Chat
05-17-2017, 07:18 PM
Consistent training sessions have been difficult to achieve lately so that's definitely not helping. Koby has become #1 goat in the herd in the last couple of weeks and he seems very distracted by it - seemingly needing to exert his authority with unreasonable force and frequency towards the other goats. And leaving the herd, which has always been a problem, is even more difficult now, because he sees himself as their chief protector.
Penelope has just come into season again and Koby is acting quite the buck, spending ALL day mounting her, ignoring his food, trying to ignore what I want him to do (even if it's to come outside the paddock to be fed or for training). He is generally most unco-operative just with day to day tasks generally, but that's strengthening my resolve to step up the training sessions to try to counter this behaviour. On the upside he is developing strong hindquarter muscles with all that mounting!
From a ground driving perspective I've got him going forward well enough at the walk and trot, but only when HE wants to do it and he has been conditioned - rightly or wrongly - to turn around and expect a snack throughout the session when he thinks he's done well. I have no doubt he understands what I am asking most of the time. I am on my own with the training so I'd be keen to understand how I can better manage the steps to getting him more obedient and in particular, stopping and turning around when I am behind him, because there is nobody available to be at his head. I think I need to learn how to better use the whip - I find it tricky to handle with the reins and he doesn't seem to pay any attention to it when I use it lightly (I don't want to whack him with it either). I recall your mentioning in a post that ground driving wasn't very successful with your goats. I would love to put him in the easy entry cart but I definitely need someone to help me with that. We've already had a minor wipe out with the little wagon (broken shafts etc) and so I need to build his confidence back up before getting him in the cart.
Penelope has just come into season again and Koby is acting quite the buck, spending ALL day mounting her, ignoring his food, trying to ignore what I want him to do (even if it's to come outside the paddock to be fed or for training). He is generally most unco-operative just with day to day tasks generally, but that's strengthening my resolve to step up the training sessions to try to counter this behaviour. On the upside he is developing strong hindquarter muscles with all that mounting!
From a ground driving perspective I've got him going forward well enough at the walk and trot, but only when HE wants to do it and he has been conditioned - rightly or wrongly - to turn around and expect a snack throughout the session when he thinks he's done well. I have no doubt he understands what I am asking most of the time. I am on my own with the training so I'd be keen to understand how I can better manage the steps to getting him more obedient and in particular, stopping and turning around when I am behind him, because there is nobody available to be at his head. I think I need to learn how to better use the whip - I find it tricky to handle with the reins and he doesn't seem to pay any attention to it when I use it lightly (I don't want to whack him with it either). I recall your mentioning in a post that ground driving wasn't very successful with your goats. I would love to put him in the easy entry cart but I definitely need someone to help me with that. We've already had a minor wipe out with the little wagon (broken shafts etc) and so I need to build his confidence back up before getting him in the cart.
Happiness is a baby goat snoring in your lap