# My wether wont stand still! Help!



## farmgirl631

Ok so I have worked so hard through the year to get my wether trained, at first I used treats and he would stand great when setup if I kept giving him treats, well I am not allowed to use treats in the ring so I stopped using them and now when I walk him he acts like he has a breathing problem even though I barely pull on the show chain! Then when I set him up he will stand there for 30 seconds and then move his back end then when I move it back he won't setup again! Ugh it frustrates me so much! Fair is in August and I need him to stand still! Any suggestion?


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## Kaneel

Well with wethers you have to drive or "brace" them. How has he been with doing that? If you haven't been doing that I would suggest trying it, and if he fights hold his head in a vice grip and barely lift his front legs off the ground while bracing. This will help with control because he can't move his head or front legs, in addition, it will show off his muscles more!

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about:


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## sweetgoats

I don't like the brace at all. That goats of Kaneel's front legs are off the ground, if our kids are seen doing that they are told to leave the ring right then. The goat should have all 4 on the floorat all times.
I think a goat should be able to be at its best without the brace. To me Bracing is for sheep not goats.


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## Kaneel

I meant she should only do that if he struggles with learning to brace  It makes the goat lean against you so it is easier for them to understand what to do. I understand that they have to make the goats brace in the ring though, not off the ground but they still have to drive into the leg.


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## farmgirl631

sweetgoats said:


> I don't like the brace at all. That goats of Kaneel's front legs are off the ground, if our kids are seen doing that they are told to leave the ring right then. The goat should have all 4 on the floorat all times.
> I think a goat should be able to be at its best without the brace. To me Bracing is for sheep not goats.


That how mine is I am not allowed to brace at all! I understand that it gives you morse control but I am not allowed to so I am really struggling on what to do!


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## Kaneel

Like, at all? You show them like breeder goats and just let them stand there? :?

Have you tried a pinch collar? It will take him a bit to get used to it and learn that he can't pull on it if he doesn't want to feel it. Until he gets used to it he will likely struggle more because he doesn't like the feel. Eventually you will have to transfer him over to the regular collar(some shows look down upon, or don't allow pinch collars, especially showmanship classes), but it will be a lot easier when he knows not to pull.

Here's regular bracing:








Are you allowed to do this?


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## HoosierShadow

I deleted my message because I didn't think it would help after reading the last 2 comments again lol

So you are not allowed to brace them at all? even if they are not pushing hard against you? 

We've never really had one not set up well, usually they just don't want to walk for my kids.
I'm not sure what to recommend other than work with him every day, and maybe reward him a little when he's done? 
Keep tight control on the head so he isn't wiggling around. 
In the past when I helped the kids, I'd hold the head while my kids set up the body so they could keep fixing the legs until the goat would just stand still. Then once they were doing good, they would do it all on their own. 

Wish I had some better advice


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## TrinityRanch

On the topic of driving, I strongly believe in driving with _all feet on the ground_. It isn't fair that you cant drive at your fair! Well, it is 'fair'... but UNfair...... Driving is not inhumane to your animal if done right, and I think it really presents a wether for its purpose.

If he stands for 30 seconds, that really is a feat. Keep his head held high, but don't choke him. If he does start to cough, a knowledgeable judge will understand and not mark you down. Continue to set him up and consider "chining" him or holding his jaw.

Have you gone to a different location for practice? That always helps the goat a bunch and they seem to behave better.

Standing still matters little in a market class. In your showmanship division, it is all about how you react to your animal and work with it. But, I have to add that if your animal is going wild in the show ring, you can and will be noted for that. Just this week, a member of my club placed behind me in second position because her wether wasn't tame.

I do know that you have been working hard with him, and you can keep trying! I'm sure others have some tips as well.


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## farmgirl631

Thanks all! I will look into driving, and will try to get my leader to help me out with this!


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## goatgirl132

sweetgoats said:


> That goats of Kaneel's front legs are off the ground, if our kids are seen doing that they are told to leave the ring right then. The goat should have all 4 on the floorat all times.
> I think a goat should be able to be at its best without the brace.


I believe that should be the rule for everywhere. Lifting them looks sloppy. If you can't teach your goat to brace out side of the ring then don't step in the ring.


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## sweetgoats

I do believe lifting them off the ground is to show the muscle on the hind end, but they should be able to see that with a brace or a good stand. 

I have see goats almost passout because they were holding thhem or BRACING them so hard that they could not breath. I am not at all saying that everyone does that but those that do some just look horrible because they are trying so hard to hid it they look bad.

They had a girl that was lifting her goat off the ground and showing his in the judges words not mine "FATE MUSCLE". He said he was going to put her in first but when he say she was lifting the whole front end off the ground about 4 inches he told her to put the goat on the ground and her wether was not at all as nice as those that were standing on all 4. She was then placed in the middle of the pack. Her goat was one that when she let him down, he fell becuase she was choking him when she had him off the ground. She was not all all doing it on purpose, she was trying to show his the best she could. That is when the rule went in, all 4 on the floor and if they are up they are out.
Same girl the following year help her wether up off the ground and kicked dirt near his feet so you could not see they were off, but little did she not know is the judge saw that and so did a lot of us watching the show, she was asked to leave right then.


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## Kaneel

Well that's understandable! Poor thing, a couple kids in my FFA last year did that...they had like a bear hug on the poor goats neck  I never did it in the ring, but when my goat didn't want to brace at home, or when I was teaching her I would lift her up at first to lean against me then put her down. I'm glad that girl was caught the second year...trying to trick a watchful judge is just going to end in failure lol.


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## goatgirl132

Kaneel said:


> Well that's understandable! Poor thing, a couple kids in my FFA last year did that...they had like a bear hug on the poor goats neck  I never did it in the ring, but when my goat didn't want to brace at home, or when I was teaching her I would lift her up at first to lean against me then put her down. I'm glad that girl was caught the second year...trying to trick a watchful judge is just going to end in failure lol.


I teach them like that too. But I would never do it in the ring. And I only lift them about 2 inches up for less than a minute.
And I'm extremely careful not to choke them.


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## HoosierShadow

My kids were at a show on Monday, and the judge told my son if he had his wether driving harder he would have placed him better <he finished 4th in a big class>.
My son's wether is the type that will jump up, but he doesn't drive very hard. I keep trying to get my kids to work harder with them to keep all 4 feet on the ground but drive harder. 
Now that the show season is pretty much over for them, the wethers are doing better lol 
They have at least 1 show left, maybe a couple more after that, but we'll see.


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