# Goat Carting Questions



## meme (Jun 28, 2013)

Hi, I have an approximately 180 pound 1 year old Nubian wether. I was wondering if it would be safe for him to pull a goat cart? Should I wait untill he matures more? he is a sweet big boy, and I figured it would be something for him to do! I was also wondering if anyone had a goat cart building plan? Thanks!


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jul 6, 2013)

on packgoats (think they have a saddle available for small kids) : http://northwestpackgoats.com/index....d6nj485ta0hq76

harnesses, carts, info: http://www.workinggoats.com/?id=210
http://www.workinggoats.com/?id=80
http://goatconnection.com/articles/p...icle_159.shtml
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Wag...ngle-Tree.html
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Del...s-Regular.html
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Del...g-Harness.html
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Reg...k-Harness.html
http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/xcart/Wag...-complete.html


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## Catahoula (Jul 6, 2013)

I would think you could start training him to get used to having a harness and he would probably pull something light...like dragging some slash around...eventually up to a empty cart till he is older.


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## meme (Jul 6, 2013)

I think I am going to build him a kart out of wood. I do have a wagon, but it has no wheels. I didn`t want to scare him with a wagon that has no wheels, so I decided to hold off on that idea.   Can you buy the harneses at  feed store? I just weighed him this morning with a weight tape, and it ends up he only weighs 170.  Thanks


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## Catahoula (Jul 6, 2013)

If possible, I suggest you find a scale and weigh him to see his actual weights. I find the weight tape way off.  I also have thought of training my Boers for cart pulling. I wanted to convert one of those bicycle trailers for them to pull but I thought I'd start with slash. I am not sure which harness is best but there are a few online places you can get harness.

http://www.greatgoatgear.com/harness.html
http://dwharnessshop.tripod.com/index.html
I found the cheapest harness here....
https://www.llamaproducts.com/index.php?page=ProductList&cat=1.4


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## OneFineAcre (Jul 6, 2013)

I think he's plenty big.


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## meme (Jul 6, 2013)

I don`t have any other options to weighing him at the time. We weight taped our baby who was weighed before on a human scale and the weight tape said she weighed the same as the scale said. I think it is pretty acurate most of the time.  Thank you for finding those harneses, expecialy the cheap ones! I have been looking for cheaper ones, and I could not find any. Most of them are all so expensive. If you find or have any building plans for a goat cart, please let me know. Thanks again.


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## Catahoula (Jul 7, 2013)

meme said:
			
		

> I don`t have any other options to weighing him at the time. We weight taped our baby who was weighed before on a human scale and the weight tape said she weighed the same as the scale said. I think it is pretty acurate most of the time.  Thank you for finding those harneses, expecialy the cheap ones! I have been looking for cheaper ones, and I could not find any. Most of them are all so expensive. If you find or have any building plans for a goat cart, please let me know. Thanks again.


This is one that I am thinking of building...then I thought I could modify a bike trailer to achieve the same idea...  Not my dog or picture. Just found online. Someone is actually selling the cart but I forgot where I found it. They were pretty expensive but I thought the design is simple enough to try making it.


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

That is perfect! It is good for just starting out too, because it apears to be pretty light weght. It would be even cuter to paint it.  I think I am going to have to make the cart taller, because he is a lot taller than a dog. Thank you so much!


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

I just found this really cool goat cart plan!  You have to know how to weld though. I don`t know how, but if any of you guys do, I thought it would be nice just to put it out here. Thanks again for all of the help. 

The Shore Goat Cart 


Instructions and step by step guideline to building a lightweight single goat cart.

Written instructions & drawings by Steve Shore, step by step instructions by Mike Korhonen.

To make this cart you need some wheels (I used 20 inch bicycle wheels but any will work as long as you adjust to fit the dimensions), 1/2 and 3/4 inch electrical conduit, bender for each and either an oxy-acetylene torch or wire feed welder.

Bend a U as in Fig. 1 out of 3/4 inch conduit. (hint-- start in middle of length for bends). After cutting the legs to length, flatten the ends of the legs 2 inches, center punch and drill a 7/16 hole in each leg. Cut flatten and drill 2 more pieces of 3/4 inch conduit, trim the unflattened end so that all holes will line up if you insert a rod through them. This will keep your wheels straight.. Cut a piece of 1/2 inch conduit to go between the two legs to act as a stiffener and weld everything up making sure your wheels will fit between the two outside pieces.

Next make two shafts by sliding a piece of 1/2 inch conduit inside a piece of 3/4 inch and bend into a Z shape. (double strength needed for shafts). Lay shafts on floor and weld the piece that looks like Fig 1 perpendicular to the shafts. Weld a piece of 3/4 inch on the shafts 8 inches away the Fig A piece. Now bend another 3/4 into a U and weld it on to the opposite side, this will make you seat.Turn the whole thing back over and bend a 3/4 U to fit over the shafts about 2 feet in front of your axles (fig 2), Now bend the legs of this U back so that it looks like Fig 3 and weld to point B on Fig 1. Cut some 1/2 inch to fit between the pieces you just made to act as a floor and dash or use a piece of sheet metal (Fig 3). If you want bend a U to make a rail to go around the back of your seat. Weld some 1/2 inch conduit braces to the shafts, Fig 2. Mount a single tree made from 3/4 inch on the bottom 2nd or 3rd horizontal piece of your dash. Cut 2 pieces of 1/2 inch rebar or round bar about 2 feet long and drive down each shaft as far as it will gokeeps shafts from bending. Drill a hole in your shafts to install a 1/4 inch eye bold to attach your breaching to. Cut the ends off the shafts to fit your goat and put cane or rubber tips on the shaft ends.

Next are the two MOST important things: Mount the wheels to your cart and weld a piece of 1/2 inch conduit right in front of the wheels and make sure it sticks out just to the outside edge of the wheels. Weld a piece of 1/4 x 2 flat bar onto a bar to make a scrub brake. Bend another piece of round bar into an L and weld it on the back of the flat bar to make a break peddle. ( a run away cart ride into a tree or fence make brakes a must) The second most important thing is to weld a piece of 1 inch conduit 8 inches long onto one of the shafts of your dash to hold your buggy whip. 




http://rockyrun-farm.com/cart/cart.jpg


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

I also found this one for people who don`t know how to weld. 


https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...j9dunMh0hy06icp9nNiYLZtg&ust=1373324417273260


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## goodhors (Jul 7, 2013)

Strong suggestion here, to teach goat to drag things with NO WHEELS first.
Train him to respond WELL to voice commands like WHOA, promptly.  It is
very easy to scare the animal if he just hitched and put to work.  Wheeled 
vehicles are almost "too easy" to move, no resistance, so they can easily
be CHASING an animals into fright.

There are proper goat harness, maybe you could find sellers by looking 
at harness maker sites.

But teaching animals to pull weight, takes more than a couple workouts, 
and animals NEED an understanding of what is expected of them to 
respond correctly.  This is established over time, repeated exercises of 
doing the SAME thing, with the SAME results to get animal accustomed
to weight pulling, stopping when asked or following rein signals for turns.

Goats were used by MANY folks who couldn't afford horses, ponies or didn't
have the room to keep equines.  Goats could and DID pull good sized loads
for their owners to earn money.  So the precedent of a working goat isn't 
a new idea, just one not seen often in recent times.  The UK has goat shows,
competitions in driven goats, maybe a search would turn up some photos
for you.  I know I saw some wonderful photos on a site, with lovely goat
vehicles being used by goat drivers.

But like any animal training, the goat has to learn in steps, gain confidence
in what you ask of him.  Be able to STOP immediately when asked, so cart
doesn't hit him in the rear using wrong harness or not hitched well, or chase 
him.  He is just a goat, doesn't THINK like a person when bumped from behind.

Goat driving is a good use of a wethered goat, having a job for him will make 
things more entertaining.  I probably wouldn't load him over 3/4 his weight, and 
that is when he is VERY experienced at pulling and stopping his loads.  Horses
turn into quitters if over loaded, goat could too.  Have to make him SURE he 
can move the load and stop it, before making it heavy.

Good luck with your project.


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

Thank you for the training advice. I wasn't planning on just putting it on him with no experience. I just needed to make sure I had a building plan, before I started training him.  I plan to start out with small things. I do have a wagon with no wheels, but don't you think he could get scared of the loud noise it makes and have a bad first experiance?

 Thanks


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## goodhors (Jul 7, 2013)

I would suggest starting the dragging with a small, rimless auto tire.
Not a TINY tire, you want him to feel the drag, but not a tire off your 
one ton, dually pickup truck which would be too big and heavy.  Too
light of a tire won't create resistance to pull, might just bounce around
and again, scare him.  

However you want to do what they call "ground driving" him, which 
will teach him to go FORWARD first, then learn the commands needed
to direct him.  With horses, we start with "Walk ON", use left and right 
for turns.  Seems like few people can keep Gee and Haw directions 
straight!!  Especially true in a crisis, so for many, left and right are 
as complicated as they want to get, and even then they get them 
confused if startled!!

I have heard goats are VERY light on the bit and reins, so you don't 
have to muscle them in most cases.  That purchased goat harness will
probably come with a bit for him.  

No, I would NOT start him dragging a wheel-less wagon, not enough 
weight AND noisy, so he will get scared when it "chases" him.  Once 
the animal runs, gets badly frightened, they usually can NOT be trained
out of the fright.  So you have to be careful or they never will drive.

You start with the light tire, can move up to a heavier tire as he stays
willing to go forward, building up his muscles.  Goat needs to be 
DEPENDABLE when you give commands, respond CORRECTLY to the 
voice, light touch on reins.  If you can't steer or stop him, he is NOT ready
to be hitched yet.  With horses this can take quite a while, you just
don't hurry things. 

For the first cart with shafts time, get a friend to help you.  
You drive goat, friend holds cart in place on goat, but NOT HITCHED 
to goat, so goat walks along  between the 
shafts, hearing the noise, getting used to tighter feel of shafts.  
Depending on how he does, you will want to do this a few times, then 
hitch him, have friend walk beside him with a lead rope to hold goat 
from running if frightened by the new feel of cart.  Friend NEEDS to 
be strong enough to hold onto the goat, not just fake it, should the 
goat react badly.  I would use the friend helping me for several times
hitched, then evaluate how goat is doing, before leaving friend off
with the lead rope.  Goat may need that friend for courage longer 
than just a few drives.  And you keep building on that good base, goat
knowing his commands WELL, stopping as asked.

Not thinking you are going to just jump in once the cart is built,
 but better to say that clearly in my training advice, than hear about 
your accident later.  Some folks take written advice literally, do exactly 
what it says, instead of thinking it out a little more.


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

Thank you for all of the great advice! It will come in handy for training him. In a few months or when ever he succesfully learns step by step. I will try to post pictures. Thanks you so much.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 7, 2013)

Something you can do now to prepare, is have someone drag things while you are walking your goat - have them walk when you walk, and stop when you stop.  That will start getting him used to the noise and view of things behind him. If your goat gets worried, your helper can drop further back, or stop, till he is ok again.

Drag a branch, a long wood or pvc pole, a leaf rake, or something tied to a rope.  Walk on different surfaces - a leaf rake sounds very different on dirt/grass, than on gravel, asphalt or concrete.

If you can't get a helper, you can both lead the goat and drag something, holding the dragged item in the hand away from your goat.  Use caution, make sure it won't come close enough to hit up against either of you, and make wide sweeping turns if you need to turn.   Be prepared to drop it instantly if you have any problem.


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## meme (Jul 7, 2013)

I think I will start working with him tomorrow with a friend. That is a very good idea, for getting him used to the cart. thanks you!


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