Stacykins
Overrun with beasties
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2011
- Messages
- 476
- Reaction score
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- Points
- 76
Ever since I began the process of banding my wether's horns (after a fatal accident involving his horns and a collar on another goat, my fault for leaving the collar on), his trust in me has been completely crushed. He was never a touchy goat, he'd never been socialized as a kid really. But he would still come to me when I called and was curious and content around me. Now, he won't come near me.
If I sit out in the pasture, before he might come for a quick ear scratch and lay down next to me, now he goes as far as possible. In the evening he would wait at the gate to go into the barn with the girls. He still waits, but as soon as I get near the gate to open it, he takes off. The only way I can convince him to come near me is if i have a little bit of grain, and even then he is sketchy. I don't move fast or loudly around him, even when I want to catch him. I'll wait until he is eating, talking softly, then loop the lead around his head. He usually doesn't budge, since I do it slowly and softly. And he leads great once he is on it, if we are walking. If we stop, then he stands at the farthest end of the lead, trying to put space between me and him. In his stall, he presses himself in the corner if I am in there (refilling hay, water, etc.) until I am out.
I know his head hurts. And it makes me feel awful. When I first put the bands on I was sure to give him banamine until the pain subsided a few days later. And then when the first horn came off (a smaller, thinner horn than the other, plus I think he knocked it off too early), he was hurting all over again. And yesterday, while I was checking the progress on the other horn, trying to get away from me he popped the scab off and it hurt all over again, and I needed to wipe up the dribble of blood and apply some scarlet oil. I of course gave him some banamine again. But I am certain he now associates me with pain.
My question is: Do you think, when the banding is all done, everything is all healed up, he'll trust me again? I am sure he'll always remember, but I don't want him to be afraid and wary. I want him to be comfortable around me, though I know he'll never be a pocket goat.
If I sit out in the pasture, before he might come for a quick ear scratch and lay down next to me, now he goes as far as possible. In the evening he would wait at the gate to go into the barn with the girls. He still waits, but as soon as I get near the gate to open it, he takes off. The only way I can convince him to come near me is if i have a little bit of grain, and even then he is sketchy. I don't move fast or loudly around him, even when I want to catch him. I'll wait until he is eating, talking softly, then loop the lead around his head. He usually doesn't budge, since I do it slowly and softly. And he leads great once he is on it, if we are walking. If we stop, then he stands at the farthest end of the lead, trying to put space between me and him. In his stall, he presses himself in the corner if I am in there (refilling hay, water, etc.) until I am out.
I know his head hurts. And it makes me feel awful. When I first put the bands on I was sure to give him banamine until the pain subsided a few days later. And then when the first horn came off (a smaller, thinner horn than the other, plus I think he knocked it off too early), he was hurting all over again. And yesterday, while I was checking the progress on the other horn, trying to get away from me he popped the scab off and it hurt all over again, and I needed to wipe up the dribble of blood and apply some scarlet oil. I of course gave him some banamine again. But I am certain he now associates me with pain.
My question is: Do you think, when the banding is all done, everything is all healed up, he'll trust me again? I am sure he'll always remember, but I don't want him to be afraid and wary. I want him to be comfortable around me, though I know he'll never be a pocket goat.