Discussion on Is a goat a good horse companion?

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New Member:

dsmith6



I am moving my 18 y/o thoroughbred from my parent's house to our new 2 stall barn on our property. Now that I have the room and field, I would like to get a companion for my horse. He has been alone for a long time and seems to be bored. I do not want another horse. Are goats a good companion for a horse? What breed of goat would be best? Can anyone offer any advice on a companion goat for a horse?

thanks!

Member:

nadia



I have a friend who raises fainting goats for pets and they used to share the pasture with their horses (old QH mare and a pony) without any problems. They got a 3rd horse (4 yo gelding appaloosa) and he killed some of them after a few months. It depends on your horse if he will get along with them. I don't know if they saw subtle signs he didn't like them, but had missed them or what, but I wouldn't assume that they are ok after only a few days together.



I have a 21 yo quarter horse who is arthritic and generally slow and calm - not much fazes him. When we got a mule and 2 minature horses at our barn - he definitely gave me indications that he did not like them - he was wide eyed and snorting and starting to pace. I had him on a lead rope and I led him away. They don't come into contact with each other now, but I don't think wouldn ever trust him. (I know they aren't goats, but similar in size).



A neighor across the street has 1 horse (QH) and 1 goat (not fainting - not sure what kind). They get along just fine.

Member:

leslie1



Some horses do like goats and they make great friends and some horses kill them. I wouldnt get a fainting goat LOL (thats just begging to get stomped) Maybe if you keep them in separate stalls and when turned out together have an escape route area for the goat to go.

Ive heard some horses will even bond with barn cats.

Member:

nadia



Find out all you can about the type of goat you will get. I was told that most goats are always trying to get out of their fencing. Fainting goats do not try to do this. I am not proposing you get fainting goats, but you don't want another problem on your hands. If I got a goat, I'd probably want more than 1, so if you take your horse out for some reason, he'll have another buddy. What about a 2nd retired horse that just needs to be a pasture buddy?

Member:

rtrotter



I am not sure about nowadays, but a few years ago racehorse trainers used goats as companions for their nervous fillies and mares and for horses that did not like to eat. The horse and the goat bonded with each other and it seemed to calm them down. The goats even went to the track with the horse when they raced.



I think it is all in the way they are introduced. Once they bond the goat will follow that horse around like its his/her mother. I would recommend getting a young one (not too young)for bonding purposes. I would also recommend a female and/or make sure it is dehorned. Most of the goats I've been around are Nubian goats, long floppy ears and gentle personalities. I've also been around pot bellied miniature goats ( I think these may be a bit too small) and the one I dealt with seemed to be very nervous.



Rachelle

Member:

rtrotter



Leslie,



I am not sure where you are located, but If you do decide on a retired pasture companion, I have one available. I can even contribute to his feed bill every month. He is 11 years old and I got him because I felt sorry for him, he has a stifle problem that prevents him from racing and or riding and driving but he gets around just fine at the walk and gets along well with other horses. Let me know if you are interested.



His name is Mr. Incredible ( Mr. I for short)

Rachelle

Member:

canter



I've witnessed 2 things with goats:



~Locally, there used to be a home that kept a goat with a single horse...almost every time I DrOve by, the goat was on the outside of the fence, close to wandering in to a busy road...little bugger escaped all the time.



~My retired TB got along great with his goat companion in his new home, but the goat ate what WAS a beautiful luxurious tail. Not sure what all else the goat ate, but I noticed that the owners didn't keep it for very long.



I seem to remember someone posting here on HA about a horse killing its goat companion, but can't remember the specifics.



Would love to get a goat myself. They are so cute and charming, but somehow think my husband would put his foot down against that idea...

Member:

leslie1



Typo.

But thanks



Member:

vickiann



I second what Rachelle said about getting the goat de-horned. Too often on surrounding properties I have seen goats with their horns stuck in the field wire fencing, which makes them very vulnerable to predators.



My brother used to have some kind of African pygmy goats that were attractive but hard to keep contained and they LOVED climbing on automobiles, which was not an endearing trait.



Is your property situated so that your horse would possibly be able to see a neighbors horse on a nearby property? That works well for a friend of mine who only has one of her own.

Member:

kshayden



I went through this process too with my foal looking for something he could play with and hang out with after weaning. I looked at a calf, a goat, sheep, another baby horse, young donkey or burro and decided on an alpaca. So far, they are working out great. I got a pair of males - $ 500 and they eat very little, poop in one spot, eat hay with the horses, easy on fences and are fun to have around etc. Just my 2 cents . Kathy

Member:

patricia



Have you considered a burro or donkey (same thing) as a companion for your horse? When I moved two years ago and finally had the facilities to keep my horse at home with me I wrestled with the companion issue. I didn't necessarily want another horse because I wasn't sure I could find the time to give it the exercise it would need, so I looked into getting a burro. It's a decision I will never regret. I was lucky to get a 16 year old BLM burro that had been captured at the ripe old age of 12, gelded by his first owner who was happy to let him become my companion animal as she had too many equines! He is sweet, smart and the most adorable animal on the planet. He is protective, allows my horse to believe he is the boss, does not suffer separation anxiety so riding my horse away from home is no problem. He can be haltered and led (like a Mac truck, I admit) and will stand for the farrier. Beyond that, he is pretty much untrained, but sweet (and opinionated). Most important, he and my gelding get along very well.

Member:

jojo15



I have a herd of dairy goats. THey're lovely. and never escape. i feed them just like i would the horses. And that is probably why mine never escape or would yours if you got one.



Here are a few things i would recommend if you want your goat tame, lovable, behaved.



buy a bottle fed baby. you can either wean yourself or get him already weaned. Get a full size breed such a Nubians or Saanens, or Lamanchas ( i have nubians). Don't get a smaller sized goat. fainters are considered in the smaller to medium range. but it needs to be under a year old. disbudded and wethered. and then over time you can introduce to your horse. as the goat gets larger he can hold his own. with a horse that likes him. Not all horses do. It took mine awhile. but even now and then they need to be separated.



Keep your new yearling goat in its own pen for the first 6 months to a year. letting it acclimate. But getting an already full sized older goat and putting it in with your horse? i don't recommend only because one of them needs to learn to lean on the other. easiest is to get the goat thinking horse is lead momma after you.



wether the goat. Don't get a female or intact male. wethered goats are just like geldings. even temperament.



disbudding should have already been done from a reputable breeder. yes its very important to find one disbudded.



Goat can eat the exact same thing as horse. Much like a slightly worked gelding. Though wethers can't really get too high of protein. they can get urinary calculi easily. so no alfalfa after that first year.



goats are herd animals. I would recommend two goats rather than just one.



I think they make perfect companions. but like others i have "heard" of the horror stories. I've also witnessed my horse acting stupid and if the goat wasn't respectful and mindful of the horse would have been trampled.



Just like all introductions and diff breed comminglings do your best to be diligent. and watch and make sure both like the other.



Buy from a reputable breeder. And ask about CL and CAE diseases and if they test for that.



female goats can cost minimum $135 to 4,5,600 to purchase. wethers are never anymore than $75 average to buy. dairy farmers never want the males. So you'd be saving one from the freezer or auction block.



Never consider a buck. much like a stallion. just stinkier.



all the bad things you've heard of goats. Myths. i probably can disprove all of them.



Anymore questions? just shout. I think they make lovely pets/companions. they are just wonderful additions to a farm.

Member:

stek



We tried a goat as a companion when we had just one horse. The horse had zero interest in the goat. The goat had been raised as a pet, then abandoned (was about 9 months old when we got her) and had as little interest in the horse. She was constantly breaking out of/climbing over fencing and would come up to the house and bang on the windows with her hooves wanting to be let in, and running laps around the house screaming. She would also charge and butt our very mild-mannered golden retriever, who was too polite to defend herself. Needless to say this only lasted about a week. She is now living with a friend in a herd of goats and doing just fine.



I would recommend if at all possible getting one on a trial basis before you commit yourself!

New Member:

dsmith6



Thank you so much for all your advice. My husband and I are now thinking that maybe a donkey would be best (thanks Patricia). I'm afraid the way our fence is set-up the goat might always escape and we work 1 hour away and can't easily get home to check on things. I don't want another horse because I don't want to take anything away from my horse so he becomes jealous/hurt and I don't have the time to exercise another horse. I just want a companion that is happy munching grass and hanging out with Tucker. We are now trying to find a donkey, I live in Maine. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to get one? Maybe adopt one? thanks so much!

Member:

sdms



Hi Danielle!



One of our HA members, Ann W, works with a mule and donkey rescue. Their website is www.saveyourassrescue.com. She might be able to help you out with adopting a donkey.



~Sara

Member:

patricia



I'm so glad you're considering a burro! You may wish to check with the Bureau of Land Management to see if they are having a Wild Horse and Burro auction in your area. I found mine by "googling" burros for sale (or donkeys for sale). You'd be amazed how many people have them. If you will give me your e-mail address, I'll send you some photos of Chalupa and "his" horse.

Patricia

New Member:

dsmith6



Finally my horse is at his new home! I have contacted Ann at Save Your Ass Rescue in regards to adopting a donkey (thank you Sara!). I have also inquired about buying a donkey at one farm in northern maine. The lady mentioned that horses are afraid of donkeys- which I don't believe is the case- since so many people have recommended a donkey over a goat. I've googled donkeys for sale (Thank you Patricia!) for Maine and New Hampshire and not getting a lot of hits. Can anyone recommend other places to look for a donkey? I would love to get one for Christmas

Member:

hpyhaulr



Danielle,



Email me and I can give you the contact info for a couple of good donkey breeders we have hauled for whose stock we could highly recommend. Temperament and personality is so important, well, I guess in any critter you are considering. We have had no problem with our donkey getting along with our horses. He did have issues with the llama we got for his companion. Bubba (the donkey) shared a pen for a while with Bert, our llama. When llamas get annoyed with someone, they spit. Great Gobs of Grain littered slime. I got tired of cleaning Bubba's face. Moved Bubba to Mac's pen (QH gelding)and they are the best of buds. Bert now lives in another county with a girlfriend and a herd of buds swimming in his gene pool. Saves me a lot of towels.

Member:

sdms



Congratulations Danielle! Glad to hear your horse made it home finally. I could see a horse potentially being afraid of a donkey...or a goat. I have one horse that is a big chicken and was terrified the first time he saw a goat. I know he's seen donkey's but I can't remember his reaction the first time. Apparently that reaction was less memorable!



Another place you might check is www.petfinder.com. You have to select Horse as the animal then click on [see all] and it will give you a list that includes Donkey/Mule.



Good luck finding the perfect companion and we expect pictures!

Member:

mrose



One other good place is the Bureau of Land Management. I don't know if they operate in the NE, but here in the west they often have donkeys. Although it takes a little work to get the wild donkeys to accept people, they seem to fit right in with horse - at least they did for us.

New Member:

dsmith6



I tried the Bureau of Land Management, but it seems that it is only applies to "out west". I would like to get a donkey in the Northeast just so they are acclimated to our weather and cold temperatures. Thank you for all the help and advice. Would the best thing to do is separate pastures to get both animals introduced to each other? The reason I ask is we have snow now and the ground is freezing- if we need to put more fence posts in, I'm not sure if we can do that at this point and I don't really like round pen panels any suggestions???

Member:

dsmith6



Also, I contacted a girl local who had a very cute donkey for sale, but she said it had founder so upsetting because the donkey was adorable and young. Is founder typical for donkeys? Any other typical health problems that are common for donkeys that I should know about?

Member:

erika



Dream Horse has lots of donkeys for sale.

https://www.dreamhorse.com/show_list.php3

Member:

kaarina



just 2 cents - the barn my mare winters at has a couple of goats that have been there for years and the owner of the barn has come to loathe them... they bully the foals horribly, some of the horses HATE them (like mine, who charges them), and they have to be watched with young children...she is always muttering about having them "offed". that said, I have heard some people just adore them and suspect the breed of goat has a lot to do with it.



my neighbor had a donkey for years to guard his sheep from wolves. apparently they are very protective and sweet and intelligent, though this individual had to be moved as he was getting too, er, familiar with the sheep.}

Member:

leslie1



the neighbor or the donkey??? LOL Just kiddin'



L645

Member:

kpaint



we bought a meat goat several years ago at a 4-H auction and brought it home to add to the Green Acres population here. the horses didn't mind the goat at all. he walked on top of the walls of the pens (at the time we had some pens with a 4 1/2 ft tall 4" wide wall) and would hop down into the stalls and out. the horses didn't mind. However, we left for a horse show in St. Louis one long weekend and the "darling" goat ate the entire tail off--hair only--of one my "matched" haflingers...and most of his forelock. Why the horse stood and allowed the goat to do this is beyond me. The goat was removed and given a new home...it took two years for that tail to fully grow out. Thankfully the haflingers grow manes and tails thick and fast...

I vote for a donkey or burro as a companion.

Member:

hpyhaulr



Oh Vicki, I just laughed til I cried. I recently re-homed my haflinger Goldie. I LOVED that girl. She is soooo beautiful and a gentle giant of a ride. I invested a lot of time and air explaining to her from Day 1 that there was room for only one B**** in this operation and since I already had the job, get in line or move on DOWN the line. I looked at this every which way to Sunday and cannot imagine her standing still while some goat or anything else ate her tail and forelock, unless of course, the goat managed to factor anesthesia in the equation. Oh Lord, that was a very cleansing belly laugh. THANK YOU....

Member:

sodmonst



What a discussion; this is great! My horse once adopted a piglet! She just "showed up" one day, and he protected her from the dogs. He'd share his feed with her, but was very dominant with other horses. We re-homed the piglet, as she didn't fit with our program, but it was a cute sight.



My friend has two Abyssinian jennies. They eat almost nothing, and defer to the horses at all times. They are very sweet, but a little shy. They were companions for her horse before mine moved in. Now they are a cute part of the little herd.

Member:

kpaint



cyndy glad you got a good laugh! It took me about six months before I could see the humor in the situation--my beautiful matched tandem hitch wasn't matched anymore! Daryl the goat was lucky he was rehomed and not planted that day. Last count I had about the munching goat was that he had been rehomed THREE times because he ate tractor wires, a motorcycle seat, flowers, etc. He was a lovely goat, had been handled a lot because he was a 4-H project, was very tame, even came when he was called--sometimes..., but he had a bad habit of eating stuff other than his feed. I have a feeling he wound up as taco meat...

Member:

jjrichar



OH Vicki, I feel your pain about the goat eating his tail. Glad you can laugh about it now. I would absolutely be sick if that happened to one of my horses. LOL I have heard of other horses, especially weanlings eating tails too, and of course, it's always the horse that has the beautiful long tail that has taken years to grow. My show mare used to have a tail that drug the ground. I noticed one day she had been rubbing it in her stall so I checked it and looked for a ticks, etc and found nothing there... I treated with some MTG just in case and kept checking it everyday. She quit rubbing it but over the next few weeks, her tail just kept getting thinner and thinner until it had pretty much all fallen out and was just above her hocks in length. I still to this day have no idea what caused it, but my best guess is it may have had something to do with some Equi-spot I had treated my horses with a few weeks before. Fortunately, she is retired from showing, and is finally growing her tail back, but looking at that little whisk broom she had was so sad. LOL



Anyhow, sorry to get off on that tangent.... Danielle, as far as a companion for your horse.... The donkey sounds like a great idea. Keep in mind though, I know they can be a lot easier to maintain than a horse, but they still have to be vaccinated, trimmed by a farrier (although I don't think as much as a horse), dewormed, and all the other routine care a horse needs. I totally understand you not wanting another horse to care for, but I don't think you need to worry so much about your horse becoming hurt or jealous of another horse. Although horses may compete for attention (or a good scratch) and act as though they are 'jealous' I don't think they think about it the same as us humans. Also I wouldn't think it will matter if the other animal is horse, donkey, goat, etc. - the reaction will probably be the same as your horse still will have a companion that also gets some of your attention now and then.



Now back to the donkey... Since he is just going to be a companion, the one that foundered might still work. Of course, this assumes the founder was a mild case, he is not serverely lame, and won't need extra upkeep, etc. However, I would not pay much, if any for it, as you will probably be doing the current owners a favor by taking it off their hands.



All that being said, I firmly agree with looking to a donkey/burro/horse rescue to find a companion for your horse. There are so many out there that need good homes.



Congrats on moving your horse 'home'. Good luck in finding him a buddy!

Member:

jjrichar



OH almost forgot... if you want to know more about founder, read Dr. O's article here:



https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/4/5322.html



Cyndy, You are too funny! I am at the front of the line too! hehe

Member:

dsmith6



Thank you all for the good laughs and wonderful feedback! We have recently had a few breakthroughs. Just a re-cap, in December, the vet discovered Tucker had an ulcer. After a month of treatment with ulcerguard and a month w/out treatment, we rescoped him, which revealed more dispersed ulcers. Tucker has also DrOpped some weight, as a result of the ulcers the vet thinks- my horse has never ever DrOpped weight. Our vet said that the ulcerguard is 99% affective, the only cases he has not seen this work is LONELY OLDER horses. The Vet said, get Tucker a buddy. That's all we needed to hear- as I am a full believer everything happens for a reason. Yesterday we went and looked at a donkey up for sale. He's adorable. 13 years old, gray w/ black spots. The woman started choking up talking about having to sell him, but with 2 work horses, 4 minis, cows, 3 other donkeys, goats, etc, they just can't afford all their animals. He seems very sweet. I think we are going to buy him and pick him up next weekend. The plan is to put up round pen panels and make a run-in into the barn, as Tucker has his 3 sided stall in the field. (he has this b/c he has bad arthiritis and sometimes has a hard time getting up in a stall- so this makes it easier for him) Sorry for such a long strain- but we are pretty excited- never had another animal before, just Tucker. The only concern I have is the owner has not given the donkey shots for 2 years and never had teeth floated. He has had his feet trimmed and is good for farrier, her kids used to show him and the others at the fairs. The donkey has been wormed on a regular basis, however, being with all the other animals, it makes me nervous that he is not up to date on his shots. So I'm going to contact my vet and farrier this week for the new arrival. I'm thinking he needs to be checked out before we bring him home- what do you all think?

New Member:

absmom



Donkeys actually make very good companions, and they are also very protective and loyal. I think it's a great idea, definitely get the shots, keep him quarantined if possible for at least a couple of weeks, and then introduce them. Some horses are afraid of smaller animals and might freak out. Especially if they make a different sound than their own. My mom's horse was terrified of smaller animals (her own baby!) for the longest time, but then we put a goat with a very bold personality in the pasture with her and it didn't take long for her to adopt him. Good luck with your new adventure, can't wait to hear how it all works out.

Member:

heidim



Hi Danielle. We owned a donkey for years, and he was a wonderful companion to all our horses. The quarantining is a good idea--just know lots of donkey receive poor care, so you are lucky to get one that's been at least wormed and is good for the farrier. Here are a few other things to know about them: (1) Their hooves grow quickly and, because donkeys are lighter weight and rarely ridden and have tougher hooves in general, either plan for closer farrier visits OR rasp his feet yourself a bit between visits OR take him for regular walks down gravel roads. (2) Donkeys can be playful with horses. Ours "sparred" a lot with almost every member of our herd, but it was all just in fun. If Tucker doesn't like it, he will likely let the donkey know. However, Tucker may join in the fun and that could be good for his arthritis by keeping his joints moving. (3) A tiny minority of horses are terrified of donkeys and/or mules. Most are not, but you might want to keep this in mind in case Tucker is one of the exceptions. (4) Donkeys are terrific buglers. They can be VERY loud when lonely or hungry, so I hope you have faraway or good-natured neighbors. We found it endearing ourselves. (5) Donkeys are terrific weed whackers! Like goats, they are foragers rather than grazers, although they do fine on grass and hay. (6) Yes, donkeys can founder but ours did fine on pasture all summer. I found donkey founder to be mild at best when he did have it--unlike some ponies I know. (7) Donkeys live to be 30-40 years old. Yep, you could have this little guy around for a long time. (8) This is sad, but donkeys are prone to abuse. If you ever need to find another home for your donkey in the future, make sure you check it out carefully. People are ignorant about donkeys' needs, and some want teach them "a lesson" when they act "stubborn." One donkey association recommends putting down a donkey rather than rehoming, as this is a safer bet than putting it at risk. (9) Donkeys love a good dust bath, even more so than horses. (10) A well treated donkey is a joy. They are characters and love attention. Most are distinctively marked with a cross over their withers. Legend has it that they earned the marking because a donkey carried Jesus into Jerusalem just before his crucifixion. Just sharing all this makes me miss my old friend. I hope you enjoy yours as much as we did ours.