# Halter breaking for hoof trimming



## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

So one of my goats hopped up on our new milk stand and got the hang of it immediately. However, though he likes it, the other goat does not, and nor do I.

Honestly, I need to halter break mine to rope halters with the lead attached and just have someone hold them still while hoof trimming.

I would usually lift them on a lap, but Mr. Eddie had a growth spurt and all 94 pounds of me cannot lift all of him, haha!

So anyway, is it even practical to use a halter as a trimming restraint? What I mean is that, obviously they aren't left on all the time, so every time I would want to trim I would have to put the halter on, but if he knows that halter means trimming won't be evade me just the same?

Honestly this goat is irking me to my core!! He doesn't know what's good for him and I feel awful.

I guess maybe a handful of treats to lure him, toss the halter on, have someone hold him/against a wall, and trim as swiftly as I possibly can.

Mr. Freddie, on the other hand, practically leaps into my lap or onto the stand to get his pedicures.

Eddie also has a big 'ol pot belly, BIG rumen, I can barely get my arms around him for a good enough grip even if he doesn't actually weigh that much. I should probably try in the morning, before he has eaten all his hay.

Even during his sleepy time of day I cannot get the back hooves. Front hooves sure, if he's laying down in the sun.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can use the halter with a lead and cinch up the lead close to the post or whatever you tie it to. I don't have time to mess with things. I get my goats up on the milk stand with a small amount of food and then just get it done. Even the worst goats eventually learn that I will get done what I need to get done.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> You can use the halter with a lead and cinch up the lead close to the post or whatever you tie it to. I don't have time to mess with things. I get my goats up on the milk stand with a small amount of food and then just get it done. Even the worst goats eventually learn that I will get done what I need to get done.


Honestly I know I could train him the the milk stand it's not him it's me. I just don't think I can control him as well as I could on the ground. He would be a kicker and flipper.


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

A milking stand is almost always the easiest way to control a stubborn goat. I would put mine in the headgate and let them fight it out with the stand. I would be watching to make sure that they didn't fall off, but it's like snubbing a stubborn horse. They can expend their energy on fighting something else while you stanf by and watch. It makes it much easier all around! Pretty soon, they'll figure out they're not going anywhere while their head is locked in. My ornery goats did all sorts of acrobatics on the stand, but they settled down once they realized it wasn't impressed! Lol Also, when they kick on the stand while you're trimming them, try not to fight them. It's like butting heads with your goat, they're not going to stop. Keep hold of their hooves with as little grip as possible and you'll be ladies at how fast they stop kicking. As the farrier I took a course from said, nobody likes to swing a dead arm. It sounds almost too simple, but it worked with all of mine, even the worst tempered would quit kicking, but I forgot to do that and held on tight, they would immediately start fighting again.


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

I have a few that will do that I'm going try the not holding so tight.Great input!


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Honestly I know I could train him the the milk stand it's not him it's me. I just don't think I can control him as well as I could on the ground. He would be a kicker and flipper.


To do his back feet on the stand.... sit behind him. Pull a leg beside you. If he tries kick scoot toward the head gate more so he has no room for that nonsense. The front feet should be much easier and you should be able do those while standin beside it.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

We have this exact same problem. But our wethers are huge most over 150 lbs and huge horns...can't fit them in a stand. And they are tall. And not trained for any hoof touching. The girls we can flip on their backs and sit on them. Wethers are a different story.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I personally prefer trimming hooves on the ground using a halter for restraint, especially with bigger goats. My boys (both 200+ lbs. each) fit on my stanchion, but I find that having them up so high puts their large, powerful feet uncomfortably close to my face, which in turn makes me very nervous about the facial proximity of my very sharp hoof trimming tools. I tie them with a halter and trim on the ground where their hooves never go higher than my knees. 

For training your goats to accept halters, use treats. Put the halter on every day for a while and offer a treat as soon as it's fastened. Your goats will protest at first and you may have to wrestle the halters in place for the first week or two, but pretty soon they'll figure out that standing still earns them a reward sooner. Once they're good at haltering you don't have to do it very often, but still try to put it on 2-3 times between hoof trimmings (like when you walk or brush them) so they don't associate haltering only with hoof trimming. 

When I tie a goat for hoof trimming, I tie him short to a post in a fence so he can't move around much. He should have enough slack to stand with his head at a comfortable height, but not enough to move more than a step forward or back. I agree with not holding the foot too tightly, but some clarification--don't let go! Hold the hoof at a comfortable height for him, and if he's standing nicely your grip should be firm but not pincher-like. However, if he starts to struggle, hold on for dear life. If he manages to pull his foot away he'll quickly learn a bad habit. Sometimes I'll put down the trimmers and hold on with both hands until the goat stops struggling, at which point I relax his leg back down to a comfortable height and reward him. I often keep treats in my pocket to reward the goat when he cooperates.

One reason hoof trimming can be a pain is that we don't have to do it often, so the goat doesn't learn good behavior very well. Make a point of tying your goat up and handling his feet at least once a week, patting and rewarding each time he holds a foot up nicely for you. Often we make the most training progress when we aren't faced with the stress of having to get a job done. If your goat is accustomed to letting you handle his feet regularly without being trimmed, then he'll be that much better when the time comes, and you also won't be stressed by the worry that he won't behave. Good luck!


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

21goaties said:


> We have this exact same problem. But our wethers are huge most over 150 lbs and huge horns...can't fit them in a stand. And they are tall. And not trained for any hoof touching. The girls we can flip on their backs and sit on them. Wethers are a different story.


So what do you do?


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Damfino said:


> I personally prefer trimming hooves on the ground using a halter for restraint, especially with bigger goats. My boys (both 200+ lbs. each) fit on my stanchion, but I find that having them up so high puts their large, powerful feet uncomfortably close to my face, which in turn makes me very nervous about the facial proximity of my very sharp hoof trimming tools. I tie them with a halter and trim on the ground where their hooves never go higher than my knees.
> 
> For training your goats to accept halters, use treats. Put the halter on every day for a while and offer a treat as soon as it's fastened. Your goats will protest at first and you may have to wrestle the halters in place for the first week or two, but pretty soon they'll figure out that standing still earns them a reward sooner. Once they're good at haltering you don't have to do it very often, but still try to put it on 2-3 times between hoof trimmings (like when you walk or brush them) so they don't associate haltering only with hoof trimming.
> 
> ...


Thank you! This is very helpful!

Will do.

They currently LOVE pumpkin seeds so that will make an easy training treat.

Instead of tying them, which I just don't trust and think they will get traumatized or run themselves into a circle, I will have someone hold firmly the rope and the goat's body. They are still small Nigis that we can hold in place once a small bit of restraint (like the halter) gives a good grip.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> So what do you do?


Currently we just hold their horns and try to pick up their feet. But it doesn't work very well (some more than others) and most of their hooves badly need trimming. I will try @Damfino 's advice


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Seems like a lot of trouble to halter break them if you're only ever going to put halters on for hoof trimming!

Do yours wear collars? I have a milking stand that I trim on sometimes, but it's too big to hold the younger ones, too small for the bucks, and sometimes just too far away for me to want to drag a protesting goat. What I do is buy a bucket strap from the feed store- basically just a foot-long lead with a loop on one end and a snap on the other end. I put a carribeaner on the end with the loop, so it essentially has a snap on both ends. Snap one end to the goat's collar, one end to the fence, pin the goat against the fence and have at those hooves!
They also make leads for tying horses in trailers. Essentially the same as the above setup, except it has a heavy snap on each end. I like to use these for my bucks since they're sturdier, but they are heavier and the snaps are harder to undo.









Here's my boy Artax begrudgingly modeling the horse trailer tie version during a most despised bath


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

21goaties said:


> Currently we just hold their horns and try to pick up their feet. But it doesn't work very well (some more than others) and most of their hooves badly need trimming. I will try @Damfino 's advice


I don't recommend holding by the horns. It makes most goats protest automatically! A goat's horns are his weapons and compromising them can come across as a threatening gesture, almost as if someone walked up to you and grabbed your holstered sidearm. With a halter you can control the head (and consequently the horns) without directly disrespecting the horns. Not to mention that grabbing the horns can be very unsafe! A halter tied to a post keeps everyone out of reach of the horns if the goat decides to put on a rodeo. Even a small goat is capable of stabbing someone or smacking their teeth out if he's allowed to swing his head. This is why I prefer halters over collars for controlling horned goats. A collared goat can still turn and whack or stab someone no matter how short he's tied (ask me how I know!).


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I prefer to have them on the goat stand. We have Boer goats, and my back isn't any younger. IMO especially with a small herd and pets, I would work with them daily. Lead train them so they have 'manners' and can be moved as needed. Train them to stand on the stand, rub their legs, and let them relax. Pick up a foot, rub the leg, talk to them - baby talk them, soothing voice, no irritation. The more you mess with them, and their feet the easier it may be for you to trim their feet. We have 14 goats currently, and smallest is 6mo/100lbs. Last thing I have to worry about is getting their feet trimmed because of their behavior. We start them when they are young.
I learned this many years ago when I worked on a thoroughbred horse farm - working with babies and teaching them to stand while we picked feet (which transferred over to standing for the blacksmith). We didn't do it every day, but we were complimented on having the best behaved foals on the farm that year. 
The only problem I have now is lousy hoof trimmers and very hard feet, especially the bucks. 
In fact I need to trim feet, planned to do it this afternoon but my daughter has something after school so it'll have to wait until tomorrow afternoon.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> They currently LOVE pumpkin seeds so that will make an easy training treat.
> 
> Instead of tying them, which I just don't trust and think they will get traumatized or run themselves into a circle, I will have someone hold firmly the rope and the goat's body. They are still small Nigis that we can hold in place once a small bit of restraint (like the halter) gives a good grip.


Yes, use those pumpkin seeds to your advantage!

BUT, do not be afraid of traumatizing your goats by tying them. I actually prefer to tie goats to a post rather than have someone hold them. Having someone hold the goat may actually make him feel crowded so he's more likely to act up and/or try to escape. He's also more likely to be successful at escaping, which will quickly lead to bad behavior. Tie to a post in a fence so the goat can't run in a circle (I don't recommend using a free-standing post for exactly this reason). Your goats can learn to stand tied by a collar before they learn to tie by the halter. Learning to stand tied is a separate skill from halter breaking, and it's very easy to clip their collar to the fence for a little while each day while they eat, while you brush them, while you do chores nearby, etc.

A skittish goat may panic and pull back the first couple of times he's tied, but goats are very smart and quickly learn that the post is not moving so he should stand patiently. If a goat starts pulling back hard and struggling, go behind him and push him forward so he learns how to release the pressure.

Standing patiently while tied is an excellent skill for any goat to have. There may come a time when you have no choice but to tie your goats (fence blows down, goat is injured, goats get away from home, emergency evacuation etc.). In these situations it's good to know that your animals are perfectly comfortable about being tied.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Damfino said:


> Yes, use those pumpkin seeds to your advantage!
> 
> BUT, do not be afraid of traumatizing your goats by tying them. I actually prefer to tie goats to a post rather than have someone hold them. Having someone hold the goat may actually make him feel crowded so he's more likely to act up and/or try to escape. He's also more likely to be successful at escaping, which will quickly lead to bad behavior. Tie to a post in a fence so the goat can't run in a circle (I don't recommend using a free-standing post for exactly this reason). Your goats can learn to stand tied by a collar before they learn to tie by the halter. Learning to stand tied is a separate skill from halter breaking, and it's very easy to clip their collar to the fence for a little while each day while they eat, while you brush them, while you do chores nearby, etc.
> 
> ...


Well haltering is the first step and I'll see how it goes from there.

My fence is not sturdy enough to tie to.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

It is always good to train a goat to various things to immobilize them. Tying by collar, milk stands if available and feasible, halters, etc. One never knows if something were to happen and the goat would need to be tied up, etc. for emergencies, natural disasters, you get disabled and someone else has to deal with that animal etc. Sometimes a little inconvience on the goats part may save it's or your life!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Well haltering is the first step and I'll see how it goes from there.
> 
> My fence is not sturdy enough to tie to.


You can always bolt a hitching ring to the side of your barn or house, or tie to the side of a trailer.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Damfino said:


> You can always bolt a hitching ring to the side of your barn or house, or tie to the side of a trailer.


Well the haltering is the first part, then walking, then I'll see about tying or holding.

How soon after haltering can I trim? He really needs to get his feet done but I don't want to do it the first time or else he won't let me do it again.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Well the haltering is the first part, then walking, then I'll see about tying or holding.
> 
> How soon after haltering can I trim? He really needs to get his feet done but I don't want to do it the first time or else he won't let me do it again.


BTW I can easily get him to lift front legs. Doesn't bother him.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Calistar said:


> Seems like a lot of trouble to halter break them if you're only ever going to put halters on for hoof trimming!
> 
> Do yours wear collars? I have a milking stand that I trim on sometimes, but it's too big to hold the younger ones, too small for the bucks, and sometimes just too far away for me to want to drag a protesting goat. What I do is buy a bucket strap from the feed store- basically just a foot-long lead with a loop on one end and a snap on the other end. I put a carribeaner on the end with the loop, so it essentially has a snap on both ends. Snap one end to the goat's collar, one end to the fence, pin the goat against the fence and have at those hooves!
> They also make leads for tying horses in trailers. Essentially the same as the above setup, except it has a heavy snap on each end. I like to use these for my bucks since they're sturdier, but they are heavier and the snaps are harder to undo.
> ...


They don't wear collars, no.

I put a collar on Eddie yesterday. After I took it off he frantically scratched his neck like I was trying to strangle him. "Get it off! Get it off! Get if off!" haha poor thing, he hates anything around him. Freddie just sort of stands there and turns his head in a circle like "whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and keeps rolling his neck trying to get a view of what's on him. Then of course, Eddie goes up to him and starts biting the collar and trying to tear it off, "It's okay, bro, I'll get it off ya, don't you worry!! Evil neck thingy!"


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

They get used to collars pretty quickly. Put them on while they eat. After they get used to it, try leading a little. Just nonchalantly remove it when you are done with the session. After awhile, they won't bother to react.


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## elvis&oliver (Jun 28, 2018)

@Damfino has excellent advice. It takes repetition along with consistency and teaching them they might be your baby but you're still boss mama. Oliver is the same with his back feet but I have never let go. And he's a pretty big boy! I use a strong verbal command when he's doing it and as soon as he relaxes and stops I use a positive voice and get to work. They are tied when I trim and have room to move but I keep them between the wall and my legs. If they walk around I move them right back to the spot between the wall and my legs. Mine have never thought of their collars as trimming time even though they are tied during the process. Being teeny like you are is probably hard to body block them and they are your babies! I know you got this though and will get to work on those back feet ASAP!


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

elvis&oliver said:


> @Damfino has excellent advice. It takes repetition along with consistency and teaching them they might be your baby but you're still boss mama. Oliver is the same with his back feet but I have never let go. And he's a pretty big boy! I use a strong verbal command when he's doing it and as soon as he relaxes and stops I use a positive voice and get to work. They are tied when I trim and have room to move but I keep them between the wall and my legs. If they walk around I move them right back to the spot between the wall and my legs. Mine have never thought of their collars as trimming time even though they are tied during the process. Being teeny like you are is probably hard to body block them and they are your babies! I know you got this though and will get to work on those back feet ASAP!


Halter is on order.

When it gets here I will start. As for the collars, I don't like them. I do not like restraint around the neck.


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## elvis&oliver (Jun 28, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Halter is on order.
> 
> When it gets here I will start. As for the collars, I don't like them. I do not like restraint around the neck.


I have halters as well but mine are used to collars also. When they have collars on they aren't restrained at all. They are only tied during hoof trimming


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

elvis&oliver said:


> I have halters as well but mine are used to collars also. When they have collars on they aren't restrained at all. They are only tied during hoof trimming


I like the halter I got is a rope halter so if they pull away more it will tighten around the face. And it's adjustable, one size fits all.


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## elvis&oliver (Jun 28, 2018)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> I like the halter I got is a rope halter so if they pull away more it will tighten around the face. And it's adjustable, one size fits all.


Wow that's awesome I bet that will work good!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Halter is on order.
> 
> When it gets here I will start. As for the collars, I don't like them. I do not like restraint around the neck.


Don't be afraid of collars. Your goats should be used to being restrained by the neck because it helps them not to panic if they ever get caught in something like a loose piece of baling twine. It also helps them be calm about other forms of restraint like halters, stanchions, or even bare hands. I like the collars with quick release plastic clips that make them easy to get on and off quickly. I personally leave collars on my goats all the time to make them easy to catch, but I totally understand why people never leave collars on without supervision. Before you ever halter, get your goats some collars and leave them on when you are home so they can get used to them without risk of getting hung up. Start out tying them by the collars before you try halters. Most goats are more resentful of having their head restrained than their neck because restraining the head is more restrictive. But if you start by tying with a collar they will accept the halter as a more natural next step. I start teaching my baby goats to lead and tie by the collar before they are weaned, but I don't introduce halters until they are at least six months old and sometimes a year.



> I like the halter I got is a rope halter so if they pull away more it will tighten around the face. And it's adjustable, one size fits all.


I hate to be a downer, but please do not ever tie a goat by this kind of halter. They are good for leading, but the tightening action when tied to something static like a post makes the goat panic and struggle even harder to get away from it. They are far more likely to do something stupid like flip themselves over, and a strong goat can end up pulling so hard he injures his face.

My favorite halters are these: https://www.soprisunlimited.com/halters 
They are much pricier than the rope options, but they fit very well and actually get looser on the nose when the goat pulls back, putting pressure only on the back of the head. Pressure on the nose is what makes a goat pull back harder in an attempt to get away from it. The tiny rings just below the noseband are what make these halters work well.

I was thinking about it this afternoon and realized that I've been giving advice from the point of view of someone who works with horses and very large, powerful goats. Trimming little guys like yours is probably best on a stanchion. When my big boys go on the stanchion, their hooves are almost up to my hip when I pick them up. Since I have to bend down to see the hooves properly, it puts my face darn close to those feet and my tools. But little goats like yours are going to be hard to trim on the ground because their feet will be closer to your ankles than your knees. Getting your goats up higher will put them at a more comfortable height for you, meaning you can hold the feet at a more comfortable height for them too. Getting your goats used to collars, halters, and stanchions is easy when you use positive reinforcement combined with a confident, no-nonsense attitude. Don't be afraid to restrain your goats. It will help them tremendously in the long run and actually teaches them to be calm and trust you.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Damfino said:


> Don't be afraid of collars. Your goats should be used to being restrained by the neck because it helps them not to panic if they ever get caught in something like a loose piece of baling twine. It also helps them be calm about other forms of restraint like halters, stanchions, or even bare hands. I like the collars with quick release plastic clips that make them easy to get on and off quickly. I personally leave collars on my goats all the time to make them easy to catch, but I totally understand why people never leave collars on without supervision. Before you ever halter, get your goats some collars and leave them on when you are home so they can get used to them without risk of getting hung up. Start out tying them by the collars before you try halters. Most goats are more resentful of having their head restrained than their neck because restraining the head is more restrictive. But if you start by tying with a collar they will accept the halter as a more natural next step. I start teaching my baby goats to lead and tie by the collar before they are weaned, but I don't introduce halters until they are at least six months old and sometimes a year.
> 
> I hate to be a downer, but please do not ever tie a goat by this kind of halter. They are good for leading, but the tightening action when tied to something static like a post makes the goat panic and struggle even harder to get away from it. They are far more likely to do something stupid like flip themselves over, and a strong goat can end up pulling so hard he injures his face.
> 
> ...


Like I said, I don't plan on tying anyway.

Since you have so many tips on halter training, what about collar training adults...?


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

May 18, 2018 Training Questions
May 19, 2018 Hoof Trimming Questions
May 19, 2018 Update on hoof trimming questions
July 10, 2018 Harness/ leash training goats
November 6, 2018 Hoof trimming troubles!!!!!!!!
November 27, 2018 Hoof trimming success!!!!!!!!
June 3, 2019 Hoof trimming
June 7, 2019 Milk stand and hoof trimming
July 10, 2019 What do you guys think of this milk stand

These threads are from posts asked and answered prior to this one. There is an abundance of information, advice and shared personal experiences that have addressed many of these concerns that could still be applied to the current situation.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Like I said, I don't plan on tying anyway.
> 
> Since you have so many tips on halter training, what about collar training adults...?


I think you _should_ plan to tie your goats or put them on a stanchion rather than have someone else hold them. I think you'll have a better outcome.

Collar training adults is no different from training babies. Leave the collars on all the time you're home and can supervise. If you're doing chores outside, tie your goats up with short leads like the ones Calistar suggested earlier. You can leave them for a half hour at a time and just keep an eye on them. You can even occupy them with some hay. They will very quickly learn that the collar won't "give" when they pull against it. The next step is leading them from one place to another. If they drag behind, put pressure on the lead until they step forward, then release the pressure immediately and reward with verbal praise and a food treat. If they drag ahead, tug on the collar until they come back to you, then reward. Use verbal commands like "walk" and "whoa". Your goats will not be scared of collars and leads if you use them consistently. I feel like you (not your goats) are the one with a fear of restraint and this is an area where you'll need to retrain yourself so you can be a confident, effective leader. Best of luck!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:nod::up:


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## elvis&oliver (Jun 28, 2018)

All good advice


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## Idahogoats (Sep 5, 2016)

ksalvagno said:


> You can use the halter with a lead and cinch up the lead close to the post or whatever you tie it to. I don't have time to mess with things. I get my goats up on the milk stand with a small amount of food and then just get it done. Even the worst goats eventually learn that I will get done what I need to get done.


I have s halter and could not figure out how to get it on his head. So my husband held their horns and pulled their head down into the head holder thing, which is too short, and I got two done but it is exhausting.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Practice putting the S halter on a stuffed animal first. Or even your dog. Much easier to figure out when the pressure isn't on.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> Practice putting the S halter on a stuffed animal first. Or even your dog. Much easier to figure out when the pressure isn't on.


I tried putting it on the dog  he was very confused.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Because the dog isn't a goat.  :haha:


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

toth boer goats said:


> Because the dog isn't a goat.  :haha:


For sure. He was a good boy nonetheless. Until he thought it looked like a chew toy rope.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:haha:


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

I don't even know what number this one is out of all the threads I've created but here we go:

Today was a success. The "Hubby Method" (which I am definitely trademarking now) worked well after many failed attempts the past 2 months.

In short, Hubby method meant having a strong guy (but in reality, all that was needed was a third strong person, male or female ) scoop up the goat while I briefly distracted him with some scratches.

He then put him on person #3's lap and held him there like a sandwich between two people -- sort of a human livestock chute -- but the goat's legs hung down because person #3 sat on a bench.

Eddie got the best hoof trim of his life and we actually managed to trim him up on all 4 hooves with minimal kicking.

Hopefully this is the only time I have to use this method--as for the next month I now have time (without feeling the sense of rush or urgency) to train him to being tied.

Anyway, I'm also super happy with how my management methods are working -- it had been well over 12 weeks since his last trim, I don't have a full trim noted since 6 months ago, but then again I suck at keeping track. Anyway, with them being mostly on their cement patio, and different climbing objects, they looked about how normal goat's hooves look when they need trimmings, which is usually every 2 months. Thank goodness for cement and slow-growing hooves for this worried goat mama. I feel bad I let him go that long, truly terrible, but I'm glad my boy's hooves still look fantastic and I know that it will never happen again.


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Side note:

I'm pretty sure I have pieces of goat hoof and dried mud that flung into my hair from trimming. :heehee:

Even I think I smell like goat, and I look like it too (covered in hair) :bonk:

But it's all worth it.

Excuse me while I go shower!! mg:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:haha:


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## Idahogoats (Sep 5, 2016)

I use rubber bicycle handles that I stick on their horns so they are not pointed and dangerous. I am going to get the short lead. My 3 wethers are big and strong and they kick. It is hard trimming their hooves. I am looking for a trim table that I can walk them into, and swing it sideways and trim those hooves!


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