We put big round bales of hay out for the ponies every week and as soon as the goats are let out they run down to eat it with them. The ponies don’t mind, there is plenty for everyone and they are happy to see their goat friends. The goats have only recently started going out in the fields again, they are Anglo-Nubians and obviously remember that they originated in a hot country. These are the biblical goats you can see in old pictures and they like to be warm and dry. Mud, rain, wind, snow, wet – no thank you! It’s not that the goats need to eat the ponies’ hay, they have racks of hay in their indoor pens. Other people’s food always tastes nicer though doesn’t it?
The young goats are inquisitive and always want to know what’s going. As soon as they see me they leave the adults to come and see if I have anything especially good to give them – Apples? Carrotts? Biscuits? They like these better than anything else although I’m not sure that they are good for them except as an occasional titbit. Goats are curious creatures and, combined with their intelligence and ability to think quickly, this gets them into all sorts of mischief. The ponies are Sundance on the left and Pixie is the woolly brown blur, practically buried in the hay, on the right.
Any help caring for the goats and ponies and helping us to rescue them would be very much appreciated. It’s still legal in the U.K. to ritually slaughter goats. Hard to believe in this so-called civilised world isn’t it? There is no justification for this barbaric method of slaughter. Please help us in our rescues and our campaigns if you can. Even a small amount makes a big difference. We have a direct debit form (£2.00 a month?) and would be delighted to send it to you if you let us have your name and address. Many thanks. [donate]