Courses

If you are a new owner or planning to buy alpacas in the near future we can offer a day course with lunch, including practical hands-on experience,  handouts and completion certificate included. 

Alpacas are unique animals and therefore specific training is highly recommended for their welfare and your peace of mind. It is really helpful if you have previous livestock experience but certainly not necessary. Even with that experience a course and practical hands-on guidance on alpaca care and handling really is essential to owning these beautiful animals.

  • Courses run at our farm, Fancy That Alpacas,  SA200UW, near Llandovery. Local accommodation is available, in a most beautiful part of Wales.
  • Discounts on the courses are available for clients, or for more than one member of a family or farm.
  • Tanys is an affiliate trainer with the BAS and is authorised to deliver their approved training materials.
 Testimonial from the Husbandry Course 2024 – 
Just thought I’d message you to say how beneficial this course was for Jill and I 😁.  I know it was brief, but it gave us so much more knowledge than we had before, and we are trying some of the things you guys taught us. 
Please pass on a big thank you to Tom also, who shown me how to cut toe nails.. we managed to cut one of our Alpaca’s the way Tom showed and guided me. He was excellent at teaching.
Thanks again

Please get in touch if you would like to do some training but want something specific or the dates of the course offered does not suit you.

Introduction to alpacas, husbandry, health and handling.

Location: Fancy That Alpacas, Llandovery, SA20 0UW

Course date: 5th April  2025 | lunch and refreshments provided

Time:  5 hrs training, exact timing to suit participants

Cost: £85 for one person/✨discount to £55 ✨ |  £150 – ✨Discount to £95✨ for two or more members of the same family

Part of the BAS Affiliate Trainers set of approved modules, covering:

Module 1:  Feeding and Basic Management
Module 2:   Vaccination, Supplements, Illness and Ailments
Module 3:   Handling Alpacas, Herding and catching, Fitting a head collar, Halter Training

This full-day workshop will give you the information and hands-on practical experience in how to keep your alpacas healthy and happy. It will enable you to complete standard husbandry tasks, like body condition scoring, toenail clipping and fringe trimming. Also learn how to handle them in a pen and train them for walking on a head collar. It is fantastic for new alpaca owners to see a working alpaca farm and see the benefits of different setups. There will be a good mix of both theory and practical training with the alpacas, with the friendly and relaxed atmosphere and the small group size allowing for questions to be asked throughout the day. 

We would also always offer ongoing support to anyone attending this course.

Introduction to alpacas, conformation, fibre, breeding and basic cria care

Location: Fancy That Alpacas, SA20 0UW, 10.00 – 16.30, lunch and refreshments provided.

Cost: £85  |  £150 for two members of the same family

Course date : 11th May 2024

Part of the BAS Affiliate Trainers set of approved modules, covering:

Module 4:   The Alpaca – What to look for
Module 5:   Understanding shearing day
Module 6:   Fleece – what to do with it
Module 7:   Breeding and mating
Module 8:   Birthing

This full-day workshop will give you the information to make good choices about what to look for in your first alpacas and any that you then add to your herd. What to look for when purchasing, and the uses that you intend for them. It will cover conformation for the ideal alpaca and for health-related issues. Understanding fleece characteristics, shearing and what to do with the fleece. The course will also look at breeding, choosing stud males, mating alpacas and also move on to the basics of  care for newborn and growing cria

Setting Up With Alpacas – In Person or Zoom

Practical on the farm – 3 hours (£50) or zoom 2 hours (£20)

Course date : TBC please contact me if you are interested.

We know from personal experience that a good setup before you get your alpacas, makes the world of difference to how those first few weeks, months and even years go, for you and your alpacas. We have been constantly improving our setup here at the farm for many years, as we learn how things can work better and see some great ideas from other people.  It is great to share this knowledge with new alpaca owners. 

I have put a course together, with extensive notes, images and links, that I can share with you. 

This course will cover things including:

  • What you really need to know about alpaca care, financing, time and other commitments.
  • The pros and cons of keeping Castrated or entire boys, Breeding females or Stud males. 
  • Space requirements, dependent on your alpaca plans
  • Farm set up, Pasture, fencing
  • Essential equipment
  • Recommended equipment
  • Sourcing Support, Information, Training and courses