Wrangler Job Description
A wrangler is employed to handle animals, usually horses. A wrangler does fit the conventional image of a cowboy on the ranch roping and rounding up cattle and more. It is a role often romanticized in Western folklore, but is actually a labor-intensive and generally low-paying profession on the wane in the U.S. The better-paying wrangling jobs are found in the film and television industry, where they are required to manage animals used in cinematic production.
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Duties
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Taking care of any animal is hard, time-consuming work. Horses are no exception, and usually exceed the care demands of other farm animals. Horse caretakers work at riding stables, farms, ranches and other businesses and homes. Wranglers clean the horses, associated care equipment and also prepare saddles and groom horses. They may be responsible for regularly riding them and providing day-to-day maintenance and care. On a traditional cattle ranch, wranglers will care for the horses and ride them during cattle roundups. In areas where cattle graze on open or large expanses of ranch or public land, a wrangler may be responsible for locating cattle herds and relocating them to an owner's ranch.
Education
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Most horse trainers learn their trade through working at a ranch, farm or grooming stable, usually starting with an entry-level job for little or no pay. Others enter the field after obtaining an education from a private equine training and caretaking school or center. Some jobs may require a bachelor's degree in animal science; students interested in a wrangler job can benefit from taking animal science, biology and agriculture courses in high school and college.
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Other Skills
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Wranglers should be in excellent physical condition and work well with animals. The job usually requires heavy and repeated lifting, sitting and squatting. Since horses are particularly strong and potentially dangerous, wranglers must be knowledgeable and capable handlers. Knowledge in backcountry first aid is valuable, as well as experience in basic animal medical response.
Outlook
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In 2008, there were 220,400 animal caretaker jobs in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are expected to grow faster than average due to high turnover. Many leave each year due to low wages and high physical demands. However, keen competition is expected for wrangling and certain animal caretaker positions.
Salary
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Wages for wranglers and other animal care takers are relatively low. Median annual wages for animal caretakers in May 2008 were $19,360, according to the BLS. The middle 50 percent earned $16,720 to $24,300. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $15,140, and the top 10 percent earned more than $31,590. Agricultural workers earned a median hourly wage of $10.13 in 2008.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Cowboy image by HannaSigel from Fotolia.com
