Ponyta and Rapidash are not native to Kalos, but its kings have rarely had cause to import them, for Gogoat have long been preferred in their place. Gogoat suffer a type disadvantage against the fire equines, but war is not merely an issue of type matchups; Gogoat are sturdier pokemon who are capable of carrying heavier, armored riders, and through the grip on their horns can virtually read their minds; this offers them an exceptionable maneuverability that more than compensates for their significantly lower speed. Kalos and its Gogoat have been more than able to hold their own against Rapidash cavalry throughout most of Kalos' wars, although it must be noted that custom and inertia also have much to do with the continued preference for Gogoat cavalry until the era of gunpowder.
Although Skiddo are common pokemon, used even by peasants, Gogoat were considered a mark of the nobility. Peasants, rarely able to afford more than a single Skiddo which they must rely on for personal transport, often struggled to train them; those few able to evolve them, despite the increased social status owning one conferred, were often been tempted by a richer man's offers of purchase.
Legally, the ownership of a Gogoat qualified one in the feudal system for membership in the nobility, but as knights had to supply their own armor, it was rarely sufficient for them to discharge one's duties; many sold their Gogoat and titles for the promise of a safer life as a merchant or yeoman farmer. Nonetheless, Gogoat have also been prized by peasants for the social mobility they provided, and many worked hard to raise their Skiddo and work their way up the ranks of power; a few lowborn Gogoat trainers even became chief advisors to kings.
