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+--- Thread: Hiking with Sputnik and a Friend (/showthread.php?tid=3141)
Hiking with Sputnik and a Friend - Nanno - 01-09-2018
It was a gorgeous day today. So far this winter we have not had any winter, and today was t-shirt weather. Phil was working so I loaded up Sputnik and we headed out for a short hike this afternoon around the Colorado City Metro District area, which is a large open space made up of parcels that were sold in a land scam back in the 1970's. The land didn't have water so most of the lots reverted back to the town when the owners eventually stopped paying taxes on it. It makes for a lot of nice hiking, biking, horseback riding, and off-roading trails in our area.
I decided to swing by my friend Jordan's house and pick up her two-year-old pack wether named Geronimo. Geronimo is an Alpine/LaMancha cross with a wonderful personality. He has had very little handling because Jordan has been away at college, yet he is friendly and solid with almost no skittishness or aggression in his attitude. Since two years old is when sweet wethers often change rather suddenly, I offered to take Geronimo out from time to time to help him remember his manners. I decided to try our spare Sopris pack on him. He wore a dog pack last June at the Rendezvous, but I don't believe he has carried a saddle since. He was a tiny bit skittish of it at first, but once I let him sniff it he soon stood still and let me fasten it on.
Sputnik was indignant. He thought he should be the one carrying the saddle and he let me know by bashing Geronimo when my back was turned. I put a stop to that and we set off on our walk.
It was a wonderful time. Sputnik was on high alert because of the new goat. His tail stayed up at full mast the whole time, but aside from the brief butting incident during saddling, he left Geronimo alone and didn't hassle him.
It was a good experience for Geronimo and I think he's going to make a wonderful packgoat when he grows up.
RE: Hiking with Sputnik and a Friend - goatzrule - 01-09-2018
Geronimo is very cute! I *think* it was his younger brother Gizmo that I almost got. The fourth picture looks way to much like Cuzco!
RE: Hiking with Sputnik and a Friend - Nanno - 01-26-2018
Last weekend my friend Jordan was home from college and we took Sputnik and Geronimo for a walk, along with Jordan's little brother, Rodney.
Jordan got some funny close-ups of Sputnik. Close-ups are usually Finn's specialty, but Sputnik is getting more accustomed to taking the spotlight as time goes on. He was very clingy to me on this walk and I had to push him away a lot because he was stepping on my feet. I think he was a little insecure about having two "strangers" with us.
Rodney is a funny kid. He is not much taller than Sputnik and was therefore a little shy of him. I jokingly asked if he wanted to ride this big goat, and Rodney surprised me when he hesitantly said he'd give it a try. Big as he looks in the photo, Rodney is a string bean and I lifted him easily onto Sputnik's back with one arm while I held Sputnik's halter with the other. Sputnik was a little startled and began to walk off when Rodney's legs gripped his sides, but he stopped on my "whoa" command and stood for a photo. Rodney hung onto Sputnik's collar and rode him for about fifteen feet while I led him along. Sputnik didn't seem bothered after the initial surprise, but Rodney is of course too big to ride a goat very far. 
RE: Hiking with Sputnik and a Friend - goatzrule - 01-27-2018
My little brother Isaac rode Lilly my Toggenburg Doe a little bit a few weeks ago.