I was out at the races the other day, and I got chatting to someone who has been raising thoroughbreds his whole life.
I mentioned that I had never raised horses, but I knew goats like no one else.
Funnily enough, though, he told me something about goats that I had never heard before—that they are very often used as companion animals to help calm skittish horses down.
They are commonly employed as calming companions for horses, and you could also use other animals—it is really all about the herd mentality and the horse needing companionship.
The same is really true of goats, it’s just that they aren’t as given to nervous behavior.
Let’s look further into this.
What is a calming goat?
A calming goat is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
Calming goats are employed as companions for nervous horses, and other animals too.
Usually, though, they are used as companions for thoroughbred racehorses.
Calming goats are used in many contexts, though.
It does tend to be in relation to horses, since they are a notoriously nervous animal, and can often injure themselves through their own skittishness.
The goat can be any kind of goat, although it is usually only one goat that is used.
They are often sheltered next to each other for a period of time, before they are moved into living together.
Calming goats are very common, although it’s important to note that the animal isn’t necessarily a goat.
Goats are very often used, but you can also use sheep.
You can even use alpaca or llama.
However, you can also simply use another horse. I
t’s all to do with how the horse feels more comfortable when it has a companion looking after it.
Let’s get into why calming goats are used.
Why are calming goats used?
The main reason is to do with the fact that horses are herd animals, as indeed goats are, too.
Being a herd animal, a horse’s instinct is that there should more or less always be other horses around.
Herd mentality is about strength and safety in numbers, and so horses in the wild are always surrounded by other horses.
In the case that you have, say, a thoroughbred racing horse who must be transported around the country for races, it can be difficult to have another horse with them.
This can make them skittish and nervous.
A nervous horse can be a huge danger to itself and others.
Horses are large animals that can easily injure themselves by moving too quickly or stepping wrong.
So, goats are a more manageable companion animal that you can have around the goat.
They will take some time to get used to one another, but once they are, the horse is going to feel many, many times less nervous than it would on its own.
So, again, you can use other animals for this—it’s all, really, about the fact that horses and goats are both herd animals.
Are horses and goats friends?
In a sense, yes, they are.
Herbivores like this tend not to give each other too much grief unless there are significant issues with space and food availability.
In the case that they are both fed and have their own space, goats and horses can indeed become very close companions.
But the same can be said of goats, horses, and many other animals.
It’s all about herd mentality.
These animals should really never be kept on their own.
They would certainly always prefer the company of another species to just being on their own.
This will make them feel safer and having a buddy is always a good way to calm them down.
If you are transporting horses across the country, then a goat companion is a great way to keep them from getting nervous.
What is the best breed of goat for a horse companion?
To be honest, any breed will really do.
It is better to have a larger one that the horse can’t accidentally hurt, so something like an Alpine goat or a Boer goat is a good choice.
That said, virtually any breed will do. I would advise against smaller breeds, like pygmy or dwarf goats.
It’s also usually a good idea to use a dehorned goat, or a female goat.
Horns can be dangerous to the horse, even if the goat doesn’t mean them to be.
So, any large, dehorned goat is going to be a good companion for your horse.
The breed is really not all that important.
It might seem like an idea from an animated children’s movie, but this phenomenon is very real.
Goats are often employed as horse companions and calming goats to keep thoroughbred horses from hurting themselves and others, and making them easier to handle.
Goats are a great option for this because they, too, are herd animals, and are generally very docile.
Horses and goats are natural companions, and this is the main reason they are employed as calming goats.