Australian Jillaroo Jackaroo School

Whatever your level of experience, you can get to grips with a whole host of new skills from lassoing to Natural Horsemanship and bed-down under the stars in the Aussie wilderness after a good days work! Below is the typical itinerary for the 5 day jillaroo Jackaroo school, for those that choose the 11 day package you’ll be doing all the activities over 11 days allowing you to widen your skill set over a more dedicated period of time.

On day 1 you’ll be picked up at 9am from the YHA hostel in Tamworth and taken to a second hand store where you can buy cheap work clothes, a cowboy hat and boots. Next stop, the ranch in Leconfield for your introduction and a much needed cup of tea. In the afternoon enjoy a grooming and saddling up lesson as well as a lesson on Natural Horsemanship riding followed by a 2.5 hour ride including bush survival and local bush tucker!  

Only Day 2 and you’re up to catch and saddle the horses! Enjoy morning lessons in Natural Horsemanship, horse shoeing and whip cracking and lassoing. In the afternoon experience a variety of activities from mustering sheep on horseback to trotting and cantering in the arena, a barrel race on horseback, a talk on sheep health and husbandry and a sheep shearing lesson. Cram in lunch and dinner and you’ll soon be settled into your new lifestyle!
 

Have your energy and concentration levels set to maximum today as after a two hour Natural Horsemanship lesson with your horse you’ll learn about pasture improvement. Fencing or yard building (this often involves tree felling) will be taught after a hearty lunch and for those who are interested in finding out where their meat comes from you can take part in slaughtering a sheep.

Rise early to catch and saddle the horses before taking some time out to enjoy a few Natural Horsemanship games. Next, experience mustering cattle on horseback and yarding and drafting cattle. You’ve deserved your lunch, after which you’ll learn about cattle breeds and husbandry as well as wrestling, branding and marking calves followed by a demonstration in using working dogs. If that wasn’t enough cowboy-ing around for one day you’ll also get to put your skills to use in a lassoing competition!

Early to rise again and using your new expert skills you will catch and saddle your horse and learn more about how to maintain saddlery. If travelling in the warmer months, ride to the swimming hole where we swim the horses and after a break and take the horses for a trot and a canter. If it’s not warm enough you’ll probably not want to swim but you’ll still take the ride. After a picnic lunch you’ll finish with some games on horseback before riding back to the ranch for your final night in Tamworth where you’ll stay in the local YHA Hostel and indulge in a farewell night out with your new friends. You’re free to embark on onward travel the next morning.

For those who are taking part in the 11 day course, you’ll get twice the experience with time off at the weekend to enjoy the ranch and the local! Day 11 will be departure day when you’ll be taken back to Tamworth in the morning for your onward travel.