Be a HOST for a Gentle Spirit Clinic!

Hosting a clinic is a great opportunity to meet new people, see friends and to promote your farm and animals. It is truly advertising at its’ best. There is no fee for attendance by the host, their family and up to two farm assistants and, your animals receive training at the same time – a wonderful combination of business, education and fun.
Or you may want to arrange for a Presentation, Private Training or a Youth Day.

Send me an email to request hosting information or see my Contact Cathy page for my phone number and mailing address.  Email - cathy@gentlespiritllamas.com

*** Click to check the Clinic Calendar
for currently scheduled events and open dates***

One Day Clinics

The "Basics" Clinic

The day includes fundamental basics of behavior, positioning and anatomy of the head as it relates to handling and care.

Understand Behavioral Cues

The first hours are dedicated to viewing, recognizing and understanding a great many possible alpaca and llama behavioral communications.

There are dozens of possible behavioral cues that can indicate something may or may not be going well. These behavioral cues can mean different things at different times and/or in varied combinations. Realizing our alpacas and llamas are constantly communicating with us as well as with one another and gaining a basic understanding of what they might be "saying" is fundamental to our successful interaction with them.

Positioning and Skull Structures

Following basic behavior, we discover the profound implications of Positioning and how the skull structures of the alpaca and llama can play a significant role in handling. (for more information see my articles "Positioning" and "Heads and Halters").

Students Request Topics

Additional topics are often focused on the interest of the group. They can include, catching, halters and haltering, legs and picking up feet, farm layout, leading, leading issues/approaches, a confidence course using obstacles, starting babies, learning to tie, wearing a pack or trailer loading. The day includes actual "hands on" experience by participants with alpacas and/or llamas.

To find a clinic in your area check the Clinic Calendar

Two  and Three
Day Clinics

A two or three day clinic begins with day one as outlined in the left column

The second and/or third day provides the excellent opportunity for a more refined focus in both awareness and skill. Most of the day is spent working with alpacas and/or llamas.

Difficult Animals

While I always encourage any participant having difficulty with their alpaca or llama to bring them to the clinic, I rarely work with their animal myself.

Hands On Learning

My assumption is that each participant attends the clinic not because they want to know if I can do what I say I might, but rather, because they hope to be able to gain the knowledge and ability to do it, too. As such, we support participant volunteers doing the actual work with the alpaca or llama in a safe environment through group problem solving of the presenting issues and solid encouragement.

Travel to Participant Farms

A variation in the group work on the 2nd and/or 3rd day is the possibility of traveling to 2 or 3 participant farms nearby the clinic. This has been of tremendous success for participants in bringing "home" the understanding and skills presented in the clinic. While it is not mandatory, it is most useful for participants to have previously attended a "ground floor" clinic.

Click to learn about Private Training and Youth Days

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