Goat Collar/Lead/Harness

Emalin

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Hello,
What is the best way to lead a goat outside their usual space? I've seen several options--metal collars, leather collars, rope harnesses--and have no ideas of the pros and cons of each. This is not for showing. Just something practical that grown goats unused to being lead can acclimate to. Thanks.
 

Ridgetop

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We always used collars. Halters are not a very good choice on goats we found, while harnesses are too much work. I have seen large bucks where the handlers at shows used force collars, but I don't like force collars. I think force collars make the animal pull harder to get away from the pinching. If you train your goat to walk on the collar and leash you won't have any trouble. We used to bring our large dairy bucks up on simple collars and leashes to breed the dairy does since my younger boys liked to hand breed their does to make sure they were bred and have an exact date for kidding. Even the large bucks in rut were no trouble since they were trained to the collar and leash from kids.

We had a large 4-H dairy show herd when our kids were younger. They all wore collars for control when milking or for anything else. Since they all were shown as kids, they needed to learn to walk on a collar in the show ring. We just clipped dog leashes on their collars. At first we bought collars for them but as each kid grew we needed new sized collars. Since we had up to 100 goats towards the end, it became cheaper to make our own collars using lightweight S chain. The S chain could be opened up at any length to add inches. Although we all knew each goat by name, we also wanted a way to identify them when on milk test and in the show ring. The plastic collars and tags were too large and bulky for the show ring and the collar rings kept breaking.

I bought a metal stamping set of dies that you use with a hammer to pound the letters etc. into metal. Then we bought large washers. I stamped each goat's name, registered ADGA ear #, and birthdate, on the washer. The washers were put on the chains and so each goat had her personal ID on the collar. Since the children showed several goats in each class other 4-H members with other breeds would take the additional goats into the ring to show.

To transport them to the show ring, we would take a string of 10 goat all clipped to a long tie out chain. The tie out ringside chain had clips on each end. This ringside tie out would be clipped to the show ring holding pen fence. As each class was called in the children would switch each goat out for the one that needed to be in the ring. As the herd grew, other 4-H friends were always called on to show additional goats in the various classes. When the judge asked what the birthdate was on the kid or doe, the showing handler had the info on the washer.
If you have only a couple goats you might want to use other types of collars. You need to be careful that the collars won't catch on brush and tangle the goat if it is allowed to run in brushy country to forage. The nylon collars with the plastic clips are worthless, they break too easily. We liked the S chains because they were cheap, easy to make, enlarge, and repair, and if the goats got caught on something the S could actually pull apart in an emergency. Our dairy does were very docile, but occasionally a goat would come to the milk stand without its chain. I just stamped another washer and cut another length of chain. Sometimes the old chain or washer would turn up in the compost!
 

Show Sebright

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Hello,
What is the best way to lead a goat outside their usual space? I've seen several options--metal collars, leather collars, rope harnesses--and have no ideas of the pros and cons of each. This is not for showing. Just something practical that grown goats unused to being lead can acclimate to. Thanks.
I use a pressure point chain collar. Great for show too
 

Legamin

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Hello,
What is the best way to lead a goat outside their usual space? I've seen several options--metal collars, leather collars, rope harnesses--and have no ideas of the pros and cons of each. This is not for showing. Just something practical that grown goats unused to being lead can acclimate to. Thanks.
I spent some money on various slip on leads. The goats were not amused. It became necessary when they had to be taken where they did not wish to go but on the whole I found that once you isolate the goat you want and get them to the gate you dig in your pocket a offer a bit of grain. A taste…to inspire movement without thought. If the goat is thinking…you are losing. Once outside the gate you have a ready bucket with a couple inches of grain. You can let go of the goat and control the direction of the bucket to get him/her where you want them. They will follow you until the grain runs out…you don’t want that to happen…come prepared. In a pinch I’ve used popcorn..lightly salted of course but popcorn all the same. It was a mistake. It was so popular…smelled so good from so far away that leaping over the fence that they never knew they could leap over before became a thing….a thing I would have to deal with for their lifetime by adding higher strand of electric wire above their high jump point. They sussed out that if they jumped and missed they would either be electrocuted or gutted on the fence and they never tried. Smart beggars!
 

Legamin

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You can use Nylon dog collars and attach a leash to it
I would say from personal experience that if you have a stubborn goat they will quite literally choke themselves to unconsciousness with a buckled collar if they decide they do not want to leave where they are. Flock animals naturally resist leaving the flock alone. They understand that means danger. Unless they are already lead trained and used to this treatment…and they are willing to go….a dog collar would not be my first choice. Premier One has a slip on lead that goes over the back of the head and over the snout and under the chin with the chin strap tightening against resistance for under $6.00. North 40 has them for up to $12..same thing…just depends on how fast you need it. I would try one of these if the bucket of grain doesn’t just solve the problem every time.
 

Ridgetop

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Best thing is to train kids to walk on a lead. When they are babies they want to be with you and will follow you willingly.
 

Legamin

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Best thing is to train kids to walk on a lead. When they are babies they want to be with you and will follow you willingly.
Absolutely agreed. The first ram I purchased walked right up to the owner and let her put the lead on and proudly walked with her to my trailer…I thought I was set! I had dreams of showing this magnificent beast! But first time I walked up to him and tried to put the lead (the same lead) on him..he ran. Wanted NOTHING to do with that! When I finally got it on him he simply dropped to the ground and stared at me…360lbs of ram challenging me…DARING ME to do something about his decision to not cooperate.
I look forward to training each new generation but those original lambs all got the idea that this farm would be the one they didn’t have to cooperate at….and they are firm on their decision. The easiest thing for me is to shake a bucket of grain and walk fast to where I want them to go. It never fails! When my genetics are set and my breeding program yields the desired results I will have lambs that have grown up on the lead and don’t understand why grandma and grandpa are so weird!
 
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