Anyone train goats for carting?

[AndreaNZ]

Hi, all -- had 2 beautiful Boer bucklings (now wethers) born this spring, matched markings, coffee-coloured. They're just coming up to 2 months old. My DH has been wanting to have a goat cart and train a pair of goats to pull it. Anyone have any experience with this, or ideas for building a cart to suit them? I have plans for a simple harness, but haven't been able to find much in the way of building a cart.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Al. Countryboy]

Hi Andrea, Glad to hear your goats are doing well. I know that they say to start training a a very early age. The carts that I have seen in the goat books for sale look just like the ones that my sister has for their mini horses. The harness hook up is different though. I use to get on e-bay and type in goat pictures and it has many pictures of kids sitting in goat carts. Some of the carts are very nice. I seems that in the late 1800's on up into the 1930's that goat carts were very popular. Nearly all the carts have tags with dates on them. About two years ago I copied at least forty of these pictures off of e-bay that were for sale and made a small album. Wish you lived a little closer. Maybe you could get some good ideas from e-bay. I plan to make on some day when the next bunch of grandkids come along.

[txmilkm]

We have a 6 year old nubian cross wether that we have broken to plow and pull a cart. The cart we started him out with was a "little red wagon" that we took the bolt out of the handle and built a set of shafts to go in its place. With a team, you would have to use a tongue. We purchased our goat harness from Hoegger supply company. To plow the middles in our sandy garden, we use a 1 horse cultivater with 5 tines that we mounted a wheel on the front of. Matt (the goat) is a very willing plowhand until he does 14- 100' rows and then he will not take another step until he rests some. It sure is easier than a push plow or hoeing tho!

Txmilkm

[SherrieT]

I think I may be too, too, tired. I saw your past and wondered why anyone would have to train a goat to fart

[AndreaNZ]

Thanks for the info about Hoeggers and the suggestion to look at eBay for ideas!! Hoeggers actually has an Amish made cultivator - for GOATS! Too funny, but seriously, we're looking into it. We have a miniature horse as well, and he's going to be earning his keep hauling and driving, and it's looking like at least a couple of the goats will be as well... Who knows... perhaps we'll start a new trend in NZ!

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[southerngurl]

I think I may be too, too, tired. I saw your past and wondered why anyone would have to train a goat to fart

:haha: :haha:
I'm sure, someone, somewhere, has done just that.