Goat companion for blind pony- help!

[anon510129]

Hi all,

I’m writing on behalf of my mom and my blind pony we’ve had since she was 9 and could see (and jump!), pony is now 25. She went blind completely in both eyes probably about 10 years ago.

We just got a new horse to our farm this summer, for a total of 3 horses, and the blind pony seemed so much happier when the new horse arrived. We just sent the new horse to our trainers for the winter (we live in rainy WA with an outdoor ring), and pony seems now back to her moping.

Does anyone one have any experience with a goat companion? Would they be suitable for a blind pony? Mom is wondering everything from what age of goat is best, gender, etc. Any information is helpful.

Thank you in advance, and any questions are welcome!

[Wanderosa]

@4LeafCloverFarm

I got two goats to keep my older horse (and anybody on lay up or paddock) company. They were a hoot. Lived to be nearly 12 years old, which evidently is ancient for very large goats (they were nearly 150 pounds each).

I got nanny goats (girls). They were Brush Goats - not an official breed per say, but a mix of breeds, including Nubian (which I ascertained from their ears). I got mine as just weaned kids (about 3.5 months old). Acclimated them slowly to the horses. The goats loved the horses straight away… it took time for the horses to reciprocate. When they passed away 4 months apart, my senior horse got very depressed (they had been his sole companion for a few years). He loved his goats.

Goats I think make great companions. I would do it again in a heart beat. I’d get young ones, of a larger breed (not dwarfs or mini). Mine were naturally poled (no horns) as I didn’t want to have to worry about rescuing them from my non-climb horse fence if they got “stuck”.

They are easy to care for. My blacksmith trimmed their hooves when the horses got done. They got shots once as babies to prevent the syndrome that causes them to overeat and for something else I don’t recall now. They got wormed every two to three months with goat wormier. They ate the same hay as the horses. We did give them a small amount of goat ration at the horses meantime to keep them occupied (and out of my horses bucket! as his food was way tastier!).

They were such a joy and I still miss them both. Love you Thelma and Louise!

Awwww! Nubian ears! We had 3 that we bottle fed because they came from a dairy. One of them had a milk allergy (go figure) and we almost lost her a couple times in her first 3 weeks. She and I spent tons of time together because she needed coaxing to eat and extensive burping after every meal!

[Marla_100]

My saddlebred gelding ‘inherited’ a large female, young Nubian type goat when the mare she was bought for detested

her. my gelding took to her right away and treated her like she was his foal. He really bonded to her and she took

to him just fine. They even slept curled up together. For your blind pony you want a larger, quieter type goat.

PS, this same gelding was a “seeing eye horse” for an old blind Arabian mare who

came to our boarding barn. She taught him to always stay on certain side and place

whether they were grazing or walking around. And he was only 2 yrs. old and an

energetic guy but was very gentle with his old gal. So don’t discount another

equine for your pony.

[skrgirl]

Has the pony been around, and accepted goats previously? A lot of horses are scared of goats. If pony cant see the goat, she may panic when she smells and hears something totally out of her normal realm. You may be better off with a very docile mini.

[chestnutmarebeware]

Will your fence keep a goat in? That old saying, “If it won’t hold water, it won’t hold a goat” is still around for a reason!

Whatever critter you choose, consider putting a bell on the halter. It makes the blind horse more comfortable to know where their buddy is.

[Libby2563]

@Marla 100

My saddlebred gelding ‘inherited’ a large female, young Nubian type goat when the mare she was bought for detested her… They even slept curled up together.

Pictures or it didn’t happen!

[Marla_100]

@Libby2563

Pictures or it didn’t happen!

Oh, I’ve wished a thousand times that I had taken pictures. What was also comical was , at feeding time, I’d whistle

and call him to come up from the pasture, and he’d come about 100 ft., stop and turn, looking for his 'Heidi, and

wouldn’t proceed til she came flitting up the hill with him. She followed him everywhere right beside him or at his tail. She seemed like an ‘airhead goat’ but she was pretty

clever.

[SLW]

Goats can make very nice companions for equines. As someone mentioned the fencing must be secure because in order to survive in the wilds of Africa (Nubians) and in the Alps (all the other dairy breeds) goats climb up and jump over to run from predators. Cars, trucks, tack trunks and so on take the place of trees and mountain tops in the modern world.

They are browsers and cannot be out on lush pastures as a general rule of thumb when a companion animal.

A whether is a castrated male goat and a doe is a female. You want a goat that has been properly disbudded when they were young. If they have horns those horns will get stuck in fences and everything else and result in a horrible mess.

They get an annual shot each spring called Covexin and other than that they are good to go.

Do NOT get a Fainting Goat. The “faint” is a genetic flaw that has been marketed as “cute”. When stressed the goat falls over and is briefly immobile making it easy pickings for a wayward dog or other predator to kill. It’s a horrible way to die and horrible to come upon.

The coolest thing about goats is that they have individual personalities unlike sheep who will follow the one if front of them over the cliff. Not a goat, one may go over but the next one won’t! They are loving animals who ask for little but give a lot in return. Good luck!