# Clipping stand problems



## CottonwoodBoerGoats (Jun 7, 2020)

Hello! 
I just brought Gala home about thee weeks ago. I’ve been working with her and giving her loves etc. she’s really taken a liking to me. So today I decided to put her on the clipping stand to work her leg hair. We have an AWFUL clipping stand. My dad used for his sheep When he was a kid. It’s old and rusty, the welding has been fixed with zip ties. The head piece is also horrible and I zip tied a dog collar to it so that it could “work”. But Every time i began touching her legs, she would step off of the stand and just sit there perfectly fine with being in that position. Twice she broke the zip ties. I know the obvious is that I need a new stand but I’m not prepared to pay $300 for one right now. How can I teach her how to stay up there? Anything would help. Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The stand needs to be boxed in on at least 2 walls so she can't get down on those sides. Then you are a block on the other side.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Does the stand have a food bucket option? You could try and distract her with treats to get her to stand for you.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

CottonwoodBoerGoats said:


> Hello!
> I just brought Gala home about thee weeks ago. I've been working with her and giving her loves etc. she's really taken a liking to me. So today I decided to put her on the clipping stand to work her leg hair. We have an AWFUL clipping stand. My dad used for his sheep When he was a kid. It's old and rusty, the welding has been fixed with zip ties. The head piece is also horrible and I zip tied a dog collar to it so that it could "work". But Every time i began touching her legs, she would step off of the stand and just sit there perfectly fine with being in that position. Twice she broke the zip ties. I know the obvious is that I need a new stand but I'm not prepared to pay $300 for one right now. How can I teach her how to stay up there? Anything would help. Thanks!


You can google milk stand plans. Try your local sawmill for wood as it is usually cheaper than a big box store. Most times sawmill lumber has not been treated. So if it will be outside it will need be treated. If you are at all handy with tools they are not very difficult to make yourself.

My stand does not have sides or a back on it but it is against a wall on the side and back. When i do hooves i turn it so that one side is still against a wall but so that i can get behind them. That way i can push the unruly ones against the wall while trimming.

The food as a distraction is good too. Ours usually only get alfalfa pellet in the buckets. When we trim hooves they get grain and alfalfa pellet mixed so it becomes a treat to them. I usually do hooves in the morning and that will be their mornin feed instead of in the barn and their feed bins.


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## CottonwoodBoerGoats (Jun 7, 2020)

Sfgwife said:


> You can google milk stand plans. Try your local sawmill for wood as it is usually cheaper than a big box store. Most times sawmill lumber has not been treated. So if it will be outside it will need be treated. If you are at all handy with tools they are not very difficult to make yourself.
> 
> My stand does not have sides or a back on it but it is against a wall on the side and back. When i do hooves i turn it so that one side is still against a wall but so that i can get behind them. That way i can push the unruly ones against the wall while trimming.
> 
> The food as a distraction is good too. Ours usually only get alfalfa pellet in the buckets. When we trim hooves they get grain and alfalfa pellet mixed so it becomes a treat to them. I usually do hooves in the morning and that will be their mornin feed instead of in the barn and their feed bins.


I would build one but I only have Boers and I show them etc. I use the stand to teach them to brace and hold their head up as well as for working hair. It also needs to be easily portable to take to shows. I've tried to teach my BC dog to keep them on the stand but he just grabs a brush to chew and runs off (he's terrified of my goats LoL) I was just wondering if there was a pressure release way to teach her. I'll get a new stand some day


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

For some reason, goat don't like their legs messed with . Must be the prey thing. (mountain lion or wolf grabs their legs to eat them?) Anyway, start by just always handling her legs, petting, touching, etc. Pick feet up and put down, just get her conditioned that you aren't going to eat her when you pick up her feet to trim or to clip her legs.

Then pet her on the ground while you run the clippers. I think they tickle, as mine all get stupid when I try and do their legs for shows, etc. (I have some I've worked with and they stand much better, but with the amount I have, just getting them ready for a show is a monumental task).

Watch the auction sites and I understand Facebook has a sales area too, you may find a nice portable stand pretty reasonable. Lots of people have kids that aged out of 4-H or FFA and they sell off all the show stuff.


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