| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| yasmine |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 07:30:31 AM
hey anyone, how would you attach a wire mesh of some sort to a 3 rail horse fence? Inside or outside? chicken wire or something a little bigger? Really , its to keep our tiny kids out and the goats in with the pony.Any thoughts on keeping 3 small goats in with a pony for companionship, problems with poop , etc. Our new welsh pony is in a 1/2 acre paddock. She ok and shes alone, as the goats are about 300 feet away and not too visible to her. Any thoughts ? Or can we just keep her alone and be with her a lot? |
| 10 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| yasmine |
Posted - Feb 19 2008 : 10:34:15 PM
thanks!
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| WisGal35 |
Posted - Feb 18 2008 : 12:11:03 PM
Depends on pony/horse & goat personalities how it will work, the pony sounds like she knows there are other herd animals around, and would enjoy a friend. We had great luck with our Alpine goat as a companion to an older horse...until the younger horse came back from training. They all got along fine, with some chasing but all in fun.
The problem was that the goat ate the younger horse's tail -- literally the entire thing until it was just brushy thing. Then he'd climb the round bale and try to eat mane & forelock, too! For whatever reason (last vanity?), the old horse wouldn't let the goat eat his tail and the young horse was like, oh well, my tail will grow back.
We later tried pasturing the two horses, original goat and an older doe together, and the younger horse chased the original in fun and the doe relentlessly.
Suggest sturdy gauge welded wire on the inside of the pasture posts if that works with how your boards are put up. Horses & ponies paw and nuzzle at welded wire to get at the grass on the other side, and goats climb it because, well, they are goats. We've had good luck leaving 6-8" open at the bottom and putting the boards over the wire. For ponies and small goats, you might want to overlap the entire fence to make the squares smaller if needed to prevent my-hoof-is-stuck accidents.
Good luck! |
| yasmine |
Posted - Feb 14 2008 : 2:22:21 PM
thanks, that makes sense...no she is not frantic, she does sometimes pace the fence a little but not continually. She' ll go into her run in and sometimes just stand by the tree! |
| Tracey |
Posted - Feb 14 2008 : 08:33:35 AM
No, you're not punishing her. If she were frantic and pacing, then I'd say try to make a change, but you indicated that she's doing well on her own. Horses adjust, just like other animals. Dogs are pack animals, but we keep them alone all the time with no problems, right? You can always stake a goat on the outside of her paddock if you think she needs closer contact, but I think she's fine as is from what you describe.
Desperate Horsewife, raising funds for the Mustang Makeover!
http://desperate-horsewife.blogspot.com |
| yasmine |
Posted - Feb 14 2008 : 06:35:32 AM
Interesting ... Thanks for the tips!!!
I will watch the goats!
So....we only have 1 welsh pony,and she is alone in her 1/2 acre paddock, so you think if we socialize with her a lot that is enough? We are not , in a sense, punishing her, keeping her alone? the goats are kind of far. |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 3:36:20 PM
I just mention that you might want to watch them at first as some of the horses on my friend's horse ranch are not goat friendly. They would chase the poor goats until they were terrified and sweating (in the middle of a really hot summer) so we could only let them graze with the geldings. Mostly it was the yearlings that were the ones that would chase the goats, but some of the mares didn't like them either and would drive them away as well.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
Please come visit Nora and I our our new blog:
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| Marybeth |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 3:06:06 PM
Actually you would want to put fencing on the inside because horses or other livestock will push on a fence and will push it down amd out. Ponies and goats get along fine. they are used as companions all the time. Good luck. MB
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"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| Alee |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 11:23:48 AM
If you do decide to attach fencing, I would put it on the outside so if they do manage to pull it down, it will hopefully fall to the outside and less likelyhood of animal injuries.
As far as companionship, your pony is probably fine by itself, but if you do want to give it a buddy, please watch them carefully as some horses do not like goats and it can be stressful for both.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
Please come visit Nora and I our our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com |
| yasmine |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 08:39:14 AM
thanks tracy, I feel that what you say is probably true, but in the back of my mind I have monty roberts saying that to make a horse be alone its kind of like punishment, what do you think?(you know in the herd)thanks again |
| Tracey |
Posted - Feb 13 2008 : 08:22:41 AM
Chicken wire may be a bit flimsy if the horse or goats grab onto it with their mouth. You sure wouldn't want the little broken ends poking either the livestock or your little tikes. If you can pick up field fencing, that would work better. Of course, you pony could kick or paw through it pretty easily.
As for attaching, either inside or out would work.
If your pony is okay alone, and she can see the goats, she's probably fine as is. Most horses adjust to being alone and goats or other small livestock get used as buddies frequently.
Desperate Horsewife, raising funds for the Mustang Makeover!
http://desperate-horsewife.blogspot.com |
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