We acquired our 2 Pyrenean goats, Josephine & Clochette, soon after we first moved in, during the summer of 2014. They have no purpose at all; we do not milk them or breed from them, they are just my pets! Matt is, shall we just say, less fond of the goats! It's true that they are naughty and get out of any paddock, ending up in the house eating the table flowers, snoozing in the dogs bed, on the cars or eating one of the few plants we have actually planted to look nice or eat ourselves! It really does annoy Matt however, when they get on the roof and break tiles!
But I love them and anyway, they are on our logo so they have to stay!
I have nursed both of them back to good health after having quite bad injuries which had made me feel closer to both of them, and probably as a result, they will follow me anywhere. A couple of years ago, Josephine tried to jump out of a fenced paddock but fell and her 2 back legs were temporarily paralysed, and recently Clochette not so cleverly took on a wild boar (she was probably protecting the sheep) and got a bad injury on her udder from the tusks.
So what I really like to do is go for a little hike with the goats and dogs; a loop which takes you on a gentle climb behind the house, down on to the forestry track and opens out onto impressive views of Mount Canigou and Batere. The goats love it because there is some great rock climbing to be done, and at the moment, lots of blackberries to eat!
It is beautiful to see happy Pyrenean mountain goats in their natural habitat; amazing to see how easily they climb steep rock faces with no fear, loving the physical challenge.
There is something very peaceful and simple about walking in nature with goats or sheep, and sitting with them while they graze. It's not something many people have the opportunity to do and I feel very fortunate to be able to do this in such a stunningly beautiful part of the world.