# Halter or collar



## worthog (May 23, 2013)

Im new to pack goats and am trying to figure out if I should use a halter or collar. The people I bought them from said get a small alpaca halter to teach with. All the pictures I see on here people have collars. What is the best way to teach them to tie up and lead. My two goats are about 3 months old. Thank you in advance


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## Mt Nebo Goats (May 18, 2012)

With my young goats I used a halter to teach them to lead. I had more control over their head if they tried to resist following. I think if you use either one, making it fun for them is the key. They both will work. The halters that Rex sales are great quality and a great deal!!


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## rifleman (May 28, 2013)

I use halters when they're small. If you want to train them to follow a larger goat, you can tether the halter on the small one to a collar on the big one. That will give the big one the leverage he needs to "lead" the small one. That said, my goal is to not have them on leads at all when we're hiking, but I do want them to know what to do if I put them on a lead. I use a collar for high-lining them in camp as it's a little more comfortable. You also want to be careful leaving a collar on a small (less than 100 lb) goat when they're unattended. When they're small like that, they can strangle themselves if they get it caught on something.


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## Dwite Sharp (Jun 2, 2012)

I use collars, but the bigger goats are just as capable of being strangled as the smaller ones. The bigger ones just have a little more experience. Be sure to use swivels on your tie out leads. Make sure there is nothing for them to get tangled around, and the collars do not have to be tight around their neck especially with horned goats.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

I learned a very cool way to use a lead rope from Curtis King. Use a collar with the lead rope snapped to it like normal. Then take the lead rope and run it behind a front leg, under the chest and behind the other leg. Take the end of the lead rope and push it through the circle part where the rope is attached to the the metal clasp and pull tight. This way all the tension and force is directed to the arm pits and the chest area just like a halter. In fact it will look exactly like a halter when done correctly. Horse lead ropes are pretty cheat at like 5-10 bucks. Just make sure the circle part of the clasp is big enough to put the rope back through it. If anyone needs, I can take a pic and post it on how it should look.


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## Saltlick (Jun 12, 2011)

I started using halters when my goats got bigger and stronger as it enabled me to have much more control over them. But for high-lining them (tying) while camping I only use collars because otherwise they get awkward and tangled. On the trail I usually just have their collars on with their name tags and my umber, just in case.


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## worthog (May 23, 2013)

Lots of good info, thanks for all the replys


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## rifleman (May 28, 2013)

If you have a 200-300 pound goat that gets a mind to go somewhere, and you're using a collar with a lead attached to it directly, you're giving him the "mechanical advantage," and he'll drag you wherever he wants to go. Having a halter on the goat is just like having a halter on a horse. Quick tip on halter training: don't try to drag the animal around by the halter. Just put pressure on it until they move on their own, then take the pressure off. Pretty soon, they'll figure out what they're supposed to do. You also have a much bigger advantage if you pull at 90 degrees to the animal instead of trying to pull it straight ahead. Pull at 90 degrees until the animal starts moving, then lead it in a small circle around you. The circle allows you to keep that sideways pressure. Basically what you're doing is convincing the animal that you're much stronger than it is (which you aren't), and eventually, it won't bother resisting. If you do want the animal to come straight toward you, instead of dragging it, just lightly pull the lead up and toward yourself, raising the chin. When it takes a step, let the pressure off. When it stops, put the pressure back on.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

Halters and collars have 2 different purposes in on my goats. Collars have the identification on them and are used to tie a goat to some thing. I like to be prepared for any thing. If there were any kind of issue, like someone got hurt and you had to help, the goats could be tied up quickly to any tree or post while you were distracted. My boys have collars on for this purpose with every walk. You cannot tie a goat out with a halter it is dangerous. Halters are for head control on a walk. My goats have a natural order of walking in a line. At times I tie the halter of goat walking behind to the collar of the goat in front of him.


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## rifleman (May 28, 2013)

Also keep in mind that every time you pull on a collar, you're pulling on the goat's neck/throat. After excessive pulling with the collar, you'll notice your goat may be coughing. That's because you've hurt his trachea. I know none of us want to be hurting our animals, so if you're forcibly moving the goat, the halter is the answer. 

Nancy, excellent point about not leaving an animal tied up and unattended with a halter.


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## worthog (May 23, 2013)

Ok thanks for the advice. I take everything off when I put them in their pen. They seem to walk fine with the halter getting better every time. It is a easier to walk with them with no lead rope, they do great. The halter worked good to get them into the water. Any advice on ways to short tie them and ideas on bathing would be cool. Thanks for all the help so far, Frank


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