Optimize Your Organization Through Horsepower!
Unlock Your Team’s Potential at J & K Ranch Kennel
At J & K Ranch Kennel, we specialize in transformative team building and leadership development experiences in a serene, confidential, and distraction-free environment. Our programs leverage the power of Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) to foster authentic communication, trust, and collaboration among teams of all sizes.
What Is Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL)?
Equine-Assisted Learning is an experiential approach that utilizes horses as facilitators to enhance human development. Horses, as prey animals, are highly attuned to non-verbal cues and energy, making them exceptional partners in revealing insights about human behavior and group dynamics.
Through guided interactions with horses, participants gain immediate, actionable feedback on their leadership styles, communication effectiveness, and team cohesion. This hands-on method bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, leading to profound personal and professional growth.
Why Choose EAL for Team Building?
Participants receive immediate, honest feedback as horses naturally respond to body language and emotional energy. Through this, individuals become more aware of their communication styles. Engaging in these sessions helps build trust and empathy within the team, which are essential for creating a high-performing group.
The process encourages clear, effective communication—both verbal and non-verbal—and challenges teams to think creatively when solving problems together. Beyond skills development, the calm and natural ranch setting reduces stress and fosters a sense of well-being that enhances learning and engagement.
Our Customized Team Building Program
Each team building exercise is structured to meet your stated objectives, and our facilitators work closely with you to meet those objectives in an insightful and positive way. Whether you are aiming to boost collaboration, enhance leadership skills, refine communication skills or reengage your employees, we tailor each team building exercise to address those stated objectives. This is achieved by both the individual interaction with horses, and the interaction with the horses as a group with each of the two sessions followed by a processing discussion.
Please refer to the Generic Agenda which outlines the structure of each event.
Pricing Information
Program pricing varies depending on several factors, including the number of participants, your group’s objectives, the length of the event, and any specific needs such as meals, facilitators, or additional horses.
Once the program details are finalized, an initial payment secures your date and confirms your booking. The remaining balance is due at the completion of your event.
Who Benefits from Equine-Assisted Learning?
Because EAL Programs are “hands on” learning and interactional, this modality of learning focuses on relationship building as opposed to a transactional process. It is ideal for a wide range of groups including corporate organizations, divisions, groups, government agencies, service organizations and essentially any group or organization looking to improve results or profitability.
Success Stories
“It is with great pleasure that I recommend the Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Leadership Workshop at the J & K Ranch Kennel in Houston, Texas. During this half-day workshop, our 21 business leaders improved their communication skills by recognizing their conscious and unconscious patterns of interacting with others. Our leaders learned how to set boundaries without any words. After each interaction, our leaders went through a debrief session sharing what they learned about themselves and the skills they were using with the horses. This workshop was a fun and active way for our leaders to learn about engagement, partnership, two way communication, balancing tasks vs. relationship, trust, focus and body language as it relates to leadership. I am happy to say that we were able to immediately apply what we learned back at work. The half-day spent at the ranch was a unique way to grow our leadership competencies. I would recommend this program to any leader, new or tenured, who wants to become more self-aware while practicing patience and humility as they work through the process of change.”
Jeffrey Kerish
Senior Program Manager, Leadership Development,
Global Customer Support | SAP Ariba
“P.O.W.E.R. professional Organization of Women Entrepreneurs Rising brought M.K. Kelley Smith in to conduct an EGALA program with 16 CEOs. Our goal was to broaden our emotional intelligence, build stronger relationships, and develop awareness of our physical communication challenges. What an amazing day – inspiration, horses were excellent teachers, and everyone gained insights and had a great time.”
Lianne Lami
PE, CEM, CEA
Bocci Engineering & Construction | P.O.W.E.R.
Previous Clients
We’ve had the honor of working with a diverse array of organizations who trust us to help their teams grow. Past clients include:
- Spirit Airlines
- Det Norske Veritas (DNV GL)
- Hewlett Packard
- Freeport Natural Gas
- SAP Ariba
PAYMENT
Payment form is by Credit Card Processing following our initial scheduled conversation.
In regard to price for the Event we will need to evaluate objectives, number of participants, number of facilitators needed, number of horses needed, if lunch will be included and our costs in regard to facility and liability insurance for the Event.
The total cost for the Event is divided into two equal payments. The INITIAL PAYMENT confirms the date of the Event and use of the facility.
The BALANCE DUE is processed at the conclusion of the Event.
Thank you! Our serving you makes us better too!