Weight Loads at Different Ages

[Taffy]

I'm working on the REI PowerPoint presentation slide regarding packgoat training.

I am beginning the slide with, "Do Not get in a hurry to put a pack on young goats.  A goat's body isn't fully developed until it is 4 years old."

I realize a lot of this depends upon a number of factors but, in gerneral, at what age do you put an dog pack or saddle with no panniers on your goats?  When do you begin to add panniers and weight?  How do you decide when it's time to step it up a notch and add more weight?

[Dave-Trinity-Farms]

Id reduce it to 3 years. Even at 2, as Curtis has shown, they can be put to work if done right.

Id say dog pack at about 6 months. Work up to no more then 5 lbs or the weight of the pack saddle when its time to change over. 125 lbs is the typical weight of a goat that can begin to use the real pack saddle. Id say 12-16 months of age depending up on the size of the goat. But up to this point and beyond its more of a training aspect. Not a useful one. A goat needs to play, have fun and get excited about being out on the trail. If you are doing say a 5 mile hike where they will tire out and just walk, then feel free to put their saddle on em. Do this till at least a year and a half old. So most of the time Id suggest letting them go without.

I really like the way Curtis did his boys. His conditioning of them from age 2 to 3 really got them to be ready and able packers. But Id say keep it under 10% of their body weight till age 2. 15% till age 3 and then it really depends on how well the owner has conditioned them.

[hihobaron]

Hello Taffy and Dave
Taffy: You pose a very good question, and your base answer is right. 100%
But People want to start using their goats ASAP.
Just like the TB and QH people are using/racing horses under 2 years old when they are still growing.
Then they ???? why did the horse break down.
I learned and maintain a 5-6 year old standard before heavy work with my horses.
Yes, some light training/riding/driving starting at 3 years old. NO heavy work.
I am using the same standard to my goats.
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Dave is 100% right.
A dog pack with a few modifications and a light load at around 2 years old  I can go with.
A couple beverage bottles and some ice.
As a matter of fact I am working on a special pad system to allow me to use one of my Trail Master horse saddle bag sets on a goat, and a couture foam pad system to let me use a "Cantel Bag" on a smaller goat.
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I also have a good service dog pack here that will get modified to be a couture type system.
Every thing I have in the works is being done with much respect for the way a goat is built and the way they move.
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The big boy's(Pete and Sam) here have not figured out that they are being used as test goats "YET"
For what I am doing here in the East I don't need to push them to carry weight.
Trailing and people manners are more important as they are PR for Pack Goats here.
Packing to camp with will come in time. But I don't have any need to rush it at the expense of my goats well being.

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Happy Trails
Keep Goating
hihobaron Blizzard, Fuzzy,Pete and Sam