Chat
06-06-2015, 08:03 AM
I have a 4 year old 150 lb Alpine male whom I got recently and I'm beginning to notice what I think is a potentially chronic back injury (I have owned him for only 3 months). He has always layed down when I put a weighted pack on him and he is my first goat to show his "I need a break, laydown," but now he is showing signs of "trying to run out from under his pack" (if you know what I mean). That squat in the back end shuffle step they can do when a saddle doesn't fit right.
The reason I'm posting is I am down to altering the saddle (it's a Northwest pack goat) or getting rid of him. He is our most loving goat and a pleasure to have, but I need my goats to work as I have already logged over 50 miles this season. I want to keep him but can't if he can't do his job as I'm limited to how many goats my pasture and wallet can support.
If your wondering why I think he has a back injury, he has some swelling that you can feel on his mid spine and when you press there it's obviously the painful spot.
The altering the saddle option I am considering is because he is very skinny and bony which just seems to be his body style and he doesn't have much "meat" to rest the saddle on. I'm considering adding an additional pad on each side of the spine to both "add meat" and help keep the saddle off the spinus processes on the top. I'm also loading him light (20 lbs seems to be his comfort spot) and letting him rest to see if he needs time to heal. I'm posting this hoping someone has some additional suggestions as well, I'd love to get him healed up and packing. Please help.
The reason I'm posting is I am down to altering the saddle (it's a Northwest pack goat) or getting rid of him. He is our most loving goat and a pleasure to have, but I need my goats to work as I have already logged over 50 miles this season. I want to keep him but can't if he can't do his job as I'm limited to how many goats my pasture and wallet can support.
If your wondering why I think he has a back injury, he has some swelling that you can feel on his mid spine and when you press there it's obviously the painful spot.
The altering the saddle option I am considering is because he is very skinny and bony which just seems to be his body style and he doesn't have much "meat" to rest the saddle on. I'm considering adding an additional pad on each side of the spine to both "add meat" and help keep the saddle off the spinus processes on the top. I'm also loading him light (20 lbs seems to be his comfort spot) and letting him rest to see if he needs time to heal. I'm posting this hoping someone has some additional suggestions as well, I'd love to get him healed up and packing. Please help.