a specific number of horse cases within the horse care service, working alongside other team members. You will ensure welfare standards are met and the assessment, training and rehabilitation of the horses preparing for a new home is completed in the quickest amount of time. You will work with other members of the team to plan for new intakes of horses and keep on track with optimum numbers of horses in training/care. You will play a vital role in supporting horses at every stage of their journey — on site, in foster care, and beyond adoption No two days will ever be the same. One day you might be guiding an owner through a virtual behaviour consultation, the next delivering engaging team training, supporting a complex case on site, or representing Blue Cross in the media to champion horse welfare and rehoming. This is a role for someone who enjoys being at the heart of change, learning constantly, and sharing their expertise widely. You will play a key role in uplifting the horse behaviour and training capability within the rehoming team, coaching and empowering colleagues to work with and handle horses to the highest possible standards, ensuring that each interaction is informed by best practice, evidence-based behaviour knowledge and expertise. You will also work as part of a team to provide excellent customer service, showcasing and promoting Blue Cross horses and ponies to maximise their rehoming opportunities. The role is primarily Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week, but flexibility is key. Travel, overnight stays, events, and work outside standard hours will be required to meet the needs of the horses and people we support. This is a fixed term role until May 2027.
About you
You will be a confident and experienced horse trainer and educator with excellent communication skills, able to adapt teaching and learning approaches to suit a diverse range of people and horses to achieve the best possible outcomes. You will be highly skilled in both practically demonstrating training techniques and clearly explaining the theory and rationale behind them, enabling others to learn, apply, and sustain best practice.
You will be intuitive, empathetic, and welfare-focused, with the ability to adapt your approach to suit the specific needs of a horse that is looking for a new home. You are just as skilled with people as you are with horses, using your emotional intelligence to coach and support others through complex, and sometimes emotionally charged, rehabilitation cases. You are resilient, pragmatic, and forward-thinking, always looking for innovative ways to support behaviour change and act as a positive ambassador for Blue Cross values.
Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) standard of Animal Training Instructor (ATI) Equine Training Instructor Pathway, equivalent or working towards
Relevant experience and knowledge of horse behaviour and training techniques, including evidence of success in understanding horse behaviour / training problems
Extensive experience of carrying out behaviour and training programmes for horses
Experience of developing training programmes, and delivering to team members, owners or caregivers, that are practical and realistic for a horse owner or team member to understand and undertake independently
Demonstrable knowledge of equine veterinary care and experience of working with equine vets to treat horses with behaviour problems
Full UK driving licence
Experience of public speaking
Desirable Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
Hold industry appropriate qualifications, BHS Stage 3 Coach or equivalent
Media Experience
How to apply Click the apply button below and complete the online application process before the closing date on Monday 4th May 2026.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an overwhelming response.
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it were not for their amazing efforts and commitment, we would not be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, Blue Cross wants to ensure we provide you with the best working environment we can. We want you to be happy working for us and will do everything we can to make sure you are. Our generous benefits package includes:
Full time equivalent of 38 days holiday rising to 43 with service (including Bank Holidays)
Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
Free access to GP via MetLife- 24/7 GP services, private prescriptions and more for you and your family
Health cash plan
Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
Professional fees paid with Continuing Professional Development and personal development support.
Life assurance
20% discount on Pet Plan pet insurance
Enhanced family friendly policies
Recognition scheme
Annual volunteer days
Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers
To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the