bonbean01
Herd Master
I totally agree!!!!! Would not let my grand babies do that either...just not worth the risk...and I'm not being rude either, just concerned for your darling daughter.
ram handling and body-language Qs
- Thread starter patandchickens
- Start date
Canadiannee
Chillin' with the herd
oh... big thick horns on that boy! No matter how wonderfully friendly this ram may be, I'm still not sure I'd trust him around such a young child... moreso that head-to-head close. It's awfully sweet to see a beautiful little girl sharing a special moment with an animal... but even the sweetest natured animal is controlled by instincts, and can be totally unpredictable.
Just last year we had my son's horse nip a 5 year old child giving him 3 stitches to his eyebrow... This horse is not mean by any means, the child's parent had food in his hand, the child walked around the horse like he was taught to do, but came in beside the horse's neck, and the horse swung it's head in warning like it would do to another horse who was coming into it's space... unfortunately, the wee lad's face was there. Would I have expected Summer to do this... nope, she came to us as a foal and was raised and trained by our then 12 year old son, and is use to children... do I know she's capable of doing this.... YES of course I do! She's a horse of course, of course, of course!
Nice looking ram though, and such a beautiful daughter!
Just last year we had my son's horse nip a 5 year old child giving him 3 stitches to his eyebrow... This horse is not mean by any means, the child's parent had food in his hand, the child walked around the horse like he was taught to do, but came in beside the horse's neck, and the horse swung it's head in warning like it would do to another horse who was coming into it's space... unfortunately, the wee lad's face was there. Would I have expected Summer to do this... nope, she came to us as a foal and was raised and trained by our then 12 year old son, and is use to children... do I know she's capable of doing this.... YES of course I do! She's a horse of course, of course, of course!
Nice looking ram though, and such a beautiful daughter!
perchie.girl
Loving the herd life
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I agree with everyone on this..... and I dont have sheep at all. I am hear to learn about them. 
I have had horses for 47 years. 
With any livestock it just takes a moment... a flick of a head... a sound from somewhere to cause alarm.... even the most gentle easy going animal has the potential for danger for a small child. Let them pet through a fence with supervision meaning you have a hand on the child. If you want to let them feed Have them drop the food in a bucket set down on the other side of the fence.
I don't even allow any one to hand feed my own horse. Not even carrots. Its too much of a liability. My mare is VERY food motivated she weighs 2000 lbs One foot stepped forward to lean in toward that treat can smoosh a human foot flat. She knows better but food makes her forget.
deb
I have had horses for 47 years. With any livestock it just takes a moment... a flick of a head... a sound from somewhere to cause alarm.... even the most gentle easy going animal has the potential for danger for a small child. Let them pet through a fence with supervision meaning you have a hand on the child. If you want to let them feed Have them drop the food in a bucket set down on the other side of the fence.
I don't even allow any one to hand feed my own horse. Not even carrots. Its too much of a liability. My mare is VERY food motivated she weighs 2000 lbs One foot stepped forward to lean in toward that treat can smoosh a human foot flat. She knows better but food makes her forget.
deb
Beekissed
Herd Master
I agree with the rest....makes me cringe to see that delicate little head so close to those hard horns. One flick of the head to get rid of a fly and that face is crushed, through no meanness of the ram at all. Teeth busted out, if you're lucky, skull or jaw fracture if you are not.
With children and animals it's a big responsibility to teach them wariness about situations without instilling irrational fears. A ram is sweet and moochy one day and can kill a person the next...the male animal is unpredictable and can not be counted upon to mind youngsters and their little bodies.
All us country folk know too many horror stories about bottle fed or hand fed rams, stallions, roosters, goats and especially cattle....makes our blood turn cold to see those two heads so close together. Put a strong fence between them and then let her feed and scratch him between the slats...she's much too precious to chance it.
With children and animals it's a big responsibility to teach them wariness about situations without instilling irrational fears. A ram is sweet and moochy one day and can kill a person the next...the male animal is unpredictable and can not be counted upon to mind youngsters and their little bodies.
All us country folk know too many horror stories about bottle fed or hand fed rams, stallions, roosters, goats and especially cattle....makes our blood turn cold to see those two heads so close together. Put a strong fence between them and then let her feed and scratch him between the slats...she's much too precious to chance it.
