Horses and Goats, do they mix?

[T_K]

Has anyone ever kept horses and goats together? Do they get on? Are there any potential problems re diseases etc?

 

[JenHunt]

not a risk for disease so far as I'm aware - especially not if all wormed regularly. the only thing to be wary of is goat eating horse's tail!

 

[michelleice]

arent goats like sheep? they eat horse worms and kill them

ive seen shetlands in with goats fine

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

We kept a goat with horses,ponies and donkeys with no problem! If anything goats are more demanding than the rest put together!! They don't do rain so need access to shelter and you need to make sure your hedges are 'goat proof'!!! They also need their feet checking regularly so they don't get foot rot - especially in the winter when it gets muddy.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

The only issue to be aware of is that goats can get foot and mouth. Otherwise, I've been on a yard where they had a couple of goats (disappeared in the foot and mouth outbreak!) and the horses just ignored them because they were used to them.

 

[T_K]

Thanks for the info guys, my girls currently share with a load of sheep(sheep have a lot more grazing, but they get under the electric fencing!) and the grazing is really good so I was thinking of replacing them with a few goats if I get my own field.

Will have to look into some goat-proof fencing though!!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Bear in mind hun that goats are browsers, not grazers. They will try to eat everything EXCEPT your grass. They can get out of maximum security prisons and - be warned - can climb trees, hedges, you name it! Depending on the breed you get, they also need shelter in the winter as their coats aren't rainproof.

 

[nicnag]

Lice! Goats can be awful for them!

 

[Twinkletoes]

Watch out for tail chewing!!

 

[fatpiggy]

My mare used to share a paddock with a sheep and a goat. They used to all go in the shelter and lie down together. Watch out though, goats are bu**ers. They are escapologists, will climb absolutely anything and everything and don't eat grass so you will need to make sure there are nettles, brambles, goosegrass etc for them to nibble on or they will be off searching for it a mile away!

 

[Enfys]

Some horses like them, some don't. My mini is the only one of mine that will tolerate the goat anywhere near. The others try to stomp on him.

As said, they will get out of anywhere if they can, mine is stabled at night and tethered by day now as we got fed up with having to cut the silly sod out of fences that he'd climbed through and got stuck.

Much happier eating clover, leaves and anything they shouldn't rather than grass.

They do need de-worming (I buy goat de-wormer at the Farm store), feet need trimming and de-licing. I use Spot-on for mine and he gets a medicated shampoo every once in a while, usually when he has rolled in something gross.