Goats are used as companions for horses primarily because of their calming presence, herd instincts, and cost-effectiveness compared to other horses. This practice is common in racehorse stables, where highly-strung and nervous horses can benefit from a goat's soothing company.

In fact, the phase, “Getting someone’s goat” is known to have racehorse roots!

One widely circulated story suggests that trainers would place a goat in the stall of a high-strung racehorse to keep it calm before a big race. Opposing trainers would sometimes steal the goat, hoping to upset the horse and cause it to perform poorly.

"Getting someone's goat," in this sense, meant intentionally causing a person or animal distress.

Calming influence

• Reduces stress: Horses are prey animals and feel safer in a herd. A goat can serve as a non-threatening and predictable "barn buddy" that reduces anxiety in a single or nervous horse. This can help curb nervous behaviors such as pacing, stall-walking, or cribbing (chewing on stall edges).
• Reliable companion: Goats tend to be steady and predictable, which can be comforting to horses, particularly young thoroughbreds in high-pressure training environments. The bond can become so strong that both animals may show signs of stress if they are separated.

Cost and convenience

• Lower cost: Keeping a goat is far less expensive than owning a second horse, which involves significant costs for food, veterinary care, and farrier work.
• Less space: For horse owners who only have enough space for one horse, a goat is a manageable addition that doesn't require a large extra pasture.

Herd animal instincts

• Natural bonding: Both horses and goats are herd animals, and when raised together, they tend to bond easily and quickly. They can become deeply attached and even protective of one another.
• Playful interaction: Goats are naturally sociable and playful creatures, which can provide entertaining and engaging company for a horse.

Pasture maintenance

• Complementary grazing: Goats are browsers, meaning they prefer to eat weeds, shrubs, and brush that horses, as grazers, typically ignore. This can help improve pasture quality by clearing out undesirable plants without competing with the horse for grass.
• Parasite control: Because horses and goats are susceptible to different internal parasites, they can safely graze together without increasing the risk of infection for either species.

Potential challenges

While often successful, using goats as horse companions is not without risks.

• Injury risk: A large horse could accidentally step on or kick a smaller goat, especially if they are not well-socialized or if the horse is territorial.
• Dietary needs: While they can share a pasture, horses and goats have different dietary needs. Goats can be sensitive to the copper content in some horse feeds, so it's important to feed them separately.
• Fencing requirements: Goats are notorious escape artists and require more secure fencing, such as woven-wire or electric fencing, than horses do.

We’ve seen many horses who welcomed a goat in their lives and it’s a way for a lonely or nervous horse to have some calm company!

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If your blue jeans were two sizes too small, it’s likely your body would show signs of (major) discomfort, such as pinching and red marks. Now, unless they’re the last pair to your name, you’re likely not wearing those jeans again, let alone tomorrow, the next day, or for days to come.

Now, imagine how your horse might feel, if he is consistently ridden in an improperly fitted saddle.

How Does Your Saddle Fit Your Horse?

Your horse’s comfort, happiness and your proper positioning as a rider all weighs on your saddle’s fit. An improper saddle fit causes your weight to be distributed unevenly, which can result in pressure points, rub marks, soreness, or the development of white saddle spots on your horse.

Monitor your horse’s attitude and behavior while riding, which can clue you in on a painful saddle fit, but keep in mind: some horses are more stoic than others. It’s best that you take a step back and take a close look at your horse while he is saddled to determine fit.

Your saddle fits just right if it sits level on your horse’s back and the bars of the tree do not pinch. The front of your saddle should be positioned behind your horse’s shoulder blade, allowing him freedom of movement.

Your saddle is too narrow if the front of the saddle sits high. When the saddle is sitting directly upon the horse’s withers, pinching can often occur.

Your saddle is too wide if the front of the saddle is low. This also results in pinching but at the top of the saddle’s bars. In this scenario, the gullet of the saddle may be too low and rest on your horse’s withers causing pain and discomfort.

Shop Western saddles

Continue reading for additional guidance to help ensure you and your horse enjoys the most comfortable and secure ride possible.

What to Consider When Selecting a Saddle Pad

Selecting a saddle pad is an important decision that should not be based on look and color patterns alone. Some saddle pads are uniquely designed and contoured to fit your horse’s back immediately, relieve wither pressure and wick away sweat and moisture.

Be sure to avoid over-padding your horse, a common practice that can result in your saddle rolling and sliding more easily. Choose a saddle pad that offers your horse the support he needs. Shop saddle pads and blankets

How to Measure For a Cinch

For your saddle’s fit and proper positioning on your horse, it is important that your horse’s cinch fit well, too. In the video above, Professional’s Choice representative and professional rodeo cowboy, Brodie Poppino, shares how to properly measure and fit a cinch to your saddle.

Keep in mind, though: non-nylon cinches could stretch up to a full size, so based on your preference, consider the material before ordering a cinch for your horse.

What to Consider When Choosing a Cinch

When choosing a cinch for your horse and saddle, keep in mind there are two different types of cinches: Western cinches and roper cinches. A roper cinch is wide and contoured, so when they are cinched up and stop quickly, the weight is distributed more evenly over a wider area of the horse, reducing uncomfortable pressure on the horse’s abdomen.

When tightening your horse’s cinch for an everyday ride, consider how tightly you wear your belt, and offer your horse the same level of comfort. Overtightening a cinch can add pressure and discomfort for your horse before you even step into the stirrups. Shop cinches

Remember that the longevity of your saddle and tack all depends on how well it is cared for over the years. Cleaning and oiling your tack regularly helps to prevent cracking and protect the leather. Oiling your saddle also aids in a safer ride, as dry, cracked leather can result in breakage, which can potentially lead to a mishap and rider injury.

For safety, closely observe your tack and the quality of your leather pieces. Are they oiled and secure, without any sign of dry rot or cracking? If so, happy trails. If not, for the safety of your ride, it is time for repair or replacement. Shop leather care

This article originally appeared on Valley Vet and is published here with permission. Valley Vet Supply was founded in 1985 by veterinarians for people just like you - people who want the very best for their four-legged friends and livestock.

All photos courtesy of Valley Vet.

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