Well, Holly and Millie are happy little does. I have been looking into training the goats so that they are easier to manage for the girls and also because I’m more than a little interested in the use of goats throughout history.
Goats were mankind’s first domesticated animal used for the provision of meat, fibre, milk, bone, sinew and also as a beast of burden. The role of goats as a cart animal only dwindled with the general availability of horses. Goats were used to pull ploughs, harrows, carts, buggies and any number of other draught implements of a weight up to 1.5 times the animal’s body weight. Additionally, goats were used as pack animals able to carry weights up to half their body weight (some sources indicate more). There are two great websites that I have found for people interested in these activities:
The UK Harness Goat Society (http://www.harnessgoats.co.uk/index.html) is a great website for information on goats as draught animals; and
The North American Pack Goat Association (http://www.napga.org/default.asp) is a great resource for information on goats as pack animals.
There are great photos on the site (under the members’ gallery) of goats on pack trails through some absolutely stunning American wilderness trails.
I have made myself a driving bridle for my goats and I am in the process of training my goats to wear it. Basically, this involves having the goats wear the bridle for brief periods while eating (and otherwise distracted) and giving them plenty of positive reinforcement.
I have ordered a ground driving rig (driving halter, long lines, and belly strap) so that I can train the goats with more tack and so that they get more experience with the sort of harness that they would wear for most types of ground driving equipment. More on that in future!
I am glad to say that the goats are now fully weaned. No more making up formula, yay! They are growing quickly and love long walks in the top paddock where they get to forage to their hearts content.
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