THE RANCH EXPERIENCE
We've got your goat! (literally). Training our goats, mini-donkeys and other animals will advance your skills like nothing else. The small (12 max) class size guarantees you plenty of personal coaching from Ken Ramirez and multiple animal training sessions each day.
Have fun, become the best trainer you can be and part of our Ranch family in this one of a kind, five-day immersive learning experience. Suitable for novice through advanced trainers.
Course Focus - Protected Contact Week
(September 8-12, 2025)
Like all Ranch Experience courses, the focus of this course is skill development through training, interaction and other forms of relationship-building with The Ranch Animals.
The focus described in the previous section and the curriculum described below are the same as any other Ranch Experience course, but for this week only, there will be one additional element, the opportunity to practice protected contact skills! The main difference is that during your hands-on training time, half the time you will work with animals in free contact and half the time you will focus on developing the skills needed to work in protected contact!
Very few courses can offer students the opportunity to practice and learn protected contact training skills. These skills are invaluable to trainers working in a zoo, dog trainers working with aggressive or fearful dogs, and for many trainers who want a safe way to start working with large animals such as horses. Ken will guide you through some of the key elements of working in protected contact and suggest ways to overcome roadblocks and get your training on a successful path. Register now>>
Curriculum
You will choose a skill-development focus area for training sessions with your animal when you register for the course. All training sessions will include foundational-skills practice and will be customized to provide specific opportunities to help you build skills in a single focus area.*
In the classroom setting, all skill-development areas are covered for all students.
Foundation Skills
Medical Behavior Training
Group Training
Zoo Skills
Teaching and Coaching Skills
Is The Ranch Experience the Right Course for You?
Here Ken Ramirez shares his thoughts on the advantage of working with other species while getting real-time feedback from Ken and other coaches.