Pasture mate...

[A Yankee In NC]

I am not sure that I am ready for another mini just yet as I feel I have to dedicate more time to the one I have for training...

In the meantime....

what would be the best choice for a pasture mate...

my husband says goats smell too bad to have...

any suggestions?

 

[Margaret]

An un-newtered male goat (buck) will smell bad, but not a wether.

So if you do choose a male goat, make sure it has been de-horned, and wethered for safety and good sence.

A female goat (a doe) will not smell, but I dont keep my goats in with my mini horses, except for grazing as I feed them different food types for health reasons.

Otherwise I do allow them to share a fenceline for company.

 

[Brandi*]

Hahahahah I asked this same question many months ago. Melody was my first mini and I really didn't want another mini at this time. There were mixed feelings. Some felt that she would not be happy with a goat, cow or anything other than a horse and some thought it would be a good substitute. I tried a goat but at that time I didn't have a place set up to keep the goat separate from Melody. She was quite mean to the baby goat so I returned the goat. So then I tried a mare. That didn't go well at all. The mare hated Melody for some reason and would not befriend her for anything. After that I tried a colt. He ended up giving Melody a dreadful virus and she spent a week and a half in the hospital. That whole experience reminded me just how much I wasn't prepared to care for two horses. So after a lot of agony I went with my first two choices. A goat and a cow. Things have been so much easier. This is what I wanted all along. 1 horse with a friend (or two friends)

So the advice I would give you is absolutely go with your gut feeling on this one. If you don't feel ready to take on two horses, then DON'T. But if you like the idea of it and think you can swing it financially, go for it.

Good luck

P.S. Peatrie(my goat) smelt bad when I first brought her here because she had been around all of those other goats. But now she is clean and doesn't smell bad at all

 

[Jill]

The BEST companion is another mini but goats can work well. Female goats and withered (castrated) goats have no odor. It's the in tact males that reak to high heaven.

Some issues with goats are that some will chew manes and tails of horses. We had this happen through a fence so the horse cooperated, but still... And they should not be fed horse feed and vice versa as some goat feed can founder a horse because it's treated (for cocidia, I think...).

 

[Miniv]

A gelded mini is obviously the best option.........

Second option is a goat.......a fixed male (a whether) is the best for that, but you have issues to deal with.

* A goat may eat the horse tails.

* You need to make your fencing "goat proof". (We have one but he thinks he's a mini and stays with his group so doesn't wander far from them.)

* Certain types of salt/mineral blocks are bad for goats. And some horse "complete" grains aren't good either.

On a positive note......a whether (goat) is cheaper to get and keep than another mini.......just a thought.

 

[Keri]

I would suggest a gelding. Horses become very good companions with their own species. It may also help with your horses nasty attitude towards you too if he has someone young to play with. Just a thought.

Goats are alright, but you have to really fence your place good becuase they can reek havoc on you fenceline. Also, they eat your horses tail.

Had it happen a couple times. So no more goat.

 

[maestoso]

If you get a goat, and keep it in the same pen with the mini, don't ever expect to do anything or go anywhere without the goat. They get ridiculously attached to their equine friend, will jump 50 ft over a fence, and if you lock them in a stall (that they can't jump out of) they will screech and bahh bahh bahh your brains out. IMO they are annoying and obnoctious, you'd be better off getting 2 so they can be attached to each other, not the horse. IMO caring for another mini would be far easier than dealing with the frustration of a goat. Besides you still have to care for a goat, still have to feed it, clean up after it, vaccinate it, most things that you have to do for a horse. Get another mini!

 

[Brandi*]

If you get a goat, and keep it in the same pen with the mini, don't ever expect to do anything or go anywhere without the goat. They get ridiculously attached to their equine friend, will jump 50 ft over a fence, and if you lock them in a stall (that they can't jump out of) they will screech and bahh bahh bahh your brains out. IMO they are annoying and obnoctious, you'd be better off getting 2 so they can be attached to each other, not the horse. IMO caring for another mini would be far easier than dealing with the frustration of a goat. Besides you still have to care for a goat, still have to feed it, clean up after it, vaccinate it, most things that you have to do for a horse. Get another mini!

All very good points. Peatrie is already attached to my cow but she only screams for a couple of minutes and then gets over it. But then again she has been with him since she was born. She has her own little area in Melody's pen and she is turned out with Melody and the cow during the day. A goat can def. pose some challenges but I highly doubt I will ever have a $3000 vet bill to pay for Peatrie.

Not to mention how cute and fun they are

Another plus for me is that I don't have to worry about training two mini's. The goat and the cow can be pasture ornaments and I don't feel the least bit guilty if I only have time to walk by and scratch their head

As I said before, you will know what is right for you and your situation