I’m Luke Summerhayes and I love Skiddo.
Goats appear in some European folklore, like with Thor’s sleigh being pulled by goats and the Yule Goat being a straw Christmas tradition. Once upon a time, nature deities were depicted with goat-like legs but as the spread of Christianity sought to demonize pagan imagery, goat-like features became associated with the devil in western minds.
This is a shame, as goats are docile, friendly animals with remarkable endurance and almost supernatural sure-footedness which allows them to climb rock faces of a steepness that appears vertical to us. Humans domesticated goats more than 11,000 years ago, alongside cows and sheep and second only to dogs, man’s original best friend.
Skiddo is a grass-type goat Pokemon whose shaggy goat is made of grass and whose antlers curl up to form perfect handlebars if one wished to ride the Pokemon.
Scarlet
Until recently, people living in the mountains would ride on the back of these Pokémon to traverse the mountain paths.
Goats weren’t quite the first animals that humans domesticated, but they were quite early. Earlier than those animals, though, was the domestication of plants as humans began to farm. By combining a goat and a plant, that explains why
X
Thought to be one of the first Pokémon to live in harmony with humans, it has a placid disposition.
Y
If it has sunshine and water, it doesn't need to eat, because it can generate energy from the leaves on its back.
The name Skiddo combined kid, a child goat, with skidoo, a handlebared vehicle used primarily on surfaces like snow where wheels won’t do the trick – just as goats can cross where other working animals can’t. The Japanese name is Mecle, combining a goat’s sound, meee, with bicycle.
A skiddo might be a little small for me or most of my listeners to ride, but they’ll have more luck when, at level 32, it evolves into Gogoat.
Gogoat is a bigger, sturdier goat which can be ridden by anyone. In fact, players could ride a Gogoat in Pokemon X and Y, the first games to allow riding on pocket monsters beyond surfing, though they hadn’t quite ditched the traditional bicycle or replaced the old HM moves yet.
X
It can tell how its Trainer is feeling by subtle shifts in the grip on its horns. This empathic sense lets them run as if one being.
Although goats were domesticated a long time ago, moreso than cows or sheep their relatives are still quite prevalent as wild animals. Wild herds of Gogoat are also up in the mountains.
Violet
These Pokémon live in herds in mountainous places. The victor in their contests of clashing horns will become the leader of the herd.

The name Gogoat is the same in Japanese and English, combining goat, the animal, and go, the verb.
While people can go places by riding them, they may also chant “go” in battle. Gogoat is not huge on the competitive scene, but nice bulk and array of moves and abilities that can boost attack, speed or defence give it some options.
These days, we often hear people or things called the GOAT – the Greatest of all Time. Skiddo and Gogoat aren’t my personal favorite Pokemon, but the beautiful thing about Pokemon is that you know that for someone out there, these critters are indeed the GOAT.
Music for Luke Loves Pokemon is by Jonathan Cromie. Artwork for the show is by Katie Groves. If you enjoy the podcast, find out about my other shows at podcastiopodcastius.org, get in touch on bluesky @podcastpodcast, or support the show at patreon.com/podcastiopodcastius.
I love hearing from Listeners! Up next are pancham and furfrou, so hit me up about those or any other Pokemon. Even if you don’t feel like doing any of that, thank you so much for listening.
I love Flabebe. And remember, I love you too