One of the reasons I brought Luna to live here is because I was moving my lovely horse, Chanel, home instead of boarding her at a friends barn. Horses and goats are both herd animals, and become stressed when they live alone. I hoped that the horse and goat would become friends.
And indeed, they did. In fact, all four goats are friends with the horse. They share meals, they lay down near each other to rest, and they move about together in a loose group when they graze. If I take the goats out of the horses line of sight, she will call for them.
And if something alarms the goats, such as an unusual sound, they all run to cluster around the largest member of the herd.
The horse is so bonded to the goats that when kidding season comes, she has been known to help clean off the babies when they are born. And then she will run around the pasture, whinnying and kicking, as if in celebration.
Did you know where the term, "Has someone got your goat?" comes from? Race horses were once kept with a goat as a companion. The goat would live with the horse, and travel with it to races. If someone wanted to upset a horses chance for winning a race, they would nip in and steal the goat away. The horse would be too upset to run well when it was missing its friend.
Living with goats, and a horse, and all these other animals, has shown me the power of relationships. Having friends that are wonderful companions enriches all aspects of my life... no matter if those friends walk on two feet or four. Kindred spirits are gifts to be treasured.
1 comment:
What wonderful posts in this series - and I'm enjoying learning about your charming friends.
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