Looking for insight from the experts.... aggressive goose has "claimed" my horse!

[1MrsMagoo]

You guys don't know the half of it...

Last week someone forgot to double check the gate and Ronin took off down the road to go visit with "those cute little fillies down the way." Of course, the goose went too. (we're on a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been) I can only imagine what we looked like to the elderly couple next door that always sit in rockers on their front porch:

First a horse goes tearing by... head held high, tail in the air, neighing with glee.........
a minute or so later, a goose goes flying by, honking and irritable....
few more minutes go by.....couple goes sprinting by, panting and yelling.

Several minutes pass... all four come back... horse being led, still fiestily looking over his shoulder and cat-calling the ladies, the couple arguing over "who left the *%^* gate unlocked" and lastly, the goose, waddling fast to keep up, but not relinquishing his right to opinion and honking and muttering just as loud as the rest.....

I cant believe this is my life, lol

Seriously though, thanks for the guidance everyone. Looks like I'm going to head home tonight and put on my finest "alpha goose" face and see if we can get on the road to working things out. He is Ronin's "wing-man" after all.

Awesome mental image. Bet your elderly neighbors had a chuckle over that one!

 

[larkflying]

You should video them, and put it online -- it would make the top ten strange animal friends list or something! Poor goose. You'd think a wild Canadian goose wouldn't have these issues . . .

 

[bayyjayy]

You guys don't know the half of it...

Last week someone forgot to double check the gate and Ronin took off down the road to go visit with "those cute little fillies down the way." Of course, the goose went too. (we're on a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been) I can only imagine what we looked like to the elderly couple next door that always sit in rockers on their front porch:

First a horse goes tearing by... head held high, tail in the air, neighing with glee.........
a minute or so later, a goose goes flying by, honking and irritable....
few more minutes go by.....couple goes sprinting by, panting and yelling.

Several minutes pass... all four come back... horse being led, still fiestily looking over his shoulder and cat-calling the ladies, the couple arguing over "who left the *%^* gate unlocked" and lastly, the goose, waddling fast to keep up, but not relinquishing his right to opinion and honking and muttering just as loud as the rest.....

I cant believe this is my life, lol

Seriously though, thanks for the guidance everyone. Looks like I'm going to head home tonight and put on my finest "alpha goose" face and see if we can get on the road to working things out. He is Ronin's "wing-man" after all.

I LOVE this forum......for this very reason. I also love your quote "I can't believe this is my life". Once you get that goose under control or gone, you are going to really love this being your life... what a great story to tell over and over.

My favorite part of the story is the couple arguing over who left the *&^* gate open......I can totally hear that part. Great story. Feel bad for you, though. It could be such a great, heart warming story if that goose wasn't such a pill!

 

[jonesdhc]

Morning guys,
Ok, so we had a pretty good weekend... no one was attacked or threatened!

Its amazing what just a bit of an attitude adjustment can do! The goose seems to be most comfortable just being ignored, so we talk to him a little when we first go out and then just try to pretend he's not there. (still keeping an eye on him of course, but trying to be a bit more subtle about it) This approach seems to be working; he has been much more calm when were close by... he's even using the gates now when I open them for the horse! (lol, before he would just get mad and wait to fly over the fence when he was sure he knew where we were taking his buddy) He waddled right on through after Ronin for me yesterday as I waited to close it behind them. He just cracks me up how "dignified" he is. He really looks like he takes some serious pride in "guarding" his horse, with his crazy little waddle/run employed 24/7 just to keep up. His little legs have got to get so tired!

Anyway...
I snapped a few pics on Saturday when we took Ronin out to the front pasture. It was his first time in that paddock so he paced the perimeter a couple of times to check it out. We sat out there and laughed ourselves to tears watching that goose try to march with him. He tried so hard to keep up and look important, but his poor little legs were working themselves to death trying to keep up!
(almost hate to include the last one of them grazing together, you can really see just how skinny Ronin really is and just how much further he has to go to make a full recovery... I know he looks rough but he has already gained so much weight since we've had him... I'll never understand how people can willfully neglect animals so....)

So, last thing... should we try to find a mate for the goose? If so, I was under the impression that they are still a protected species and cannot be bought, sold, or raised without a license. Any ideas on this front?

Thanks again for all the input everyone!
-HJ

 

[Iain Utah]

Jones, your horse is stunning! How on earth could anyone have neglected him?? Kudos for being a kind-hearted animal lover and saving him! A tip for you (in case you did not know), Nutrena Empower is an excellent supplement for weight gain that can be added as a top dressing to what you are already giving him.

Not sure about the wild goose. Hope someone else can chime in on that one.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes Canadian geese are a protected bird. Probably in the fall when they start to migrate he/or she sounds more like a he though will most likely fly off and return next spring with a new mate. If you can just understand his need to protect something, maybe he will be able to stay till then. Sounds like things have already begun to get better. Bless you for taking in that beautiful horse and now his best friend too. LOL you could probably go and get a domesticated goose for him but why not just see what happens in the late summer/fall if you can tolerate him till then. Oh and how does your horse feel about this goose being in love with him?

 

[The goose girl]

So, last thing... should we try to find a mate for the goose? If so, I was under the impression that they are still a protected species and cannot be bought, sold, or raised without a license. Any ideas on this front?

Even if you could round up another goose it probably wouldn't solve the problem. "Your" goose has chosen a mate and will be likely to chase away a competitor. But as he probably won't be able to persuade the horse to fly south with him for the winter, your problem could solve itself in time. Unless, of course, he decides to stay with his mate...

It's such a great story - and lovely pictures!

 

[sourland]

You guys don't know the half of it...

Last week someone forgot to double check the gate and Ronin took off down the road to go visit with "those cute little fillies down the way." Of course, the goose went too. (we're on a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been) I can only imagine what we looked like to the elderly couple next door that always sit in rockers on their front porch:

First a horse goes tearing by... head held high, tail in the air, neighing with glee.........
a minute or so later, a goose goes flying by, honking and irritable....
few more minutes go by.....couple goes sprinting by, panting and yelling.

Several minutes pass... all four come back... horse being led, still fiestily looking over his shoulder and cat-calling the ladies, the couple arguing over "who left the *%^* gate unlocked" and lastly, the goose, waddling fast to keep up, but not relinquishing his right to opinion and honking and muttering just as loud as the rest.....

I cant believe this is my life, lol

Seriously though, thanks for the guidance everyone. Looks like I'm going to head home tonight and put on my finest "alpha goose" face and see if we can get on the road to working things out. He is Ronin's "wing-man" after all.

What a wonderful mental image you created for me.

 

[laturcotte1]

Dear HJ, Warms my heart. Hopefully you can wait it out and it will run its course. God Bless you, oh he already has.

 

[ChristineR]

You guys don't know the half of it...

Last week someone forgot to double check the gate and Ronin took off down the road to go visit with "those cute little fillies down the way." Of course, the goose went too. (we're on a dirt road out in the middle of nowhere, so it wasn't as catastrophic as it could have been) I can only imagine what we looked like to the elderly couple next door that always sit in rockers on their front porch:

First a horse goes tearing by... head held high, tail in the air, neighing with glee.........
a minute or so later, a goose goes flying by, honking and irritable....
few more minutes go by.....couple goes sprinting by, panting and yelling.

Several minutes pass... all four come back... horse being led, still fiestily looking over his shoulder and cat-calling the ladies, the couple arguing over "who left the *%^* gate unlocked" and lastly, the goose, waddling fast to keep up, but not relinquishing his right to opinion and honking and muttering just as loud as the rest.....

I cant believe this is my life, lol

Seriously though, thanks for the guidance everyone. Looks like I'm going to head home tonight and put on my finest "alpha goose" face and see if we can get on the road to working things out. He is Ronin's "wing-man" after all.

What a unique problem! That would be tough dealing with a stud and an agressive goose at the same time! Too bad the goose is so bad - they look so cute together. So this is a wild goose, right? Are Canada geese a protected species? I have no idea, but you better check before you take any action.