Boarding Woes...New Twist Not For the Faint of Heart

[Angela_Freda]

@2bayboys

And guess who’ll be working on Christmas Day? The barn workers (NOT grooms!) that’s who.

Lots of people work on Christmas, including, I bet, some posters on COTH.
You’re making more assumptions.
.

[S1969]

@SpicyPRE

I DO NOT want to be exposed to animal slaughter - its a personal choice

Then you should leave.
Editing to add - I didn’t realize this thread was so long. I didn’t read the rest. My response still stays the same, but maybe out of date now.

[S1969]

@beowulf

Yes, I understand it is not in the barn with the boarded horses. However, there is still a risk of exposure here. Workers going to/from the shed, handling the goat and then handling the boarder’s horses, exposes them to all manner of pathogens and disease.

Oh come on, that’s silly. Lots of farms have goats and horses together. Is that also a pathogen risk? What if they have other animals on the farm? Lots of barns have dogs, cats, poultry, goats, the occasional pig…

[S1969]

@Texarkana

Should the workers given their employer/landlord a heads up? Sure. I think most landlords want a heads up any time you bring a new live animal onto the property.

But this is something that happens a lot in some places, including much of the United States. It makes me bristle to read the lack of understanding or the implications that this is some barbaric anomaly. It’s a common cultural practice. If you have friends from Mexico, I hope you are invited to try goat with them and see the process.

Agreed.

My guess is that the BO is not terribly shocked, and this may have happened in the past but they didn’t realize. And now they are aware, and probably aren’t going to disallow this in the future. If these employees live on the farm, it is their home. I’m sure there are rules, but unlikely to be the line in the sand that can’t be crossed. Show up, work hard, care for the animals, do your job.

If they choose to have a goat roast or pig roast, or go hunting on the weekend and process a deer in a back shed…probably not going to be a big issue.

As for the OP - if this is a deal breaker for you, then you’ll probably have to move. But the next barn might have the same thing. I live in NY and even 5 miles outside the capital city it’s not unusual to see a deer hanging in someone’s garage. Where I grew up in central NY, it was pretty much everyone. Shrug. You don’t have to hunt, but unless you’re a very strict vegan, it’s pretty hypocritical to be offended if others do.

[ReSomething]

When I was 5 mom went to the grocery store to talk to the hutcher and we ended up in the chilled hanging room where I stood there looking at these HUGE beef carcasses and freezing my a$$ off. Our favorite treat when dad was gone on business trips was rotisserie chicken. I also recall my aunt moving in and buying bunch spinach that we had to wash and cut before cooking it, rather than Mr Birdseye’s invention of frozen foods. Blame the disconnect on convenience foods.

[beowulf]

I was speaking specifically of bringing an unknown/new animal to a boarding business without quarantine protocols in place. If they handle the goat and then handle the horses (or the other way around) without proper biosecurity risks during quarantine, that’s a big red flag to me as a BO. I’d expect Lysol baths for boots, washing hands, and a change of clothing at minimal. But, I take these things seriously. Lots of BOs and BMs don’t.

Lots of people do turn out horses with goats, though that wasn’t what I was referring to in my post. That’s a risk you have to personally decide yourself. The biggest issue I’ve seen is that horses can bully the goats or, if the goats aren’t debudded, their horns can catch into things (like haynets) or hurt the horse. Here’s mine. My gelding is very gentle with the smalls but I always supervise when they are together. Mine are only set out under supervision for some weed clearing:

[carman_liz]

Krampus and bunnicula heard you!!!

And now…nowwww…they have merged together to form bunniculampus!!! Or krampicula!!! They will eat all the goats!!! ALL. THE. GOATS!!! ALL THE GOAT SAVERS!!! EVERYONE WITH GOAT HAIR NEAR THEM GETS EATEN!!! RAAAWWRREE!!! What have you done Kooky!!!

Lmao…sorry I started googling bunnies and krampus… I am way too tired…and way too cold…and putting off going back out in the cold… I am on your side, she just tried to help a dang goat…and the fact that the BO was concerned as well should chill ppl out, she tried to help an animal…that is all…it got eaten anyways and that is that. She needed to vent somewhere and got attacked vs schooled nicely or with much compassion at all…smdh…Merry Freaking Christmas, ya dirty goat animal! (Think Home Alone Movie)

[S1969]

@beowulf

I was speaking specifically of bringing an unknown/new animal to a boarding business without quarantine protocols in place. If they handle the goat and then handle the horses (or the other way around) without proper biosecurity risks during quarantine , that’s a big red flag to me as a BO.

Yes, I realized after posting that was your meaning. And then realized there were hundreds of posts in follow-up on that thread. I thought you meant cross-contamination because of either just goats being goats, or somehow slaughtering a goat and then handing horses. (Like an e-coli contamination).

[beowulf]

Gotcha. All good. There is a lot to wade through on this thread.

[2bayboys]

Love this movie!

[carman_liz]

There we go!!! Back to the funny lightheartness and holiday spirit!!

[Texarkana]

@beowulf

I was speaking specifically of bringing an unknown/new animal to a boarding business without quarantine protocols in place. If they handle the goat and then handle the horses (or the other way around) without proper biosecurity risks during quarantine, that’s a big red flag to me as a BO. I’d expect Lysol baths for boots, washing hands, and a change of clothing at minimal. But, I take these things seriously. Lots of BOs and BMs don’t.

Lots of people do turn out horses with goats, though that wasn’t what I was referring to in my post. That’s a risk you have to personally decide yourself. The biggest issue I’ve seen is that horses can bully the goats or, if the goats aren’t debudded, their horns can catch into things (like haynets) or hurt the horse. Here’s mine. My gelding is very gentle with the smalls but I always supervise when they are together. Mine are only set out under supervision for some weed clearing:

Total tangent: did that goat not escape under the fence?

Asking for me; I want a couple goats but am worried my fencing is insufficient.

[FjordBCRF]

The trex doesn’t want to be fed, he wants to hunt!

[beowulf]

Oh no, that fence is not at all goat proof That is the TB’s paddock, which is just two strand electric fence.

We keep the goats in wood fencing wrapped with no-climb/rolled wire. We also run a strand of electric on top, this is to deter them from climbing. Goats are very adept climbers. You can make makeshift pens with round pen panels that have solid bottoms too; in the summer we rotate spots so they can graze down different segments of the farm without being loose.

In that photo above, select goats that have good recall were released to do some weed maintenance around the farm. That doe was much more interested in seeing if there was any leftover spilled grain. She didn’t get the memo that that is Holden’s job.

I will say that goats are frustrating, messy, clever, and loud… but they add a whole level of amusement factor to a farm so if you are considering one, go for it! They are very smart and personable, and are SO food motivated. It’s very easy to rehome them if they don’t work out, especially if you have a local 4H chapter nearby.

My biggest complaint with our goats is that they are AWFUL hay wasters. You think horses are bad, wait until you feed a goat.

[TheJenners]

@Kinda_Kooky

with the goat people

Well you sound pleasant. Merry Christmas.

[Kinda_Kooky]

It was meant all in humor and hopefully taken so.

Merry Christmas to all!

[NoSuchPerson]

Didn’t really come across that way.

Not being able to see or hear you plus we don’t know you makes being funny tricky.

[Kinda_Kooky]

I state, for the Coth record, the “goat people” reference was not meant as an insult in any way whatsoever.

I am sheep people. We are horse people?

I do not know their names and it was an attempt at humor, which obviously missed the mark with the majority. The majority of my posts are meant to be taken as humor. (I thought for sure the movie clip would clearly be taken as humor.) No harm intended.

I mean no offense to anyone. Apologies for those whom have been offended. Perhaps forgiveness will prevail this holiday season.

I will go back to lurking, well wishes to all.

[Texarkana]

@beowulf

Oh no, that fence is not at all goat proof That is the TB’s paddock, which is just two strand electric fence.

We keep the goats in wood fencing wrapped with no-climb/rolled wire. We also run a strand of electric on top, this is to deter them from climbing. Goats are very adept climbers. You can make makeshift pens with round pen panels that have solid bottoms too; in the summer we rotate spots so they can graze down different segments of the farm without being loose.

In that photo above, select goats that have good recall were released to do some weed maintenance around the farm. That doe was much more interested in seeing if there was any leftover spilled grain. She didn’t get the memo that that is Holden’s job.

I will say that goats are frustrating, messy, clever, and loud… but they add a whole level of amusement factor to a farm so if you are considering one, go for it! They are very smart and personable, and are SO food motivated. It’s very easy to rehome them if they don’t work out, especially if you have a local 4H chapter nearby.

My biggest complaint with our goats is that they are AWFUL hay wasters. You think horses are bad, wait until you feed a goat.

Thank you for the thorough answer! That’s what I figured.

For the record, I am not a goat fan. The basis of their appeal is poison Ivy control.

Also goats would be a loooooong way down the road.

[beowulf]

In that case, maybe not for you! While I’ve heard people say goats love poison ivy, I can’t get them to eat the damn things at my house. They’re much more interested in eating other weeds. They make a dent in our thistle and burdock, and also clean up pokeweed and Queen Anne’s lace — these two plants always seem to grow with a vengeance around my fence line perimeter unless the goats are involved. Horses won’t touch them, so the goats are good for something… but I still don’t understand how they find thistle a delicacy but waste 90% of a beautiful Timothy flake.