Chat
The weather finally warmed up today! Well, it actually warmed up earlier this week, but again it was too muddy to do anything. And then we had a surprise snowstorm Thursday night and woke up to 4 inches of heavy, WET snow. Friday was warm and gorgeous, but it was too muddy to do anything. But today the roads were dry enough we were able to take Finn and Sputnik and their carts and head down to the golf course for a little drive! I think it's been about a year since we've driven them. All the parades were canceled in 2020 and it was such a busy summer with saddle club and everything that we just never got around to driving goats. I was afraid we might have a little trouble getting them to work, but they were awesome!! Sputnik trotted right off with a word. I barely had to use the reins at all. He was completely in tune with my verbal commands. Phil and Finn had the easy job of following behind me and Sputnik.
It wasn't until we got near the end of the loop that I had a touch of trouble. I decided to steer Sputnik down a side road and he wasn't too keen on taking a detour when the truck was in sight. We got a little way down the road and a very vicious-sounding dog started barking and snarling and running up and down its fenceline right next to us. That decided Sputnik. He turned around and tried to make off for the truck. I couldn't convince him to get back underway so I had to get out of the cart and lead him. Phil and Finn passed us up and showed us how it was done. On the way back I steered Sputnik into a puddle on the side of the road and he didn't want to do that either, so once again I had to get out and lead him. Finn was a good boy and walked through the water the first time Phil asked. At the next puddle Sputnik walked through like I asked.
When we got near where the truck was parked, I decided to drive around the back side of the golf clubhouse and once again Sputnik wasn't interested in taking the scenic route. Phil and Finn had to lead the way while I got out and led Sputnik to get him started on the correct path. He was naughty enough that I took him on one more detour while Phil and Finn went back to the truck. Sputnik wasn't a happy camper and at some point he backed us up into a cedar tree, but I gave him a few sharp whacks on the backside and that straightened him out. We made it all the way to the end of that road without any more balking or trying to turn back, so I got out, gave him some cookies, and led him back to the truck.
While I was giving Sputnik his extra homework, Finn and Phil were giving a ride to one of the old golfers who had shown a keen interest in us when we'd started out. He had plied us with a lot of questions and watched our entire hitching up and driving off procedure. He had followed us down the road for a quite a ways in his golf cart. He was intrigued enough that he waited for us to come back around the loop. He looked like he could really use a ride, so Phil offered him one and he had a great time! Also on our loop, a man brought his young grandson out to see the goats and carts. He told us he'd just moved there about six months ago and that he'd heard rumors about some people who sometimes drove goats around the golf course road. He'd been watching for us and was very excited to bring his grandson out to see. I let the kid feed Sputnik some cookies and Phil took him for a short ride in Finn's cart. It made their day. And it made my day to know our goats have reached "legend" status. You know your goats are famous when people see them for the first time and already know who they are!
It wasn't until we got near the end of the loop that I had a touch of trouble. I decided to steer Sputnik down a side road and he wasn't too keen on taking a detour when the truck was in sight. We got a little way down the road and a very vicious-sounding dog started barking and snarling and running up and down its fenceline right next to us. That decided Sputnik. He turned around and tried to make off for the truck. I couldn't convince him to get back underway so I had to get out of the cart and lead him. Phil and Finn passed us up and showed us how it was done. On the way back I steered Sputnik into a puddle on the side of the road and he didn't want to do that either, so once again I had to get out and lead him. Finn was a good boy and walked through the water the first time Phil asked. At the next puddle Sputnik walked through like I asked.
When we got near where the truck was parked, I decided to drive around the back side of the golf clubhouse and once again Sputnik wasn't interested in taking the scenic route. Phil and Finn had to lead the way while I got out and led Sputnik to get him started on the correct path. He was naughty enough that I took him on one more detour while Phil and Finn went back to the truck. Sputnik wasn't a happy camper and at some point he backed us up into a cedar tree, but I gave him a few sharp whacks on the backside and that straightened him out. We made it all the way to the end of that road without any more balking or trying to turn back, so I got out, gave him some cookies, and led him back to the truck.
While I was giving Sputnik his extra homework, Finn and Phil were giving a ride to one of the old golfers who had shown a keen interest in us when we'd started out. He had plied us with a lot of questions and watched our entire hitching up and driving off procedure. He had followed us down the road for a quite a ways in his golf cart. He was intrigued enough that he waited for us to come back around the loop. He looked like he could really use a ride, so Phil offered him one and he had a great time! Also on our loop, a man brought his young grandson out to see the goats and carts. He told us he'd just moved there about six months ago and that he'd heard rumors about some people who sometimes drove goats around the golf course road. He'd been watching for us and was very excited to bring his grandson out to see. I let the kid feed Sputnik some cookies and Phil took him for a short ride in Finn's cart. It made their day. And it made my day to know our goats have reached "legend" status. You know your goats are famous when people see them for the first time and already know who they are!