We
had the vet out on Thursday to give them their check-ups, and to make
certain that the little ones have a healthy life ahead of them.
In keeping with theme of this post, here are some random goat facts:
Goats were the first animals domesticated by man somewhere between 7000 - 10000 BC.
The ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Cephranes was buried with more than 2000 goats
Goats live up to 8 - 12 years.
There are over 200 recognised breeds of goat.
Did you know that there is a breed of goat call the 'Fainting Goat' (scientific name - Myotonic Goats)?
These
goats have been the source of much hilarity on web videos, when a
farmer runs up to them with an umbrella and the whole herd keels over in
what appears to be a dead faint.
Yet
despite appearances, these goats aren't simply weak of heart or
abnormally prone to fright. In fact, fainting goats don't actually faint
or lose consciousness at all during these episodes. Due to a congenital
medical condition known in layman's terms as Thomsen's Disease, the
goats muscles tense up when the animal is startled, and don't
immediately relax.
No pain is caused to them when they 'faint', so don't feel bad for laughing at the video below!
This is what one of our guests had to
say. They booked through a travel agency called Dream Destinations
"Dear
Yolande, (Dream Destinations Travel Agent) a simple note this of thanks to
yourself, for setting up a fabulous weekend, and in the hope that some feedback
may be useful.
We found Le Pommier exactly what we had been hoping for: the hospitality was
typically Boland, as was the attention to detail and luxury. We were upgraded
to the Superior suite, at Banhoek, without any additional charge, after we'd
mistakenly gone into Banhoek and the management saw how much we liked it. The
room gave us a spectacular view on Simonsberg and the farms beneath it, as well
as quiet: I think Le Pommier is slightly further away from Helshoogte Pass than
the other guest houses, and the quiet this gives is a huge plus.
Great fireplace, bathtub & shower, breakfast, and again the view: we got to
watch a few of the changing moods of the Simonsberg, took two walks including a
long one on Sunday, across and up the foothills of the mountain (thanks to
permission from a kind farmer we bumped into).
Btw, the spa is generally booked out at least two days before the weekend. I
think it may be run by one person. We got outdoors, much better than any spa,
but this simply FYI.