[little blue]

This might sound a bit odd but stick with me...
Having moved our two gilts to their own 'house' away from the boar, with the aid of a huge bucket of food and a wheelie bin (!)  Ive decided the time has come to get young Murphy trained on a harness, so that when the time comes for him to go visit his girlfriends, it is easier for us all.

But.. where can I get a small pig harness from?!  all the googling just shows up guinea pig & rabbit harnesses, and I can't seem to find one at any of the smallholding type places.  At one time they were all over the place do I need somewhere for 'show' pigs? Where? please help!  Murphy is pretty good (soft as a brush) but I'd like the added security.

thanks folks

[smiffy]

i use a dog harness, make sure it is tight behind the front legs and good luck!!!

[Hilarysmum]

I have seen this done using a soft rope tied into a harness. 

[little blue]

Think I'll try the dog harness, kune kunes are such a funny shape, I wasn't sure whether it would be secure enough in the important places..
Will let you know how we get on!
Thanks  x

[shetlandpaul]

are you strong enough to hold it if it decides to do a runner.

[little blue]

Yes, I'm pretty sure I am.  Are they any stronger than a huge, 35 kg German Shepherd with a death wish?!!  Who is very disturbed.  At least if Murphy-pig gets daft I can pick him up!

[shetlandpaul]

if they are like our porkers way stronger.

[little blue]

You've not met Sheba!!
Though moving the girls was quite an experience, they're very stubborn.
Murph is so laid back he's nearly horizontal

[Hilarysmum]

Murph is so laid back he's nearly horizontal
So are ours, but I have the scars to prove they are not always predictable.  Please be aware that even the softest easiest going pig can be startled and react accordingly.

[shetlandpaul]

and they do have big strong teeth as my boots will confirm. i just think a hundred+ pounds of excited pig could take some controlling. maybe a horse rope with knots would be safer than a lease.

[smiffy]

you have to harness train a pig very early otherwise no chance.

we only harness mini pigs. although i have heard of adult berkshires on a harness. an old chappy was telling us about a family who harness trained their sows, (as youngsters) and as they got older would pop them out on the harness.

Mind i wouldnt like to be behind an adult pig that decided to run!!!

[Hilarysmum]

smiffy you have reminded me of a book I saw in the library with pictures of c. 1900 farming wives with pigs in harnesses in our village highstreet. 

[Higgins11]

when i used to work for the corperate hog farm ....(now owned by smithfield) we would put harness on the boars to walk them through the barns to look for sows in heat.

They were pretty contained and the rows were hard to turn around in .........some walked better than others but these were some huge boars

[Hilarysmum]

Brave man!!! (or lady)

[little blue]

Well, I finall got round to  buying the large dog harness, and strong lead.
On it went (just! If he gets any bigger we'll have to re-think!)  and Murphy came out for his first proper walk.  Not counting the time he and a friend escaped and frightened the life out of the cat when they wandered around the back of th chicken shed! We could still pick them up then.
Anyway, we wandered out into the big wide world to my cries of "Pig, pig, pig, come on, good boy!" and Murphy decided exactly when and where he wanted to stop and root for worms!
So still abit of training to go, but he was a good pig and returned home safely, with some oat based bibery.

Poor Geraldine, the goat kid he shares his home with was most put put out, as the big goat goes out on a lead for milking, now Murphy's been out, and she just gets to watch them go and cry her goaty noises after them!