# Goat Handling



## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

I am thinking of going as a Junior Handler to the Sydney Royal Easter show (6th biggest show in the world) with keren. 
I've never handled animals as shows before and I am wondering what is involved and if you have any tips and techiniques to impress the judges.
I am studying the anatomy of a goat *Instead of doing my assignment :roll: * 
Because i heard sometimes the judge will ask questions about the goat itself or anatomy etc

This is the pic I am going off.. Is it good enough?








Thanks.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

Hi,
thats a fine photo, but i got some advice from the june goat rancher that was helpful in boers.
These three does from Able acres ( well known u.s breeders) .
first two are good setting up, the front of the leg should line up with the shoulder blades. squarely. [attachment=1:2rpaeug7]180-Tammie.jpg[/attachment:2rpaeug7] , [attachment=2:2rpaeug7]180-RaggedyAnn.jpg[/attachment:2rpaeug7]

when streched out too far (3rd pic), it gives the goat an odd appearance as seen in the last photo. (hard to find bad pics on their site!)[attachment=0:2rpaeug7]ClassicAttraction-650_sm.jpg[/attachment:2rpaeug7]


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

Thanks Katrina/ THose are really helpful. None of the other descriptions make sense on the internet! 
Does that go just for Boer Goats? Or others as well. 
I might handle Angoras it depends on what I can enter and what keren has.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

it goes for every goat.. another thing is keep the lead up on the neck ( where jaw meets neck) 
it gives you more control

and practice helps.. but it may be difficult for your situation.. unless puff agrees for you to use her as a "goat double"


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

haha I doubt she will. 
She's too busy being annoying to be botherded being a goat, though i could try line up her legs and make her look like a goat :L


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

haha i should send you a cardboard goat..


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

Well after struggling With puff for half and hour i figured she does NOT want to be A goat.
I took some photos of her being an unco-operative pest 

She makes it look like I was strattling her but it was so loose.
I tied together some scrap material from a concert ages ago as a leash.. Then i tried to make a harness which she didnt life either
Oh well, guess goats and cats will never be the same :roll:


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

haha puff is so cute! 


i think cats and goats are the same in some ways


they do what they want, when they want.. and only want me for food~


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Is Puff the cat your rescued? She is so cute. 

Sounds like you have lots of good advice here. Just practice working your goats. Get them to stand that way when you stop them. The more you struggle getting them to stand perfect the more they will NOT. If you have to struggle with them for more then about a minutes, just leave them. The more mad you will get that they are not standing the more they will teach you they are the boss. Practice moving from one side to another. That way they will not move when you have to do it in the ring.


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

but she doesn't have any goats


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## badnewsboers (May 9, 2008)

Showing pretty much comes down to style and knowledge. Both come through time and knowledge. One thing that if often overlooked is to keep your goat's head tucked up high and back as far as you can. If the goat's neck is too far forward it looks awkward. I'll see if I have some pictures from my circuit to explain better. Also try to make your movements as smooth as possible. Jerky or rushed movements will draw attention away from the animal. When switching sides it is smoother and more professional looking to step with one leg, cross the other one behind it, step again with the lead leg and follow with with the other. Think grapevine like in line dancing.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

Yes Puff is my little rescue kitten 

Hopefully I will get in practise time with kerens goats before the handling part.. Though I could save it for next year i guess :shrug:


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I used to do that with my german shepherd Sarge, he wasn't to happy about it :ROFL: 

Pretty kitty


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Hey, Alyssa there will be plenty of time for practice before the show, dont worry! And hopefully I should have some really well trained, 'push button' goats for you to handle. 

That is a good diagram for all the parts!

Those photos show how to set up any goat correctly - applies for Boers, Dairy and Angora as well. Although with dairy you tend to set them up with the back legs stretched out a little more. 

With the boers, the way we handle them is a little different I think to the Americans. They have a chain round the neck and a lead, but when you stand them up you have the goat on your right side, you then put your right hand on the goat's left horn and your left hand under the chin. Keep the head up but not excessively high as they then dip in the back. To set up the feet you can push them around and let the weight do the job, or you can step on their toes, or even use your hands on the little ones. 

General showmanship tips:

- neat tidy clothes - moleskins or good dark blue jeans along with a button up shirt - for sydney long sleeved is better - white lab coat (I can give you that to wear, dont freak!) - and polished boots

- keep one eye on the judge at all times, otherwise you may miss his directions. I have seen a kid end up in second place because he missed the judge motioning him into first. 

- keep half an eye on the animal in front of you, particularly when you are parading around the ring, because if they stop suddenly and you arent looking you crash up its bum. Trust me, I've done it before. 

- keep half an eye on your animal, make sure at all times it is under control and being shown to its full potential

- keep enough space between your animal and the others to allow the judge to see him - half a goat length in front and behind if you are head to tail lined up, and a goat width between the animals on your left and right if you are side by side

- dont let yourself be blocked in by other goats - make sure nothing is between the judge and your goat - nothing meaning not you, not other people or other goats

- if you have a small goat, when standing still you can kneel next to it - this shows the animal off to its benefit. Only do this if you have full control of the goat, however

- SMILE - even if your animal is doing everything wrong and you are as pee'd off as you've ever been - SMILE and look like you are enjoying it

I have a ton more and I'm sure I will think of some for you later!

With the angoras, you hold them by the mohair under the chin, you dont have a chain on them and you dont handle them in the showring by their horns. 

I will hopefully have a couple of each (dairy, angora, boer) for sydney.


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