[goatsnponies]

I accidentally found this site looking for the Harness Goat Society website which has been down for some time. Hopefully it will reappear very soon.
Back in the 1970's when my children were growing up we had a 5 acre smallholding  and grew everything we could including meat on the land.  We drove a pony, often taking the children to school and tried to recycle as much as possible.  All this, long before it became a widespread occupation.  I still have my spinning wheel and keep sheep, a couple of goats, 2 ponies and 3 dogs.  The veg garden has long gone as I can't cope with it these days.
I am Secretary of the Harness Goat Society and my 2 castrated male goats (wethers) are both trained to pull a cart. Mostly just at events now but in the past they helped carry wood for the fire, bales of hay for the sheep and pulled a sledge in the snow.  I used to keep milking goats but can't bend to milk nowadays.

Looking back to the 70's it was hard work and a great tie as we couldn't leave the place easily and rarely had a holiday, certainly never abroad, but the knowledge and enjoyment acquired was worth it, and I have very many happy memories while I lived at 'The Merries'a

[lachlanandmarcus]

Welcome to TAS forum!!!


I find it really inspiring to hear from someone who was 'doing it' before it became all the rage and before modern technology made some aspects of smallholding frankly easier physically....


I would love to see a photo if you have one of the goats at work in harness!!!    

[plumseverywhere]

Hello from Worcestershire 

Been hearing all about the harness goat society from Fay Ogden after the WGS meet at Angela Rickaby's weekend just gone,
We have 4 goats - 2 are wethers and the plan has always been to have them as harness boys.

welcome to TAS 

[mowhaugh]

Hello!

[Mammyshaz]

Hello and welcome from Durham 

[goatsnponies]

It's good to hear so many people are keen on grow-your-own nowadays. We all enjoyed the Harness Goat workshop held here on Saturday. Pleased that Fay has good things to say about us!  Hoped to post a photo but when I tried it said it was too large, not sure what to do.

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

Are there any harness goat folk in Scotland?

[Lesley Silvester]

  and welcome from sunny Shropshire. I'm another goat keeper but mine are for milk or meat.

[Hamish Crofter]

This all sounds wonderful. I have read so many books about tough lives on small holdings and crofts in the past and your few lines are reminiscent of those.
I'm sure it was hard but I'm also sure it was a wonderful life.
Welcome to the forum.
I'm sure we would all enjoy hearing some of your stories and experiences from those years

[plumseverywhere]

Not sure about resizing the photo - hopefully someone else will be able to help? would be good to see one.   

[Alistair]

 

Try emailing the photo to yourself and when it asks what size image select a smaller one, that's what I do on my ipad, mind I've got less idea about computers than most so apologies if it wastes your time...

Any way hi fro merseyside

[WillieBee]

Hoped to post a photo but when I tried it said it was too large, not sure what to do.

Download a free program called Paint.net ... just Google search it, or go to www.getpaint.net http://www.getpaint.net/

Once installed, start the program

Now click on File / Open and select the image you want to reduce in size

Now click on Image / Resize and enter something like width 500 px  (pixels) make sure the 'maintain aspect ratio' option is ticked, then click OK

The image will be reduced.

Save it as a new name ... example in your case could be goatpicturesmall1, goatpicturersmall2 etc

If you know the process for uploading to the forum, the smaller image size will probably be OK.

If not, let me know and I'll explain in detail

[kelly58]

Hi from Bonnie Scotland,
l also enjoyed your post, l love reading books about crofting life in the Highlands.
lts encouraging and lifts you. You must have many fond memories. This forum is great, full of like minded people
with experience there willing to share. So glad l found it 
Look forward to hearing some of your input.

[ballingall]

Hello goatsnponies 

We have goats in central Scotland, but have never ventured into harness goats. Not enough time really.

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

Are there any harness goat folk in Scotland?

goatsnponies will be able to advise, but there are none that I am aware of. We sold two nubians several years ago to a chap who was starting up in harness. He started to train them, and was converting a child's pony trap for them- and then he was taken unwell. We took the goats back and rehomed them elsewhere as his wife refused to even give them food while he was in hospital.

I do have a friend who joined the Harness Goat Society, and he was intending to train his wether, but I think life has got in the way (he is now at college,and is also breeding and showing Zwartlbe sheep).

It would be great for displays.

Beth