[ryansj]

I have the opportunity to get a 3.5 year old Saanen that has been trained to pack though is largely unproven as this year would be his first real year packing. He seems to have a great disposition. My concern is the fact he is small. He is only about 30 inches at the shoulder. I have three questions:

1) Is this goat too small to even mess with? Are there folks out there that have had good experiences with such a small pack goat?
2) What is the chance of substantial growth in the 3rd year?
3) If he is small because of poor nutrition or skimpy rations is there a chance that a substantial improvement in diet could bring about a dramatic last minute change? I do not know if this is the case or not but the guy selling him seems to be having a hard time making ends meet and this is the reason for selling him.

 

[ryansj]

I decided against getting the goat. I have three goats that are less than one year old right now (almost 10 months). I measured them today and they range from 26" to close to 29" at the withers. That helped put the 30" inches into perspective. I worry that the poor guy is full of parasites. His coat doesn't look the best. If I am being told the truth he was purchased from a pack goat breeder and was quite expensive. I am certainly not an expert but I am guessing that he is a victim of bad care. It is sad.