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03/08/09, 05:55 PM
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Animal Addict
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
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Large pony and goats?
OK, I have a year old wether (pygmy angora) and 3 pygmy babies, about 4 months old. I am looking at getting a pony for bratling and would rather keep him seperate from my other horses to allow her more freedom to play with him and start getting some "horse sense." I sort of am thinking of one from across the lane, he is a big solid fella about 12 to 13H. I've never seen him kick, charge or anything. He is currently housed with cows and never gives the calves a second look.
Tell me your experiences with goats housed with ponies. I know that on the road, some people have a companion goat for their horse.
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Becky
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03/08/09, 06:23 PM
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Katie
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Twining, Mi.
Posts: 19,930
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I sold 2 doe kids last summer to a couple that had a lonely horse. I have kept tabs on them & the girls and they are doing great. It took a little while they said for the horse to get used to the goats but now cries for them when ever they are out of his sight. She said the 3 of them are best of friends now. She made sure the goats have a little igloo type dog house in the pen with the horses lean too & the horse stay's by the goat house when it's raining or such & the girls are in it.
I think they will get along fine your little goats & the new pony.
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03/08/09, 06:27 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,272
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i have had goats and horses as companions for each other - and known many more - I think it'll work out just fine 
nice for you to worry about it
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03/08/09, 06:56 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PA
Posts: 141
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I have my horses and goats pastured together, and I have never had much of a problem. I do feed them in separate areas, but the goats try to sneak into the horse feeding area to grab a quick bite of their grain. I watch closely during kidding season, but the horses are very tolerant of the goats and all of thier shenanagins.
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03/08/09, 07:08 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York
Posts: 3,891
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I have watched my horse pick up a baby goat by the nape of the neck, and fling it through the air, twice! He also ran down the sheep, knocked them down and bit them. He tried to stomp one of my little dogs once, too. This is a sweet gelding who you would never expect would behave in such a manner. He is now boarded 3 miles down the road............
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03/08/09, 10:52 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 3,414
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We had a mini gelding that was great with the goats, grew up with them for a few years, till one day he decided ears were fun to literally bite off!!
He lives at a farm down the road now.
I dont trust equine with goats anymore.
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03/09/09, 07:41 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,398
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I have a small pony mare, a mini mule and now my 2 month old large pony colt with my goats. My mule is 6 months and plays with the baby goats. ( hilarious!)
I think it depends on the temperament of the pony and if it had been raised with small critters around.
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03/09/09, 11:41 AM
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Animal Addict
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Maryland
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Think I might put a pass in on this particular pony, as he hasn't been around goats, and look for one who has. Then I'll feel more confident that he'll have the right temperment. Sounds like when it's good, it's great, but when it's bad, it's really bad!!
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Becky
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03/09/09, 03:02 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beccachow
Think I might put a pass in on this particular pony, as he hasn't been around goats, and look for one who has. Then I'll feel more confident that he'll have the right temperment. Sounds like when it's good, it's great, but when it's bad, it's really bad!!
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Becca, you know this pony so well though...I think it's worth a try. It's not like your introducing the goats to the ponies turf...other way around so you might be surprised. How are you going to find a pony where you know has a good temperment...adults can ride...AND good with all other critters. There are much bigger obstacles than this when horse shopping. Plus...this one is free and knows the area already.
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03/09/09, 07:54 PM
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Darn you, my goatie friend, for confusing me with good facts. Worst case, I guess, if I see any aggression, I can ship him back across the lane. Absolutely can't keep him with the horses, he and Sid do not like one another and I want her to be free to go in the pen and fuss with him whenever she wants. But darn it, one act of aggression would kill my goats...I can't deal with any more loss. I could devise some way of keeping them seperate to acclimate, I guess.
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Becky
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03/09/09, 08:02 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,272
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I think small doses of together time at first - when you were around to watch might put your mind at ease and ease the transition too
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03/09/09, 08:19 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Northern Arizona
Posts: 713
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I had my mini mare first, bought a pygmy a year later and both of them are great companions to each other. They eat out of the same feeder, lay near each other, and the goat bleats like mad when I am out with the mini.
I think you would be successful with this combo.
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03/09/09, 08:24 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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yes...a supervised introduction along with plenty of sniffing amongst each other through a fence would be a good idea. There are just so many instances where goats are used for companions for horses and it works. Of course there are going to be examples where it doesn't work...and I was very protective of my goats around my horses at first. Is this pony ever around dogs by chance? Even if not, like you said, if it doesn't work just take him back. So worth a try though.
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03/09/09, 09:49 PM
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Animal Addict
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No dogs to my knowledge, his owner had a yappy football dog (I think a pomeranian or something), but she never went in there. The occasions my dogs have gotten in there it is the cows who chase them off, lol. Might try to see how he responds to that. the only negative thing I ever saw him do was squeal at Sid when Sid pushed through my fence and got over next to HIS pasture, and both rose and struck at each other, dopey Sid got his foot stuck between the fence rails but managed to get free. Think they were going to have a free for all! But Sid is an egomaniac, so I don't blame Spirit.
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Becky
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03/09/09, 10:36 PM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Idaho
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Ponies and goats are a bad, bad combination. We had an adorable little mini horse given to us...he killed what was probably the nicest, most promising doeling I would ever get, who happened to be a complete pet as well.  Never again.
I guess if you don't mind maybe losing a goat or two, give it a shot, but be ready for it to be the most valuable, beloved goat on your place.
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03/10/09, 09:20 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 24,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Helianthus
Ponies and goats are a bad, bad combination. We had an adorable little mini horse given to us...he killed what was probably the nicest, most promising doeling I would ever get, who happened to be a complete pet as well. Never again.
I guess if you don't mind maybe losing a goat or two, give it a shot, but be ready for it to be the most valuable, beloved goat on your place. |
Re-post: I was wondering if you could give a little more information on the mini horse...was this an incident that happened out of the blue? Was he a nice horse that snapped? Was he gelded? Did this happen on their first introduction? I am so sorry you lost your goat I lost a beloved dog to a horse accident...but the circumstances made it partly my fault but mostly an accident.
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