how to train goats

[markc]

Forget the goats, Defra compliance is a nightmare.

for brambles and rough grass, hire a walk behind flail mower (often called a Scag mower although that’s just a manufacturer of several rough mowers) or even local farmer should have a flail or topper that will cope with anything upto a sapling.

[ToughButterCup]

Kept goats free on the Malvern Hills for years. ( 1960s: Commoner grazing rights)

Some stayed,  one or two just buggered off, sometimes bought back by - politely annoyed - neighbours. 

 

Flail, scythe, forget the problem, find a suitable teenager,  hire a Pyrenean  goatherd. 

[Oz07]

6 hours ago, scottishjohn said:

talking to a local farmer who had goats --he says no --they will just wander off

Don't you own a whole quarry?

[scottishjohn]

3 hours ago, Oz07 said:

Don't you own a whole quarry?

I used to but sold off bits to pay for the build 

 

If i did then it wouldn,t be a problem --they couldn,t climb out of it

[scottishjohn]

4 hours ago, ToughButterCup said:

Kept goats free on the Malvern Hills for years. ( 1960s: Commoner grazing rights)

Some stayed,  one or two just buggered off, sometimes bought back by - politely annoyed - neighbours. 

 

Flail, scythe, forget the problem, find a suitable teenager,  hire a Pyrenean  goatherd. 

its not the 60,s they all want silly rate per hour and never break sweat

[scottishjohn]

6 hours ago, markc said:

Forget the goats, Defra compliance is a nightmare.

for brambles and rough grass, hire a walk behind flail mower (often called a Scag mower although that’s just a manufacturer of several rough mowers) or even local farmer should have a flail or topper that will cope with anything upto a sapling.

they don,t hire they out without an operator -- so its £100+ an hour

[ToughButterCup]

11 hours ago, scottishjohn said:

its not the 60,s they all want silly rate per hour and never break sweat

 

So forget the problem.

[Post and beam]

On 25/08/2026 at 21:03, scottishjohn said:

£100 an hour with operator

 

Interested in contact details of anyone offering this.

[markc]

12 hours ago, scottishjohn said:

they don,t hire they out without an operator -- so its £100+ an hour

Here you go, one of many places that do hire them without an operator.

[scottishjohn]

5 hours ago, markc said:

Here you go, one of many places that do hire them without an operator.

would not do 

ihave 45degree bankings --would need to be a tracked remote unit

[FarmerN]

Discussion of virtual fencing here on Farming Forum

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/virtual-fences-on-sucklers.443706/

Not on goats mind.

[Bancroft]

On 25/08/2026 at 11:08, trialuser said:

Do goats respect electric fencing, or snazzy geofenced shock collars?

Jeremy Clarkson seemed to have some success with geofencing them.  And I think he rented them from someone who actually hires them out so a business opportunity there too.

[Beau]

We used to have goats when I was youngun and they were buggers to keep in!

 

What worked was electric fencing or tethers. We tried the netting type electric fencing but the horned goat one day appeared in the yard with the fence wrapped around her horns like candyfloss. An electric line along the top of the hedge bank worked well though.