# Suggestions



## Coraxfeather (Oct 9, 2008)

Ok I just got Eiestein and I have to all the ground work, Believe it or not he picked up on walking
on a leash with in a couple of hours. Ok SO can anyone give me any tips of suggestion to start his training to pull a cart. I have the book that someone sent me to start off with but I will take any advice.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Okay, I have read that many books about the process and in the end it was very very simple the way I taught my boys to pull. 

1) Teach them to walk on a lead

2) Put the harness on them, walk round a couple times to make sure he wont buck it off

3) Attach the cart and start walking. 

At step (3), I've never found too much of a problem, but I needed to tailor it to each animal. For example, Charlie wanted to RUN! And I needed a friend to sit in the cart, to slow it down, till he got the idea and was sensible. And Chaplin on the other hand, I started off with my friend in the cart, and Chappy couldnt do it, he just layed down! I had to start off with it light for him and then build up weight. 

But seriously, I can train a goat in a few hours. 1/2 hr to teach to lead. 1/2 hr with the harness on. 1/2 hr pulling the cart. 

Now driving is a bit different. A lot of books say you should ground drive them before you drive them in the cart but that has never worked for me. My boys love me too much and they keep turning round to look at me (Hey mum, why ya back there?). So I teach them while they are in the cart, hooked to the shafts they cant turn round lol 

I start by leading them as normal, with the voice commands, and then just gradually and quietly drop back further and further behind them until I'm walking at the back of the cart. I tend to drive my boys using voice commands but I do also have reins. 

Only after a number of days successful 'driving' with me walking behind the cart do I then hop in the cart and drive away. 

As for the voice commands, you can use what suits you and I use:

walk on (go)
whoa (stop)
steady (slow down) 
move up (go faster)
gee (left)
haw (right)
stand (stand still while I'm hitching or unhitching, or if I leave the cart briefly)
leave (if they want to eat/look at something)
get up (to jump in the ute)

Good luck!


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## Jenna (Jan 7, 2009)

Thats great info keren!! Thanks for sharing! I always wanted a standard sized wether to teach to pull a cart but I was afraid because of their size it would hurt my nigie bucks?? What do you think?? :shrug:


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## Coraxfeather (Oct 9, 2008)

Eiestein was haven problem being in general Pop with us and we put him in the yearlings. He is doing great in there and there is no problem. Yes we have a Nigi in there. Do you know you can train a nigi to pull also?? I found harness for them.


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## Jenna (Jan 7, 2009)

I heard you can train nigies too, That would be cute a team of nigerians!!


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

from what I understand a few people here have both standards and minis. I think it would be an individual goat thing - some may be fine, some may be horrible to the smaller goats. I know I have a saanen (huge) in with my angoras (little) and she is absolutely perfect - never beats anyone up. My british alpine was the same. But the togg is nasty to the smaller goats, and so is the younger saanen.


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## Jenna (Jan 7, 2009)

Thanks!!


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