Harness Goats

[Skyesrocket]

Another link
http://www.geocities.com/goatacres.geo/driving.html

 

[griffin45]

Quote:
Thanks for the link, we were just advertising some goats and we just can't seem to sell two of our bottle baby Nubian bucks. We have to wether them, because we have way to many bucks right now and we were not looking forward to just feeding them for looks. This gives us a great reason for keeping them! Thanks!!

Chris and Tina

 

[chicks for better health]

I used to have one when I was in 4-H. I wonder if I can find a picture

 

[FourSnyders]

I am thrilled with amount of interest in harness goats here on BYC!

The Snyders

 

[farmgirlie1031]

That gives me another idea for our dairy goats. Right now the 2 we bought are too young. They are just 2 months old but I was going to train them for pack goats when they got older. Now I might train them as harness goats as well.

 

[Chirpy]

I would love to get involved with pack goats and cart pulling. However, I don't have the time or money right now.... so I live vicariously through those of you who are doing it!

I've heard that does don't do as well in either harness or packing as wethers... anyone have proof or disproof of this?

I've also been told by some packers that Nubians are awful in that area. Anyone have experience in that area?

 

[FourSnyders]

My does are doing just fine as harness goats, then again we have never bred them, nor do we have any bucks nearby; just a neighbor's wether. The only thing I worry about with them being does is their size. I believe that they will be able to pull me, but more than likely no one larger than me unless I end up having them as a team someday. I've seen people who use Nubians as harness goats as well.

The Snyders

 

[username taken]

Bear with me here and I'll try to answer everybody's questions ...

Snyders - I just went basic black with my cart, so it goes with basically any colour goat (in it I have had red, white, black and tan) and sometimes if I want to dress it up I'll use different coloured pillows or throws over the seat. I'll take some pictures later today.

My boys should mature out about 165 lbs, give or take a little. Going by the one and half times his own weight rule that means when mature they will be able to pull 247.5 lbs. My cart weighs around 55 lbs and then I weigh 114.6 lbs. So yes, they can quite happily pull me in the cart. I guess I am pushing them a little now because they are not quite at that mature weight yet, they would be only around 140 lbs. I also push them a little when I drive them with myself and another adult in the cart - that takes it over the 247.5 but they seem to cope - I dont do it for long trips though. Long trips are strictly me, or me and a child. Actually most of the work my boys do is childrens rides, but they are quite capable of pulling adults. Driving the pair together they will be able to pull 495 lbs; I'm having a light four wheeled vehicle built for them to drive as a team, and carry a few passengers.

Your does - at 2 yrs old - seem rather small at only 80 - 85 lbs. Thats around 35kg (bear with the metric here) and my boer does usually hit 30 kg around 4 - 5 mths. My 10 mth old I just showed was 51.5kg. Just bear their weight in mind, make sure your cart is a light as possible, and start off with short sessions so as not to overwork them. Also - proper feeding is important - if you are going to be working them, they need to be fed like a working horse. My wethers get a kilogram of grain each per day, normally wethers only need hay but when they are working they need the grain.

ThreeBoysChicks - I had an old mini horse sulky, I just took to my welder and got him to copy it but make it smaller for the goats (width between the shafts and length of the shafts). I'll take some pics later. My sulkies cost $AUS500 and the leather harnesses about $AUS250. The harness is for a mini horse, altered by hand to fit a goat.

Farmgirlie - start now with your kids - teach them to walk on a halter/collar/both and to tie up. Teach them voice commands - basically to stop, go, left and right. I use walk on (go), steady (slow down), woah (stop), gee (right) and haw (left). I also teach them hop up - to jump up onto something, and hop down.

Chirpy - I've worked does in harness before, not a problem. If they are lactating the udder can get rubbed by the harness, so you have to watch that. Some people say they wont get as big as wethers, but if you feed them properly, they will. You shouldnt work them while heavily pregnant or lactating, so that restricts the work with a doe. But if you never join her, its just like having a wether. There is an advantage using a doe as a pack animal, particularly if she is in milk, because she carries the milk for you

Does can sometimes be more grumpy than wethers, but thats not always the case. Nubians tend to be more stubborn and strong willed than other goat breeds, and so are more of a challenge to train but I have seen them as very accomplished working goats.

 

[Haviris]

I've been planning to train one or more of my wethers (I have three) to pull a cart to help me hay, but haven't gotten around to it, I have went as far as to buy a harness, maybe next year. Here is Grim wearing the harness, the other two are nubians,

I have the miniature horses to pull a cart, but I would love to train one of the goats to pack for trail rides, my nubian Riply would have made a great pack goat, and would go anywhere and everywhere w/ me, even swimming, but he'd get stressed when I'd get on the horse, it was like I disappeared. He was around horses all his life, but I guess I need one that is raised in the same pen w/ the horses.

 

[FourSnyders]

I am not sure why my does are so small. They are Boer mixes, but I am not sure what they are crossed with. They weighed about 77 lbs last October or so, so I am only guessing as to how much they weigh now. We even had weighed them on a scale. They are also really short, about 20-24 inches at the withers. Am I not feeding them enough? They get a heaping cup of grain as well as hay every day and whatever else they can find in the yard. They are not lactating, nor have we ever bred them. I just wish I knew why they are so small compared to other goats.

Here is a picture of one of my does.

Here is one of both of them at the fair last August. They had been sheared for the fair so they look kind of "naked."

I am painting my cart "Ford Blue." It is a dark kind of blue. I can always change the color next year if I would like.

Thanks for all the replies and help,

The Snyders