# Keeping horses with goats



## WindSnapper

We are thinking about buying a farm in the near future and starting a small meat goat hobby farm. The farm we had in mind is 10 acres, about 20% wooded. Has anyone had much luck keeping horses with goats? We have 2 horses, possibly 3 in the near future.
Could they share some of the same main pasture space, but have seperate areas to grain them? Any tips on keeping them together? Or would anyone strongly advice against it? and why
Thanks in advance for any advice!


----------



## waterbuggies

I had 3 goats in with my 2 drafts they were together 24/7 with no problems except at feeding time. The goats wasn't scared of anything, they would get under/behind/between the horses legs where ever they thought they could get in the feed buckets. The horses were very good about trying to look out where they stepped but my big guy stepped on one of them(just caught the toe she was fine) The goats would get on top of the hay roll then jump on the horses backs and jump off, the goats thought the horses were there to be a jungle gym. Lucy(one of the goats) was the first to ever ride Junior my 5 year old draft. 
I did give the goat away because I didn't have a way to feed everybody seperate.
The goats will keep the woods clean of the weeds, they will eat the weeds before the grass.


----------



## RoosterDo

As long as they have a separate place to eat and no goats with horns around horses they should be fine.


----------



## dee

Goats are often used as companions for solitary horses, or horses that are nervous. They get along quite well. We have often run horses and goats in the same pasture (goats are cleaning it up). We feed our goats in our goat pen and the horses in the pasture. When they all hear us getting the feed ready (or see us heading for the feed room) the goats head for the gate to their pen and the horses head for their feeding area. Most of our goats are horned, but we haven't had any issues.


----------



## nirvana

I dont have any experience with goats, but a few weeks ago I did look into them as companions. I read they can be quite mischevious, and try to escape alot. I also read about a couple of horses wh have actually killed the goat. Most will get along with them I think, depends on the horses personality really.


----------



## dee

We have (well, the daughter has) a Kiko billy who doesn't realize he's a goat. He refuses to stay in the pen with his two girlfriends. He climbs the fence and stays on our front porch or in the yard. I hope he doesn't go out in the road. When we walk down in the pasture, he follows right along, stopping to nibble here and there. If we get out of sight, he starts bleating and carrying on like he was a child! He's quite a character. The does follow us because he's following us - but they're not nearly as friendly. They weren't socialized to people the way he was. I'm not even sure we'll get any babies out of him because he is so disinterested in the does!

Actually, the does follow us down to the pasture, then hang around more with the horses than with us. At least until feeding time!


----------



## mom2pride

I've always kept horses, goats, and sheep in the same pastures together. At night they are separated into their own stalls, but out in the field, everyone has coexisted very well together.


----------



## jimmy

goats are very good for keeping land clean i,ve kept them with horses no problem


----------



## BaliDoll

My family has kept horses with goats, llamas, and alpacas... they all get along fine.


----------



## lacyloo

I tried the goats in with one of my mares and she kicked one of them and almost broke his leg.Didn't work for me but I'm sure it has for others.


----------



## Pidge

my horse has allways been with goats and my friend keeps hers with goats too...only issue is feeding... if your horse is usually calm but has the potential to be a hot head then make sure you pen up the goats when feeding...

When I fed one day I didnt lock up the goats because they were on the other side of the pasture....when they realized the horses were eating they came running an got in the buckets... I grabbed a whip to shoo them off but my horse beat me to it... he grabbed one goat by the shoulders and litteraly tossed him six foot up in the air...

Other then this one incident they have always lived perfect together! Just keep up seperate at dinner time! lol


----------



## sillybunny11486

goats are great with horses. we have sheep and llamas as well. just becareful some goats really like to eat tails! and they are good at escaping.


----------



## BaliDoll

I think it depends on the horses, too. Our stallion is in a pen with alpacas and has never hurt them... not many stallions you could do that with!  He's amazing!


----------



## janxaee

I have 9 pygmy goats and 1 fainting....They have been with my mini, QH, and pony and everyone did fine. You do have to separate when feeding...I would suggest maybe putting them in a separate pasture or stall while feeding to make life easy...I'm lucky now that I only have my 1 mini at home who is a blimp and doesn't need grain. They eat the same hay. They are excellent weed eaters--but be careful of poisonous plants AND flowers or trees....they eat EVERYTHING!! We have a high fence to keep deer in on our deer farm, and I always have to check the fencing to make sure none of my goats are stuyck in it (I do not de-horn). Also, goats can be tricky to keep in a not-so-secure pasture....I have wooden post and rail fencing with hog pannel all the way around plus electric wire around the bottom to keep them from pushing underneath....haven't lost any so far!! Good luck...goats are TONS of fun!! I have 3 new mothers ready to give birth any day now! Love this time of the year!!

Edited to add: Becareful...maybekeep a tail bag on any horse's tails you don't want eaten! My mini looks like a toddler took a pair of scissors to his! Ick!


----------



## jen

I also have 2 goats with my ponies, and agree that you MUST separate them at feeding time. Our mare wll grab the goat by her scruff and throw her in the air if she tries to take her food. The other goat is a tail chewer, cropped all tails to stumps over 2 days, so he is not running free with the ponies now. Pity, because they run together as one happy herd. Our female goat prefers the ponies to her goat friend, and would like to be with them all the time.


----------



## Tyler

I keep my six nubians with my horse 24/7/365. I must warn you that the goats may eat the horse's tail, so you'll have to counteract that (one way, I've heard, is by putting Tabasco sauce on the horse's tail...). :roll: Also, the goats and horses will most likely become inseparable.


----------



## whiskeynoo

we had a billy goat that we thought would make a good companion for our mini, he was really rough and kept head butting her so they had to get separated. i dunno if a nanny would of been a better choice


----------

