# Goats with horses?



## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Goats are great companions, but you have to make sure you're set up for them.

Goat urine and feces won't wreck the pasture - but you need to make sure they STAY in the pasture. Goats are notorious escape artists, and they WILL get into the hay supply if they can and make a holy old mess of it - they'll tear it with their horns, spread it around, and pee and crap all over it. They enjoy running their horns down things that will give you a fit - like your new car. If you ever have to catch your horse with grain, forget it - NOTHING will convince them to stop mauling you.

I personally love goats, but when we had them at the farm, they wouldn't stay in the pasture and destroyed everything in sight. Goats will also wreck trees as they like eating bark - my grandpa owned a herd of goats to keep his stallion company, and although they stayed in the pasture, they made a mess of all the trees from going as high as they could eating all the bark.

You have to be careful because the smaller species of goat obviously inflict less damage, but are more vulnerable to horse kicks or bites if they get playing. And no, your horse shouldn't be lonely in his stall by himself, it's no different if you had a horse and they had their own stalls.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

Okay, thanks!! I will have to keep the "small goat being kicked" thing in mind. Because we were planning to get a Pgmy.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Goats are great companions, but you have to make sure you're set up for them.
> 
> Goat urine and feces won't wreck the pasture - but you need to make sure they STAY in the pasture. Goats are notorious escape artists, and they WILL get into the hay supply if they can and make a holy old mess of it - they'll tear it with their horns, spread it around, and pee and crap all over it. They enjoy running their horns down things that will give you a fit - like your new car. If you ever have to catch your horse with grain, forget it - NOTHING will convince them to stop mauling you.
> 
> ...


Fantastic reply. make sure that when you start exposing them to each other, that they get plenty of time next to each other, but in different paddocks. See how they work things out. Over the years, I added full sized horses to my herd of miniatures, but not all horses that were brought over(friend's, trainer's horses). always worked out with a smaller companion.
Most horses, if introduced properly, do fine with a much smaller companion, but you have to do it slowly and with giving them enough to time to acquaint.

Good luck


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## kmacdougall (Feb 12, 2010)

ALSO - goats have a habit of eating the tails of horses.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I used to have goats for my horses. They loved them, but after they gnawed the tail off my high-dollar reining cowhorse the morning of a big NRCHA show and chewed up my brand new expensive show halter.....Bye bye, Mr. Goat....
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

I shouldn't laugh, but I find it hilarious they eat tails! I can only imagine a horse standing there eating hay and a little goat behind it chewing on the tail. Funny thing to picture :lol:


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Goat urine and feces won't wreck the pasture - but you need to make sure they STAY in the pasture. Goats are notorious escape artists, and they WILL get into the hay supply if they can and make a holy old mess of it - they'll tear it with their horns, spread it around, and pee and crap all over it. They enjoy running their horns down things that will give you a fit - like your new car. If you ever have to catch your horse with grain, forget it - NOTHING will convince them to stop mauling you.


So true.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

So to prevent them from eating tails...should you ut a tail beg in them or something? Oh, and can Pygmies even reach the horses tail??


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## CharliGirl (Nov 16, 2009)

My bosses own a goat as well as their horses. I believe it is a Nubian goat, so she is a bit bigger (maybe 100-150 pounds). She is never turned out with the horses, as accidents can happen...keep in mind some goats (this one included) can be quite aggressive as well. She has access to her own pasture, but doesn't eat much of it. I've never had goats because of the fencing issue. It is amazing what they can squeeze through and climb out of.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

What kind of fencing do you suggest ?(that would be good for a horse and goat) And it has to still be a pretty fence too, ya know my dad Sorry, another question popped up here....Do some horses do fine alone?


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

^

Quite frankly, yes, they can do just fine alone. I would just strongly advise increasing the amount of time you spend with your horse. I've been in several situations where my horses have been kept alone and actually had LESS problems - they attach themselves to you as opposed to a herd, and you don't have to deal with the freak outs when trying to leave home some horses may be prone to.

As for fencing, good luck - the ONLY thing I know of that keeps goats in is electric barbed wire. Not so good for horses! You may be able to keep them in with several strands of electric wire, but a lot of goats (especially the bigger ones) can ignore a "softer" shock. You want a fencer that sounds like a firecracker when someone touches it. :lol: Avoid wood at all costs, they'll destroy it and never stay in.


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

^
In that case, I would much more want to just keep the horse alone! lol!


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## VanillaBean (Oct 19, 2008)

depends on the horse, my moms horse will kill and small animal she can get her hooves on! MY horse on the other hand would just rather be left alone than have any annoying goat near her! So, really i think its up to the horse!

VB


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

We have 2 boer goats that I have kept with my horses. They have never eaten my horses tails. A lot of people think that goats eat everything, but they actually are quite picky eaters. Goats are browsers, not grazers so they tend to do well with the horses on pasture as they eat more of the weeds down. And no they will not eat ALL your weeds. They will steal grain from the horses if they get the chance, so I would suggest having seperate feeding areas. Also you will want to have a good feeder, the goats will pee and poop in the hay. We made a homemade feeder with some scrap wood around the farm, i'll post a pic. 
We keep them in a pasture that has split rail with horse box wire on the front, and electric on the rest of the pasture. The electric is 4 wire, only the top 3 wires are actually hooked up. They have NEVER escaped. We occasionally let them loose in the yard, ours are easy to catch, just shake a grain scoop and they come running! 
I'd also suggest having 2 goats expecially if you will be taking the horse away riding/showing/etc. They don't like being alone and easily get stressed out. 
Our goats are not aggressive and they are quite careful with their horns if you let them rub on you. I would NOT get a buck, they can be aggressive when they are in rut and smell.


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