Lucinda and Lavender

After the foot and mouth epidemic, we found another place to live, and were also able to start looking for a companion for Daisy who had been on her own long enough.

It didn't take long, (it never does actually, I'm sure word gets round in the animal kingdom that there' 'vacancies' at the 'mad' woman's place ) anyway I heard about two pygmy goats, I had only been looking for one really, but once seen I have to follow it up. They weren't exactly ill treated inasmuch as they had been fed and given some sort of shelter, but they have suffered at the hands of a 'dear child' who delighted in poking and prodding them with sticks, and throwing stones at them, in my opinion, it is HE who should have been kept in a cage ! anyway they just weren't wanted anymore.

I went along to see them and was introduced to Lucinda and Lavender, and as usual it was love at first sight, they were smaller than Daisy, still horned though ! and a delightful lavender brownish colour. They were terrified as I approached, goodness only knows what they thought I was going to do to them ! I couldn't bring them home at that time as the owners had not applied for the movement licence, particularly important in the country at that time after the foot and mouth, so I had to wait another week or so, they also had to be ear tagged. A stable was made ready for them.

'Collection Day' arrived, they were unceremoniously loaded into a horse box and we started the drive home. I had bought collars and leads for them to help get them about initially, I didn't want them running off, but that's exactly what happened, on getting off the truck, Lucinda bolted before having chance to get the collar and lead on her, she just shot straight over a stock fence which I'm sure she couldn't have done if she hadn't been so scared, and she ended up to her 'knees' in mud in the moat that surrounds the farmhouse.

It took several people to get her out, and they were both led to the stable, shaking with fear. In fact they shook with fear for about three weeks, they didn't come out at all as they were too traumatised with the move. I spent literally hours in there with them, I had a small old three legged stool I would take in there and sit for hours just talking so that they could hear my voice, I even read them stories - YES I DID !! (actually their favourite was The Three Billy Goats Gruff !)

I bought bottles of lavender oil, sprinkling it all around the stable to calm them down, and always putting drops on the back of their necks too. It took time, but it all worked, gradually, they walked up to me, took a tidbit from my hand and ran off again. The first time they came out was awful, on their leads of course, they just didn't know where they were or which way to go, trying to get them to get some exercise was difficult to say the least, it started at about 5 minutes a day and worked up to an hour or so.

Anyway, the end result of all this, is two beautiful little girls, fully integrated with Daisy my older goat, all friends.

The 'girls' have become so cheeky, they now wonder around the farm freely, and come running up to me when I call, I never thought it would happen !

But my greatest achievement is this, I have taught them to beg and take biscuits from my mouth !! in fact it was a silly thing to do really, because now they jump up at me every time they see me, sometimes they take me by surprise and knock me over, I end up in a puddle of mud, giggling with two ' soppy' goats licking me !! I have some pics of them taking the biscuits, but they're not digital pics, so I have to scan them through, and unfortunately, can't find the software to the scanner right now, but I will get it sorted soon.