Very basic pack goat question

[Sanhestar]

This is  a thing that every goat packer knows. General consensus is that the goat HAS to stay behind. This stems from experience that a goat rushing ahead or cutting corners on steep or winding trails can become a danger to himself, people and other goats/animals.

Normal behaviour for goats favors moving in front of humans, the highest ranking or most expendable (read John Mionczynski's "Pack Goats" on that topic) in the most forward position.

They also show rank by blocking the herd members that follow from overrunning that position but this more often occurs when the herd is moving toward a resource like food, treats or water and not on longer hikes. On hikes the more experienced goats walk in front and secure "the perimeter".

I personally have accepted that my goats walk in front of me and instead of spending the whole hike battling with them to stay behind me I take position on their six. I can walk much less stressed there. To keep them from blocking my path I carry a walking stick and have taught all of them to give me the way when I gently tap them with the stick on their thighs.

They also have learned to stop when I stop - they can see me well enough even walking in front - and to take cues for direction from my body language on crossings: my shoulders, head and body will turn in the direction I want to go and they respond. The experienced goats often stop before a crossing and take a quick look back at me, asking "which way?"

As in all my years neither rope swinging nor stick waving has had any lasting effect I have now started to use the principles of positive reinforcement (clicker training) to teach them "walk beside me". I click for calm, polite walking next to me and have within one hike had better results with than with any other method.