# Goat Size and Appropriate Saddles



## oxnam (Apr 13, 2009)

I just purchased three wood Northwest Pack Saddle and gave a new home to three nice oberhaslis. They are smaller than my kikos and I didn't think much of it. The family that owned the goats debated back and forth about them being 2 or 3 years old and settled on thinking they were turning three this spring. When I got home and put them on a large floor scale, they only weigh 110-120 lbs and stand 29-30" at the shoulder. The saddles with the mountain straps can't even cinch down enough for rugged terrain. So I have a couple questions. Should I be concerned about their potiential for increased size? Seems like a pretty light load when I figure in the weight of the saddle and pannieres. Is there an easy modification I can do to make the cinches work for them? Compared to the aluminum Owyhee saddle, the Northwest seem to be much longer. Should the crossbuck cover the shoulder/wither in order to keep the girth strap where it should be? The longer saddles would have to go further forward than I am accustomed to.

Thanks for your help.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

The goats will continue to grow and fill out until they are nearly 5 but put on majaroty of their growth by age 3 and a half. The wood saddles should set just behind the shoulder blade and shouldn't be a problem fitting a 120lb goat. The front of the boards have plenty of curve to ride up over the shoulder if need be. The Owyhee saddle is only 1.5 inches shorter so not much of a difference. The strapping being too large for the goat can be handled two ways. Order a shorter girth from Northwest or take another wrap on the crossbucks with the rigging. This will pull the rings on the mountain straps up into the pocket on the pad making it much shorter. Hope that answered your questions.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Wait. I have some goats that took 4 years to fill out. Check their weight and how much muscle they have. If the spine sticks out at the moment, see that they gain weight and muscle and try the saddles later this year.


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## oxnam (Apr 13, 2009)

Rex said:


> take another wrap on the crossbucks with the rigging. This will pull the rings on the mountain straps up into the pocket on the pad making it much shorter.


I just back into town and that seems like a very simple solution. When I take off the pocket pad (a design that I love by the way), will it be pretty simple to see how to put an extra wrap? I'll try it tonight

I am glad to hear that they should keep filling out. I'll keep hiking them and feeding them well and wait for them to bulk up.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

You will be able to see how it will wrap. It will cause a twist in the side strapping that you'll have to unwind to get it back flat again. You'll see what I mean when you do it.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

I do not think you have to take off the pocket pad to make
the extra wrap. 
The extra wrap goes around the
cross buck. 
Or maybe I am misunderstanding.


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## oxnam (Apr 13, 2009)

Is there supposed to be a screw through the straps into the crossbuck?


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

you can secure the strap with a screw if you use this saddle only on one goats or several goats with similar girth width.

If not, it's easier to leave the screw because you can then adjust the strap easier.


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

My screw is loose... ;-)


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

They seem either to be of a smaller blood line or stunted due to management when they were young. Each year we weight the doelings we plan to sell in the spring to see if they are large enough to breed in Nov. / Dec. Which would put them at just about 7-9 months of age. 90 lbs. is our weight mark to allow them to breed. So seems that if those Obers are only 110 - 120 at even 2 years old, they are going to be rather small no mater how long you wait.


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## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

Bob Jones said:


> My screw is loose... ;-)


Yes we know! :lol:


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