The end of the Goat Era

I'm sad to announce that Sven our Lamancha goat died last evening. There are a million questions I am asking myself as to the how and why, but he'll never tell me now.

I helped Sven come into this world on February 16th 2019. His mom was having difficulty and stalled out during his birth. Luckily, I was able to save Sven and the mother passed away 24 hours later. He was bottle raised in the house and was given to me.

Here I bottle fed him on the porch and Charlie assited:

We had a wild ride and tons of fun. During his life here he caused us great laughter, great concern, and shakes of the fist and head. He was a dork, a pain in the butt, and very loving. After all, he was a goat.

He was pals with Charlie even though he was the size of a mini horse. He adored our pony Lil' Richard and could not stand to be out of his sight unless it was 20 below zero outside. Sven was a master at cleaning up weeds when he was in the mind to do so. Otherwise while staked out he'd simply voice his displeasure and walk in circles. 

Sven was terrified of anything that was a vehicle. He'd run to the end of his rope and flip himself, so generally I'd never put him near the driveway if I was expecting a package to be delivered.

He was a funny goat and a few times I've had people want to walk into his pen and pet him. I'd go in with them and quickly learned that Sven did not like other humans near HIS mom. He'd literally walk up and push them away from me. I guess since I delivered him and bottle fed him, he figured I was his mom.

I'll miss his goaty goat voice in the morning as he tells me it is time to put him out on a line to graze or feed him hay.

But farm life is all about life, love, tenderness, frustration, and death. It happens. I'm going to miss him but I won't replace him! He would have been helpful in cleaning up my flower gardens this fall though.

Good Boy Sven, you crazy wacky Goat!

We were the best of friends and some days the best of frenemies.

Sven comes home...

Sven.

Well what can I say? Charlie thinks he has a new best buddy. They are nearly inseparable.

On our hike Saturday, Charlie went back across the creek more than once to 'get' Sven to cross to us.
Of course the Kenosha Gang was there and we all called to Sven. Sven cried a baby goat noise and Charlie charge across the creek to him.

Today I raked the yard to pick up more of the pine-cones and  debris left by the two day storm. I tied out Sven. Charlie stuck close by.
They were perfectly content to watch me work.

Sven was fine being tied out and only got frustrated when I went out of his sight. Later on the two of them lay in the sunshine together while I made lunch for us.

I dragged two sleds full of sticks and pine-cones to the brush pile and burned it.
Sven decided to nap.

After yard work they assisted me in checking fences and redoing the 'above' the creek fence section.

Sven decided to check out the hot wire by Mica and jumped into her paddock. Mules have a tendency to chase or hurt an unknown animal in their territory. Thankfully, Mica just nosed him and he ran out of her paddock, ducking the hot wire.

The rest of the day was spent on outside work and hanging sheets and blankets in the fresh spring air.

Now I have had goats before, but only used them basically for dairy and not for fun like this.
And make no mistake.
I am having a LOT of fun.

As...
is Charlie.

Here is to having best friends....

We don't have to be the same to be best friends. We can be as different as night and day. ~~ Charlie and Sven

A bit of fun with Sven and Charlie

And so the first great adventure with Charlie and Sven happened today. I figured to start them hiking together early.
Sven will grow to a full sized Lamancha wether.

Charlie is full sized at 7" at the shoulder and 10 lbs.

Crazy Crazy Me!

Do you remember this cute little guy? My neighbor's offered him to me. I said yes.
And then I had to figure out how to tell Rich who doesn't care that much for goats that we were going to have a goat.

Sven was born on the 16th.

Here he was 4 days later when he met Charlie.

And here he is on the 28th. It was warm enough to take him outside with a harness on.
Sven will be coming home...down the driveway to our place once he has been weaned and the weather turns. [We have another frigid polar thing going on this week!]

Sven has grown in two weeks!

He is a Lamancha, which is the funny looking tiny eared goat. His one job will be to eat weeds along the fence-line and clean up areas of nettles which goats love along with another weeds.

But I thought what could a whethered goat be good for? I've had goats before but really just raised them to milk them. After the kids no longer liked the milk, I sold the ones I had.
That was many years ago.

I like to hike. So for whatever reason, I looked up 'hiking with goats' and found out that full grown goats can be trained to be hiking pals that carry packs! How fun would that be to go on a hike and have Sven carry my water and lunch along with a tripod?

The training is pretty straight forward. Bottle fed goats just like Sven are the best candidates as they form a bond with their human handlers.

Yep. I go and bottle feed Sven whenever I can.

Yesterday we did some 'training'. I wanted to see if he'd come to me without me trying to ask him too.

After a bit of exploring the snow [see the harness? He knows he is going out with me when I bring that out now!]

So I waited.

And...I sat in the snow bank....

And Sven came to me and ...

snuggled? He closed his eyes while I petted him and loved him up.

Here is some reasoning to have a goat carry a pack for you. While hiking you have company and someone to talk to --- yes, Charlie also! Two, if you are hiking and pass another hiker it will cause a conversation.
Goats are easier to work with than a mule or horse and a lot smaller!

Sven won't be able to fully pack any significant weight until he is 3 yrs old. But the experience of trying to train him would be a very fun thing.
After all, I have tons of trails in my woods and surrounding area that he can hike with me.

He is a perfect candidate for this sort of training. He was rejected by mom, and has been bottle fed by humans. He has no idea that he is a goat.

This will be fun!

I have figured out where we will have to put the Sven Pen, now I just need my Kenosha Gang to help me make it work as soon as the weather gets decent!

Stay tuned for more stupid and crazy ideas from the mule/goat/dog lady.