At 225 pounds, Bob is a natural linebacker, while his roommate, and twin brother, Bill, who tips the scales at 200 pounds, was born a philosopher. No one could be prouder of these twin fellows than their parents, Barbara Rich and Howard Freiman of Bayside, California. The fact that the brothers still live at home… and in the barn, no less, doesn’t bother anyone. For you see, Bob and Bill are Lamancha pack goats.

The couple’s first experience with pack goats was in Idaho in 2018 when they rented a pair of pack goats, Buster and Sunuck. They hoped that by using goats to carry part of the load for their planned trek into the Pioneer Mountains would make things a little easier on their knees. At the time, they had no previous goat experience, except having a neighbor and friend of Barbara’s, Karin Eide, with a dairy goat herd. The rental company brought them two goats, Sunuck and Buster, with almost no instructions provided. Still, the four trekkers set out. Barbara said they had quite a few difficulties, but everyone survived, the couple’ knees were happy, and by the end, Howard and Barbara were in love with the goats—and goat packing.

By late 2019 they had decided to get their own pair of wethers (castrated male goats who make the ideal pack goats). Where to buy them was an easy choice, they arranged with their neighbor, Karin, to buy two LaMancha boys during the spring of 2020 kidding season. Well, we all know what happened that year, so by the time the twin boys arrived at the Rich-Freiman home they became the family’s (including three grandchildren) Covid distraction and companions.

The journey hasn’t been all tap-dancing hooves and pampered pets. Bill, called the Philosopher for his seemingly introspective nature (which pretty much tells you why Bob is called the Football Player), suffered some early set backs in the form of bouts of coccidiosis (a common parasitic intestinal infection caused by a protozoan called coccidia). The couple did what all smart goat owners do, they reached out to another local goat mentor as well as to pack goat expert Marc Warnke (packgoats.com and profiled in The Useful Goat). And they learned. And the boys grew.

To date, the Barbara and Howard have done nine wilderness trips with the boys, now six years old. (A goat isn’t mature enough to do full packing until it’s close to four years old, but you can start with light packs at about two.) Barbara said it hasn’t always been easy, they’ve had their mishaps and learning curve. In addition to the big adventures, they do many local hikes and take the goats to the beach. Their dog, Rio, comes too. He even has his own light pack! The couple highly recommends the equipment designed by Marc Warnke at PackGoats.com as well as the training advice he has on his site. (If you end up with my book, The Useful Goat, I think it’s pretty helpful too.) The Rich-Freiman property just happens to have a stream bisecting it. On the other side of the goat barn is a delicious grazing and browsing pasture that Bob and Bill love. This quickly acclimated them to crossing streams, which is often a very difficult skill to teach goats—who are born believing water makes you melt. On their trips, the goats simply follow the couple—no leashes needed. They are, however, tethered at night for safety. Each goat can now carry 35-40 pounds, but the couple have streamlined what they need meaning the goats only carry 20-25 pounds each, with Howard and Barbara also rigged up with their own people-packs.

The couple have obviously done a great job with Bob and Bill and are reaping the benefits of packing into the wilderness without all the aches and strains they used to suffer. I think Bob and Bill found a terrific home, as well as avocations, and frankly, looking at the images Barbara and Howard shared with me is almost enough to make me get goats again and give packing a try!

Almost.

Images by Barbara Rich and Howard Frieman