Moses the Cheerful

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Meet Moses—not a donkey but a Nigerian Dwarf goat.

He’s quite the old man.  These goats normally live 12 – 14 years, and Moses will be 15 this spring. Moses has lived his entire life at a farm across the valley from ours. He came to our neighbors when he was four days old, and he was bottle fed by our neighbors’ children. He was neutered and had his horns removed early. Later Moses became a 4H goat, and he went on to become a reining county champion.  He was brushed, clipped, he traveled, walked on a lead, hiked with the family, was given treats, and doted on.

His companions the past 14 years have been a horse and another goat. Recently the horse died, and six weeks ago his goat friend was taken by a cougar. Seemed like sad times for Moses.

Then my neighbor heard I was losing one of my donkeys, and she called to see if Moses might come here to live and be a companion for Ziggy.  I’ve never had a goat, but I have heard they can be good friends with donkeys, so I said yes.

Moses has been here a week, and he’s captured all the human hearts, but he and Ziggy don’t quite understand each other yet. And our dogs, the three bird dogs—are just a little too interested in Moses.  I’d say everyone was in a transition except for Moses.

Within hours he was napping twice a day on a straw bed in Ziggy’s stall, relishing Ziggy’s grass hay, and savoring the trees, donkey toys, earthen mounds, and fresh winter air blowing through Ziggy’s paddock. Meanwhile the dogs and the donkey stand outside the fence transfixed by this strange looking bearded creature who has taken over the barn.

Moses the Cheerful lives on, so stay tuned, and we will see how everyone else fits into his life.