What did you do today?

[Charlie Horse]

When I was walking back to the house, the goats thought they were supposed to go with me (happens the first time I drop them off, every time). Shelby GT got back, and took a running jump and cleared the drill-pipe fence like a steeplechase horse! Once I put him back he understood that he had to stay and none of them seemed worried after that. Now when I drive up twice per day, or stop by on my bicycle, they come running before I even start slowing down. They know I have saltines!

Goatalo is 39 inches at the withers roughly. He's a tad taller than Bacchus, but ranks below Woodstock. He's sweet. But not too into scratches and stuff. Likes it on his horn bases but trots off after just a few seconds if you scratch him elsewhere. He's great in the car. Loads easily. But hasn't carried a pack yet-- But he's about to. I'm going to use the fancy saddle on him. Its really made for a large goat and will be a perfect fit.

I had been using it on Shelby but that goat is an easy choker and both the breast strap and the yoke style don't work well on him. I'm going to have to just create a V-shaped strap setup that never touches his throat. I guess its because he's such a spindly build.

Had a scare a few days ago. It was saltine time and I didnt notice that Amelia Goat-Hart wasn't there. Since Shelby has no horns, he jumped on top of his goat house to get his treats. I had to reach way over the fence to get to him and I looked down and there's an upside-down goat wedged between the goat house and a truck-bed-box I use for storage. I figured I had a dead goat. Ran around and saw she was kinda quivery. Figured she'd be in shock but she made a sad little bahh. I tilted the box up and she struggled around a bit but got her footing and walked off in an unsteady, dizzy kind of way. She's fine now but I'm really glad I caught it soon enough! She can thank Shelby her half brother. Super unlucky of her. Its just a couple feet where it was narrow and she found a way to fall in. So I moved the box out of their area.

I think since the boys are now down the road, its time to weld metal frames for the dividers inside the polydomes. I have to constantly fix the wood ones, and if one breaks, a goat has nowhere to sleep until I notice, which is bad in the winter.

Also soon I'm putting the yurt up in the back. The goats wont be allowed in that area anymore once I do.