# Breaking Boer Kids



## erinbelle (Apr 4, 2014)

How do you break your kids? Halter, collar, or chain first? Do you tame you kids completely or work with untame kids?

I have two, 3 month old wethers. One is more tame than the other, but neither are really tame. They're still skittish if I move quickly, etc. Should I get them all the way tame now? Or can I start work with a, I would say, half tame goat?

The reason I ask is there is a show next weekend, and I want to go. But my kid isn't broken to walk. I want to start training, but I don't know if I should tame him more before or not.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

You can lead train a kid that isn't "friendly" or tame, but it is easier to work with the tame ones. I'd use a prong collar on your kids at this age. They would probably choke much more with just a chain. The kids lean on a prong collar less than a chain, so that's what I'd use. If you don't have a prong collar, I would use a dog collar or lead rope. Chains seem to choke kids who don't lead well the most. That's just my opinion. 

I'd keep the training sessions short at first. Lead training can be a good way to tame goats if you are nice to them, take it slow, be patient and reward. 

Good luck!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Oh wow, a week? IMO, that's pushing it. My kids raise their own wethers, and we make sure every baby they keep or sell is tame/friendly, especially if going to youth so that they aren't so untrusting and unsure. IMO trust is a huge part of training an animal 
So with that said, we haven't had a lot of experience with untamed goat kids. 
The one we did have was a doe kid I bought for my daughter was wild, I honestly wondered if she'd ever tame down!
We messed with her several times a day - every time we did we put the halter/lead on her. She tamed down, and became a spoiled, rotten, brat 

My kids are currently lead training their wethers. My son's wether walks pretty well, my oldest daughter's wether thinks he's a circus performer, and my youngest daughter's wether thinks his world will end if he takes a step forward, ha!
Walking every day, and a lot of praise should hopefully help. I had to walk my youngest daughters wether today as she wasn't home <she's 8>, and at first he was fighting it, then finally got him to walk without too much of a fuss. Put the show collar on, he protested. 
I kept the halter on, while I had the show collar on, and used both to coax him forward. If he flat out refused to take a step, I gently grabbed his tail and pulled it forward, or put my hand on his butt and gave a little tap, one of those would motivate him to move forward. Once he took a few steps really well I'd praise him - baby talking lol but it worked, he relaxed, and did so well for being such a stubborn boy.

Not sure if that would help you, but that is what has helped my kids & their goats.

Don't forget to stop off and on and work on setting them up. One thing I am really amazed at this year is all of the kids goats set up so well! <They have 8 they are training>. Now... teaching the wethers to brace will be real fun <not!!!>.


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## erinbelle (Apr 4, 2014)

I'm definitely going to use everything you both have said, I'm also not going to that show. It is way too soon. I have tamed goats before, so I'm hoping past experience will help with these 2. I did take them out on dog collars and leashes yesterday, and they (after a fight) realized that being taken out and exploring is fun!

Thank you both a lot!



HoosierShadow said:


> Now... teaching the wethers to brace will be real fun <not!!!>.


Ha! Good luck! The breeder actually told me one of my wethers braced really well when they had him, so I'm hoping he stays that way once I get him tame and walking. Fingers crossed!


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Glad to hear it, I'm sure they will tame down the more you mess with them & more time you spend with them  
Yeah, it's hard to push that kind of training in a week, Although if your goats are anything like my kids goats tend to be, they are horrible at walking here at home, and then generally do really well at the shows lol.

My son's wether is very stubborn about bracing. My youngest daughter's wether already weighs as much as she does and he's tall, so she has her work cut out for her! My oldest daughter I think will be okay, but her problem is, she tends to let them arch their back when bracing and it looks really bad. Lots of work over the next few weeks!


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