This story was originally published on 1/12/2010 on the old Pack Goat Forums, which is now defunct. I dug it out of the archives and moved it here so it does not become lost in the mists of time… enjoy!

Emotions ran high in the Hassey Household this evening. It was a fine day today, so I put Cuzco on his tether in the vacant field next to our house so he could browse. I went late for my afternoon run, so it was getting dark when I got home and moved Cuzco into the yard. I was unhooking his chain when my goat fairly attacked me! I could hardly move him to the gate because he was on his hind legs, whirling, posturing, and waving his horn threateningly at me any time I came near him. I managed to grab him by the ear as he charged past me, and I wrestled him into the yard before he tore loose, backed up and came at me again.

And then it happened… my goat butted me! It wasn’t very hard–it didn’t hurt. But he actually backed up and charged, smacking me in the side of the leg. That’s when I decided I’d truly had it with that beast! I grabbed Cuzco by the horn and shoved his face into the dirt. Then I grabbed the scruff on his back and dug my nails in and twisted until he was forced to his knees. From there I wrestled him to the ground and sat on him. From the awkward position on his back, he lunged at me with his teeth and tried to swat me with his front hooves. We sat there for a long time before I was confident I’d won the battle. I slowly got up and Cuzco rolled over onto his side where he lay like a dead goat until I was well and truly away from him. Once he was on his feet, he looked me over briefly as though he was sizing me up, then he wisely turned and hid in his shed.

I stood there, contemplating the event and wondering what on earth could have made Cuzco so hostile. I’ll admit that once in a while he does give me a bit of guff as though testing the waters, but never has he outright attacked me, and never has it been so hard to put him in his place. As I stood there thinking, the light from the back porch fell across my shoulders, casting my shadow on the side of Cuzco’s shed. And suddenly I saw what I’d forgotten and Cuzco had observed–I was wearing the Horned Hat!