Thumbelina Drives Dangerously

Goats are curious creatures who love to jump and climb to high places. Our herd gravitates to woodpiles and to our little Trail Wagon utility vehicle (which we call “the green machine”). For the most part, having goats on the green machine is uneventful, even cute; although I can no longer place food in the bed and expect it to remain out of goat reach. So far placing food on the cab’s roof remains beyond them. I hope that lasts, for having the tall shelf is convenient for me.

Little Thumbelina has taken to hopping into the green machine when I drive, going along for short rides around the barn area. For my part, I have gotten lazy and will hop off of the machine—leaving it running and in gear, but standing in place—to perform quick tasks such as opening a gate or picking up a feed bucket. Recently I hopped out to close a gate leaving Thumbelina in the passenger’s side, and while the brake was set the machine was still in gear. Before I had finished at the gate, I heard a crash of metal on metal.

Miss Thumbelina had taken it upon herself to jump onto the gas pedal while my back was turned, effectively launching the machine on a trajectory that ended with the vehicle’s grille meshed with the chain links of the henhouse door. If her aim was to remind me to take the machine out of gear, or even to shut it off when I step away, well, she succeeded. Untangling the mess she left for me took several minutes and some assistance, but eventually all was set to rights again.

While Thumbelina may still ride with me, I do take precautions against her enthusiasm for driving away unsupervised.