I borrowed my mom's camera so I could document the new goats first time out in the pasture. We set it up so they can still get in their pen and barn away from Chrome and Zep. Then we had to encourage them to leave their pen. They didn't want to go out at first, but then they realized how much there is to eat and started gobbling up weeds and leaves! Yay weeds!!!
Check out who is approaching in the background of the above picture... Mr. Trouble!
It started out fine with him following them around, just acting curious.
He got closer and closer. The goats didn't seem afraid of him at all.
Then he started pushing them. Literally shoving them with his nose to make them move away... a herding horse??
The dark brown goat turned around and threatened Chrome, who just pawed at him... then the goat's horn got stuck on Chrome's leg. They both stood there confused and not knowing how to disentangle. Then Chrome stepped forward, over the goat and directly onto his leg. The goat started screaming and I smacked Chrome on the butt to drive him away. The goat carried his leg up for a while, but it's not broken. I feel so sorry for the poor guy.
When I smacked Chrome he went into the round pen and started grazing. We sat and watched the goats eating weeds, watching to see if the brown one would start using his leg again (he did). Then I brought Chrome back over toward them. When he spotted them he BOLTED at them, chasing them, striking out with his front hooves and biting at them............... WTF!!!! They couldn't outrun him either. I chased him off with one of my PVC cavaletti poles.... they both escaped unscathed.
So Chrome used to do the exact same thing to dogs, but now he will not even look at Jackal. He knows if he hurts my dog he will be in huge trouble! So I have no doubts I can teach him not to chase the goats, but I am a little disappointed he reacted so strongly. I think it started out as playfulness and then when they started running away he went into stallion kill mode. Sigh. When he bolted after them a second time they ran straight to their barn thank goodness. So I'm hoping they now have a healthy fear of the evil horse. During all of this Zep just stood watching with no concern at all. He was with our whole herd of goats for a whole summer so I know he's fine. We will try again tomorrow to see if Chrome will accept them or if they will at least wise up and avoid him. I'll also try to get my baseline two point time tomorrow. I was too busy taking limbs (small trees) off of the fence this evening after work from a recent storm. The fence was pulled down to knee height so I'm relieved the horses didn't get out.
Anyway I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I'll update again tomorrow. In the meantime I have to think of names for the boys!
I'm guessing that goats have different social customs from horses. My only experience with goats was when my annoying neighbors at my old house boarded a billy goat with a betty goat and got some surprise babies. My horses were terrified at first, but eventually became protective of the goats. It think the little guys brought out the maternal instincts of my mares.
ReplyDeleteHehe that's funny. I remember the neighbor goats on your blog. :) I was expecting them to be more skittish of Chrome since they were used for goat tying (which involved being chased by a horse), but I guess they must have lived with horses because they aren't.
ReplyDeleteP.S. The red on the side of the light goat is berry juice, not blood. :)
I hope Chrome learns to leave them alone, my App didn't and I had to rehome the goats after a month because he was on a death mission with them :( Looking forward to hear how you can train him to leave them alone!!
ReplyDeleteAw how fun! Pygmy or Nigerian goats? They look just like ours. Just beware, if they are bucks and not wethered, they will stink and make everyone else (including Chrome, lol!) stink. I just rehomed my buck and got our other little guy wethered, it's disgusting lol!
ReplyDeleteI think Chrome will be fine with them when the new wears off. :)
ReplyDeleteKalin, we are going to castrate them. I've had goats my whole life so I'm very familiar with that nasty smell LOL!! Oh and they are Pygmies as far as I can tell. :) Nigerians are taller and not as stocky looking. :)
I could totally see my Griffin pulling shenanigans like that!
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