How to Saddle a Goat

Max thinking about destroying your roses :3

 So, you bought or made a goat pack saddle and are itching to saddle up your pack goat, but you find yourself at a loss for the technique of doing so. It really isn't all that difficult, that is, if you took the time to get your goat used to you feeling its belly so it won't try to bite you while you saddle it. The following step by step guides you through the absolute basics of saddling a goat. Mind, there are more definitive and expert sources which break down saddling into even simpler terms than this will, but they are usually locked away in expenisve books.This guide also assumes that the reader has basic knowledge about goat anatomy and handling techniques. Alrighty then! Let's move on to step one.

Step 1: Secure your goat's head.

This step speaks for itself. If on the trail, find a sturdy tree to tie the goat to. For this guide, we are using a milk stanchion since it renders the goat almost immobile.

Step 2: Get your saddle ready.

Again, not too complicated. You want to make sure all of the straps are sturdy (i.e. no tears, broken fasteners) and that the saddle blanket is in good shape.

Step 3: Place saddle on goat's back.

Alright, you want to make sure the saddle is in the right place on the goat as to not cause any unnecessary discomfort. The saddle should just touch the goat's withers. It should be far enough forward so that it rests just behind the goat's shoulder blades. The saddle should not touch the goat's hips.

Step 4: Fasten and cinch the front strap.

^^^Matchy Matchy^^^^^

Whew! That was exhausting, right? Okay, you want this strap to be a little loose, but just barely so. You should be able to fit your hand in between the goat's chest and the strap, but not both hands. You don't want to choke the poor thing!

Step 5: Cinch up the belly strap.

You want this strap to be pretty tight. This is what really holds the pack on the goat, a fact that was learned by me on the trail. If you don't make this strap tight, the pack will slide off. You really want to make sure the strap is a few inches behind the front legs, that way you won't be restricting the flow of air into the goat's lungs. Do Not cinch the strap so tight that the goat has trouble breathing.

Step 6: Slide on the back strap.

 Pretty self explanatory. This strap does not have to cinched very much. If it's too tight, the goat will have a strange, uncomfortable-looking gait. This strap prevent the pack from slipping forward on a steep downhill descent.

Well, you are done with the saddling part! All that's left is hanging the packs/panniers over the crossbucks, then you're good to go! Here is the end result:

I hope you all found this helpful!