Horseback Riding Director and Instructors

Horseback Riding Director and Riding Staff

Eagle’s Nest Camp, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina 

Are you looking for a fun and rewarding summer job? Do you love working with kids? Are you excited about the outdoors, teaching kindness, cooking, arts and crafts, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, sports, telling stories, and being creative? Do you dream of spending the summer in the mountains, star gazing, laughing with true friends and having the best summer of your life? If so, we hope you’ll apply to join our team at Eagle’s Nest for the summer of 2024!

Who We Are: Eagle’s Nest Camp is located on 200 acres of wooded land in the lush mountains of Western North Carolina just southwest of Asheville and down the road from Pisgah National Forest. Eagle’s Nest provides a joyful, inclusive community where campers finishing kindergarten - 11 th grade are treated with respect and compassion. Campers have the opportunity to participate in 1-3 week long sessions which emphasize nature, arts, and community living while taking visual and performing arts, athletic and outdoor classes. Eagle’s Nest is an independent non-profit organization. We also host an outdoor adventure program for teens giving them the opportunity to spend two - three weeks backpacking, rock climbing and white water canoeing in North Carolina, across the country, and internationally.

Responsibilities: The Horseback Riding Director will be in charge of the maintenance and care of the barn and 10- 12 horses, as well as instructing children between the ages of 6 and 17 at various levels (beginning through advanced). We teach English hunt-seat riding. Riding staff will also help with horse care and feeding, and will teach classes. Our summer staff teach classes every day in areas reflecting their expertise and interests. We also offer classes including, but not limited to, Arts and Crafts, Backpacking, Whitewater Canoeing, Rock Climbing, Athletics, Swimming, Music, and Drama. Riding staff live in cabins with campers and provide guidance, supervision, and fun for our campers. The Riding Director lives in staff housing.

Required Qualifications: Minimum age of 21 years for the Riding Director. Riding staff must be at least 18-years-old with one full year out of high school. Riding and teaching experience. CPR and First Aid Certification.

Preferred Qualifications: A background in barn management and horse care.

Benefits: Competitive salary and one full day off each week. On campus housing, delicious healthy meals (including vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options), extensive professional discounts, staff lounge with wifi and access to laundry facilities provided.

Dates: Position is from May 25th to August 12th, 2024

How to Apply: Please complete this short application . Once we receive it you'll be invited to schedule a Zoom interview and informational chat with Paige Lester-Niles, the Camp Director, and with other members of the camp leadership staff. The interviews are fun opportunities for us to get to know each other.

You can visit our staff webpage to learn more about Eagle's Nest Camp!

Why work here

Do you love working with kids? Are you excited about the outdoors, teaching kindness, cooking, arts and crafts, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, sports, telling stories, and being creative? Do you dream of spending the summer in the mountains, star gazing, laughing with true friends and having the best summer of your life? If so, you might be a wonderful Eagle’s Nest Camp Counselor!