How to make farm animal friends without getting bitten—or spit on

Purdue sophomore Cheyenne Tate and horse snaps.

There are hundreds of cute faces to see in the fair's animal barns, and making sure that their interactions are non-stressful for them is as important as the joy of petting a goat.

This was the first year of a Purdue University program to bring animals into every animal barn specifically for public interaction.

Each barn has stalls of animals and a Purdue animal sciences student as an attendant to answer questions so fairgoers can be educated and have the opportunity to interact with the animals in that barn.

"The show animals, they don't necessarily like the public to come up, and every animal is different on what they do like and don't like," said Purdue sophomore Cheyenne Tate.

"These animals [in the Purdue displays], they pick them specifically to where they have … some human interaction and they're OK with most of the stuff that the public will do."

How to pet a horse

Professional horse trainer and driver Jason Honsberger.

For the most part, it's like going up to somebody's dog. "You go up slow, let them know you're there, and don't startle them or surprise or anything," said professional horse trainer and driver of 30 years, Jason Honsberger.

Horses may be roped far back into their stalls if the owners know they won't enjoy the attention.

"Usually, most of the horses, they'd love attention. If they don't, they go to the back of the stall. But they come up here [to the front of the stall] for the most part if they want some attention," Hosenberger said.

The safest bet for petting a horse is on the shoulders, sides, bridge of the nose and neck. Try to avoid things like the eyes, nose, lips, ears, rear, legs and tail.

"You don't want to go and touch them on their rear end … Their natural response is defense," said Honsberger, "just like a dog. If you come up from the side and they don't see you, they might turn and snap at you. Even though they're super nice, ... it's just their way of protecting themselves."

Honsberger also said to avoid the lips, especially if you've had some sweet treats, in case the horses may try to lick the sugar and cinnamon off your fingers.

Llamas and alpacas

Llamas were an early staple of the fair this year and are still available to pet in the front of the horse barn.

"First, like you just kind of have to detect their demeanor. [If] their ears are pinned back or they're kind of just standoffish, they could spit at you, so I would just be aware of that," Tate said.

And although their fluffy coats are so tempting, do not pull on their hair or attempt to poke through it; instead, use long, gentle strokes and flat palms to pet the side of their neck, head or shoulders.

Just like any animal, be aware of llamas and alpacas with babies. Because of their maternal instincts, they may not enjoy you touching them or their kids.

Pigs

Katrina Gangstad, a sophomore at Purdue.

The pigs are moved out for the year, but there is still a station to pet them and their piglets!

Katrina Gangstad, a sophomore at Purdue who helps facilitate the animal experiences, says the main concern is kids being excited and not being gentle enough with them or messing around with the wood shavings.

Pigs enjoy gentle scratches or pets on their body; avoiding the face, legs, etc., is a good way to pet them if you don't know from their owner where they like to be pet.

Cows

Cows are usually near their owners in the cattle barn, so it's easy to ask to see if you can pet them!

First, always approach a cow from the side and let them know you are there. Most cows enjoy being petted around the neck, upper back, or behind the ears, but petting their sides or legs should be avoided.

Always be gentle, and be aware that if a cow has a calf with them, they probably don't want to be bothered.

Goats

You can find a myriad of irresistibly cute goats specifically for petting and feeding at Goat Mountain. They usually enjoy being patted on the head, neck or sides (avoiding sensitive areas like eyes and nose), and don't pet them on their underside, tail, ears or legs.

To feed them, make sure to use a flat hand so they don't accidentally nibble fingers.

Rabbits, poultry and other small animals

Purdue sophomore Ashlynn Smith.

The poultry barn houses the bunnies, chicks, ducks, turkeys and other small animals that are part of the Purdue exhibits.

When petting small animals like these, patrons should pet their backs and only use one or two fingers while being extra aware if the animal seems nervous being touched.

Petting at the Purdue stations holds more advantages, like holding the animals if the instructor permits.

"If people ask to pet or hold them, we'll instruct them on the best way to do it," said Purdue sophomore Ashlynn Smith. "Petting through the cages is OK if the bunny is OK with it, but sometimes we'll just open up a cage and let a little kid pet it on its back or something like that."

Bottom line, for any of these animals, make sure to be gentle with them.

"It's a very stressful time for the animals when they're taken out of their home where they're used to," Tate said. "So I mean, something they might be fine with at home, it could be different here."

For three weeks in summer, The Statehouse File pauses politics to focus on that other great state spectacle: the Indiana State Fair. Look for daily coverage through Aug. 20. Media outlets may use TSF content for free just by retaining the name of author and outlet. For more information, email [email protected].

Arianna Hunt is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

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