Chat
05-15-2017, 10:49 PM
Phil and I had a GREAT drive today! We took the boys out with their individual carts, which we haven't done for quite some time. I thought they would be rusty and we might have some issues with Finn, but Finn was awesome! Phil got done hitching before I did, and instead of waiting around for me, he and Finn struck off on their own. Finn stepped right out and left us behind without balking. Granted, he did complain vocally, but he didn't misbehave. Phil even drove Finn off-road onto a golf cart trail and across a narrow, humped wooden bridge over a marsh.
Sputnik and I started out a good while later, and Sputnik backed quite nicely away from the truck without me having to go to his head. "Back up" is not our goats' best command, but they are starting to get it. Once Sputnik got around to the other side of the truck he suddenly realized that Finn was gone and it threw him off his groove. He behaved almost perfectly, but he became very noisy. Sputnik went off-road and over the golf cart bridge too. The sudden up-then-down startled him the first time, but he was prepared on the return crossing and did well. Sputnik was happy to practice trotting and cantering so it wasn't too long before we overtook Finn. Suddenly both goats quieted down, and Sputnik marched out to his preferred place in front of Finn. Sputnik doesn't mind leaving Finn behind, but Finn had better not leave Sputnik behind!
We were a little over half-way around the golf course road when I saw someone I wanted to talk to. He was riding an ATV up a dirt road on the other side of the highway. Sputnik and I hung a sharp left, crossed the big ditch on a conveniently located dirt "bridge", then trotted across the highway. Sputnik was caught by surprise. We'd never left the golf course loop before, and certainly never crossed the highway. He got to the other side, saw that Finn wasn't following us, and suddenly screeched to a halt and began to turn around. There was traffic coming toward us pretty fast, so I jumped out and led Sputnik well off the road before climbing back into the cart and asking him to continue down the dirt side road toward the ATV, whose rider was now waiting for us. He drove off well once I got back in, so I was proud of him. I talked for quite a while, so Finn and Phil were long gone by the time I re-crossed the highway and got back on the golf course loop. Sputnik was noisy again for a bit, but he went well and got lots of treats for good behavior.
When Sputnik and I got back to the truck, I saw that Phil had started Finn around the loop again and was once more crossing that little golf cart bridge. I could see even from a distance that Finn was being very, very good. When they got back, Phil told me that Finn was noisy like Sputnik, but he was obedient and he never sulked. He happily took rewards every time they were offered! I'm a firm believer that once good behavior is in place, the good attitude will eventually follow. Both goats were very well-behaved today even if they weren't thrilled about being separated. I think with a few more practices like this they'll soon realize that leaving each other does not have to be traumatic, and that we will all meet up again at the end.
Sputnik and I started out a good while later, and Sputnik backed quite nicely away from the truck without me having to go to his head. "Back up" is not our goats' best command, but they are starting to get it. Once Sputnik got around to the other side of the truck he suddenly realized that Finn was gone and it threw him off his groove. He behaved almost perfectly, but he became very noisy. Sputnik went off-road and over the golf cart bridge too. The sudden up-then-down startled him the first time, but he was prepared on the return crossing and did well. Sputnik was happy to practice trotting and cantering so it wasn't too long before we overtook Finn. Suddenly both goats quieted down, and Sputnik marched out to his preferred place in front of Finn. Sputnik doesn't mind leaving Finn behind, but Finn had better not leave Sputnik behind!
We were a little over half-way around the golf course road when I saw someone I wanted to talk to. He was riding an ATV up a dirt road on the other side of the highway. Sputnik and I hung a sharp left, crossed the big ditch on a conveniently located dirt "bridge", then trotted across the highway. Sputnik was caught by surprise. We'd never left the golf course loop before, and certainly never crossed the highway. He got to the other side, saw that Finn wasn't following us, and suddenly screeched to a halt and began to turn around. There was traffic coming toward us pretty fast, so I jumped out and led Sputnik well off the road before climbing back into the cart and asking him to continue down the dirt side road toward the ATV, whose rider was now waiting for us. He drove off well once I got back in, so I was proud of him. I talked for quite a while, so Finn and Phil were long gone by the time I re-crossed the highway and got back on the golf course loop. Sputnik was noisy again for a bit, but he went well and got lots of treats for good behavior.
When Sputnik and I got back to the truck, I saw that Phil had started Finn around the loop again and was once more crossing that little golf cart bridge. I could see even from a distance that Finn was being very, very good. When they got back, Phil told me that Finn was noisy like Sputnik, but he was obedient and he never sulked. He happily took rewards every time they were offered! I'm a firm believer that once good behavior is in place, the good attitude will eventually follow. Both goats were very well-behaved today even if they weren't thrilled about being separated. I think with a few more practices like this they'll soon realize that leaving each other does not have to be traumatic, and that we will all meet up again at the end.