Queen Mum's Dancing in the Rain

[Queen Mum]

I learned from Donna and Steve Semasko's website, Eidelweiss Acres... Donna is a wealth of information. And you can call her for information as well.

 

[Southern by choice]

Thanks QM!

 

[Bridgemoof]

Yeah that's all really fascinating. But funny, too, the way you told the story about Ian. You are the leader of the pack, that's for sure!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I learned from Donna and Steve Semasko's website, Eidelweiss Acres... Donna is a wealth of information. And you can call her for information as well.

The website is messed up and not working for me. The link works but the sire itself is messed up.

I like the idea of pack goats and using goats to pack but I'm not a fan of some of the people and their thought process on how goats must be treated and all.

I have a goat (Arianna) that I know would be great for that kind of thing. She is very sweet, will follow you anywhere, listens, is strong and large enough to pack, etc. But she was not bottle fed, I do give her a little smack when she's bad (shes never bad lol) and I sure do grab her horns and when I need to I'll pull her or drag her by them. I just don't like how most pack goat people think that in order to have a good pack goat they must be all these special things and you can only do this and not do that bla bla bla.

I think you are more like me. You will put a goat in it's place when you need to. I know you grab their horns when they're bad and all. I'm not sure how you do everything but I think you break from the mold a bit and if I ever used goats to pack I think I would break the mold and do things differently too.


*sorry if I offend anyone

 

[Queen Mum]

Yeah I think OUTSIDE of the box all the time. In other words, I'm wierd. (wise, idealistic, Exceptional, rebellious and Dynamic) I take what I can from each group and use it. I leave the rest, but I try not to ignore what people have learned from experience.

I don't think all pack goats have to be bottle fed, but it does make it much easier to train many of them, if they started out that way. Really though, I think a good pack goat is really more of a personality sort of thing and individual to the goat.

I take hold of horns to tip the head back all the time, but I never, ever grab horns and pull a goat along or jerk them around unless I am doing it for the purpose of showing the goat who is boss. Mostly because goats see that as a challenge to authority and respond in kind. So I use it where it's appropriate.

In other words, I try to think like a goat to train my goats. I get the feeling you do the same thing too.

Some pack goat people ONLY train with hand signs, Others only use whistles and words. Me I use what works. I prefer a clicker and words and sounds and hand signs depending on the circumstances.

But if you are training for sale you need to use the standards that most packers use or you can't sell the animal easily within the packgoat community. Me, I sell to "Other people". Special purpose goats so to speak.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I don't think all pack goats have to be bottle fed, but it does make it much easier to train many of them, if they started out that way. Really though, I think a good pack goat is really more of a personality sort of thing and individual to the goat.

I agree. I've never had a pack goat but I would bet they are much sweeter from a younger age and are more bonded to you.


You make some good points and I have looked lots of pack goat stuff up before. I would like to work have some goats to pack one day. I think it would be cool.

Oh and the saddles and the stuff you need for them is expensive!!

 

[Southern by choice]

Yeah I think OUTSIDE of the box all the time. In other words, I'm wierd. (wise, idealistic, Exceptional, rebellious and Dynamic) I take what I can from each group and use it. I leave the rest, but I try not to ignore what people have learned from experience.

Sooo, that is what my family meant all those years when I was growing up! They always said it rather meanly...guess they were a bit jealous!

 

[Queen Mum]

Oh and the saddles and the stuff you need for them is expensive!!

I make my own.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Oh and the saddles and the stuff you need for them is expensive!!

I make my own.

Cool. That's a good idea. You may have to show me some.

 

[bonbean01]

Pack goats...very cool

I too have been known for thinking outside the box...hey, if we were all the conventional thinkers...how limiting and boring would that be?