Hi new to Pack Goats

[Colorado Shawn]

Hi Everyone,
Just entered the world of pack goats.
I "inherited" a two month oud la mancha and bought him a friend yearling alpine weather. 
I live in the middle of the city and so my goats are city boys. 

So far we have done many local hikes and one two night stay in sand lakes. 
I'm only about a month in.

Looking forward to lots of adventures.

I also need help regarding saddles. I have an old dog pack that i lightly load for my yearling, but know that in the long run he needs a saddle that takes the weight off his spine. I'm pretty handy and could probably make my own but don't have any experience with saddling goats. 


Lastly, if there is anyone here in colorado who would like to mentor me in the ways of pack goating that would be cool. I like to learn from others mistakes as often as possible.

[Nanno]

Hello Shawn, and welcome! Where in Colorado are you located? I'm in Rye, which is south of Pueblo.

[Sanhestar]

Hello Shawn,

welcome here!

Take your time with saddling and packing. Both your boys will be growing for the next three, even four years.

There are two different "schools of thought" in the packgoat world. One, that thinks that packing a yearling won't do harm and the other that maintains that you should wait until at least 3 years before packing because adding weight to the growth plates of the bones can harm your goat.

Did you know that the growth plates in the spine are the last to close?

Whatever you decide, start with keeping the weight of ony load of the spine right now. Dog packs are designed for animals = dogs that have a generous layer of muscle left and right of the spinous processus. Goats in 98-99% don't have that type of muscle along the spine and the dog back will rub the skin directly over the bones.

Adding some protection is simple. Make to lengths of padding that you sew underneath the dog pack right and left of the spine.

Or stop using the dog pack and wait until your boy is old enough for a saddle, letting him grow and develop muscle and stamina without additional load.

[hihobaron]

Colorado Shawn
Hello and Welcome
I am in South Carolina close to Blue Ridge Mountains.
Only 1 goat of age to Pack (5) One 2 and 2 Born in March of this year that are just run a rounds.
All wethers and I do not breed.
See the story of the Stow Away Goats and then move on going to the Saga of the Truck Chasing Goats.
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I am in a rural environment here mostly wooded. But when doing my trail work I do run into City Folk and their Dogs on the Trails I hike. Be prepared for dogs, both good and bad, read up on Goats and Packing here and else were because you WILL get lots a questions from City Folk when you go walkabout.
I enjoy watching people reaction when they see me and 2 Goats coming down the trail in file. It usually ends up as a stop and chat / Browsing Break for my boys. They never object to eating brush.
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Packs.
I Packed horses and Mules/donkeys for a few years.
A goats back structure is totally different, as other people here have mentioned.
For a small dog pack, I have found dense foam rubber knee pads with a light blanket will work.
The Knee pad are what gardeners use to get down and weed flower beds etc.
Keep the  weight down !!!!!!!
That is the important Part !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Trails and Welcome
hihobaron Blizzard,Fuzzy,Pete,Sam and the Troops in South Carolina

[Colorado Shawn]

Hello Shawn, and welcome! Where in Colorado are you located? I'm in Rye, which is south of Pueblo.

I'm in Colorado Springs. 
I know Rye lots of fun around there.
Thanks for the welcome, IM enjoying them so far

[Nanno]

Cool! Springs isn't all that far. Are you planning to come to the State Fair at all this weekend? I'll have goats there Friday - Monday, so if you're around look for the "Goat-O-Rama" stalls. We'll have a banner up and maybe even a packgoat display. We're teaching a harness goat class on Saturday at 4:00 and we'll have a couple of our young pack wethers with us that day. Let us know if you ever want to go hiking together and we'll work it out!

[hihobaron]

Nano
Hello
You should have let me know a bit earlier about Goat-O- Rama at the Fair.
Just came up with some new belt pouches.
Could have sent you one for a Raffle Prize at the fair.
These are different from the last one.
I call it a drop leg it is set up with loops to carry spare pistol magazines inside and has a small pouch that  would work for a cleaning kit. Or other things. It will go on your belt and then has a leg strap to keep it from "Flopping around" when you walk.  Yes, I have a couple friends that are QM's on a couple bases around here they have kids/children that want a horse so bad !!!!!! They will come up and visit for a weekend.Kids get to play with/ride/get basic lessons on my horses and now goats.
I might be on the bad boy list now, because of the kids now want a goat too.  
Some of the stuff they bring up is exotic, but this last batch had these belt pouches with it.
When you have 3-4 of an item you can afford to share for a good cause.
When they go home there is usually some sort of "Off the Books" surplus left laying around the barn.
Happy Trails
Free is Always Good
hihobaron Blizzard,Fuzzy,Pete.Sam and the Troops in SC

[Nanno]

Actually, they don't do raffle prizes at our fair. However, they do a lot of raffle prizes at the CDGA (Colorado Dairy Goat Association) Harvest Show which is the weekend after the fair (Sept. 9-11). So if you still wanted to send them, they'd go to a great cause! I believe the money raised from the raffles and silent auctions at the CDGA show goes toward their youth programs. A lot of kids get a start in showing, raising, and milking goats through these programs, and some of the outstanding kids get education scholarships through CDGA.

[hihobaron]

Nanno
I don't know much if anything about DGA shows and the equipment you would want to carry on you and into the show ring in these kind of pouches. These have a distinct military look to them, with everything going on at Public Events They might not be a Good Idea at a show. On the Trails fine. I'll save a couple still sealed for later PGC Drawing Prizes. In the mean time I'll give one that is open a work out here on the trail and see what I can fit into it.
Happy Trails and have a good time with the show and driving presentation.
hihobaron and the Troops in SC