# Stacking Up? Spiecial way?



## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

Hey everybody. I have been showing dairy goats for 3 years and have some questions about stacking up(aka squaring up). I have seen at some shows these does that stretch out and lower their backs when they are stacked up. It totally changes the way the goat looks. I have no idea how to get the goat to do this. I stack my Togg's up and they look fine, but I look at other more expirenced goat showers and their goats have their head up, their back stretched out, legs is perfect position. I try to do the same things and it doesn't work. I have changed goats is showmanship classes and the person who gets my goat stackes it up and it looks amazing. I have even(once) stacked one of my Togg's up and she did it by herself. She then went on to win Grand Champion. She had already been shown twice and not placed. Help?!!


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

you want the front legs to be in line with the withers, the back legs not to stretched out, should be in line with I think its the thorals (dont quote me on that- im really not good with the parts of a goat :doh: ) Then you run your two fingers along the ridge of their topline till you reach that "magic spot" on most goats its just past the chine. This will "loin" them and they level out. 

I would ask your fellow exhibitors to show you how they are handling their goats and you will see exactly how to accomplish it hands on.


----------



## LamanchaAcres (Jan 11, 2013)

Are you talking about pinching down? One of the pictures kinda shows were. You have to get them sentitive to it.


----------



## thegoatgirl (Nov 27, 2011)

Check out this link: http://showingdairygoats101.weebly.com/training.html

Good luck!


----------



## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

LamanchaAcres said:


> Are you talking about pinching down? One of the pictures kinda shows were. You have to get them sentitive to it.


 No. I know how to do that. This is a pic of a Togg and she is in the position I am talking about. Head up, Back streched out. I know she is the 2012 ADGA National show champ, but it was the pic of what I was talking about.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

How about you post a picture of your goats or one stacked similar to how they stand.


----------



## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I was thinking what Stacey said.. Then we can give you pointers on how to fix it


----------



## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

okay. lol I should have thought of that. First pic is of a saanen and while she really isn't stacked up this is what our goats look like in the show ring. The second pic is of one of my does which has done really well at my shows. p.s. I look really wierd in the pic. See how my Togg could be much more stretched out and looking like that Togg I put above? She has done it before with someone else, but I don't know how to do it.


----------



## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Ok, I would try holding your does head up a *tiny* bit higher and tickle her top line like LaMancha Acres was saying, maybe place her rear legs slightly wider apart, her forelegs more under her withers...
when you tickle or 'pinch' their top line, it levels them out and helps give them that nice upstanding look, along with adding a bit of angulation to those rear legs. 
Some does are real good about it while other take a bit more.. I have some that as soon as I tap in front of their hips a few times they level out, others I have to start right after their withers and 'itch' their chine and loin down in front of their hips. You just have to find your goats 'spot'  

It just take practice  you'll get the hang of it in no time!  good luck!


----------



## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Make sure the front legs are set to where the toe is in line with the beginning of the withers, where the neck meets the withers.

I would set her back legs a tad bit further apart, along with slightly back more. The toes on her rear legs should line up to the middle of her rump if it is really steep, or 2/3 of the way to her hips from the pins if her rump is more level. If she has a level rump, place her back feet just slightly behind the hips

Hold her head up a bit higher, and run your fingers back and forth on the middle of her back. 

If you run your fingers behing her chine, they will normally dip in the chine a bit.
If you run the right in front of the hips, her rear end will drop down way too much, the middle of the back (where the short rib begins, or the loins), that is the key point to scrunch them down.


Goats also always look longer and more "stretched out" if they naturally are long bodied with an uphill stature. Having more depth to the rear barrel also helps give that look.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Its called setting up and pinching down


----------



## Ride4ever (Aug 7, 2013)

Thanks guys. I will try that. Maybe I will also get some of the breeders I meet with to show me how they stack up their goats. Little-bits-n-pieces is right about goats looking that way if the pysically right.


----------



## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

That's a good idea if you can get a breeder to help you  most are very helpful


----------

