Ordon Goat

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The Ordon Goat is a species of goat specific to the Ordona Province in Twilight Princess.[1][note 1]

Characteristics

Ordon Goats are roughly around the size of Epona, Link's horse in Twilight Princess, although shorter. The goats have a blue coat and yellow faces. They also have what appears to be rabbit-like ears sticking from their heads, but are actually just part of their hair. The most striking feature of the goat is its enormous horns, which come together to form a complete circle above their heads. These horns are beige and have brown stripes.

It is possible that they may have replaced Cows, as cows and other dairy-producing animals are nowhere to be found in Hyrule during Twilight Princess even though dairy products are widely available.

Lifestyle and Breeding

Link with an Ordon Goat
Link with an Ordon Goat
A development screenshot of Link on Epona inside Ordon Ranch, looking at an Ordon Goat

Ordon Goats are raised as the main livestock of Ordon Village alongside Cuccos. The goats are held and raised in Ordon Ranch, located south of the village and owned by Fado. Fado's job is to ensure the goats' well being and herd them, and he employs Link as a ranch-hand to round them up into the barn with Epona.[3] Fado often slips up and is known to accidentally let goats escape the ranch,[4] forcing one of the villagers to grab onto their horns and stop them in its tracks.

The goats are raised to produce Milk, much like a real goat would. The milk can also be turned into circular, yellow Cheese in the shape of a donut, recalling the characteristic shape of an Ordon Goat's horns. Besides having the goats produce food for the village, it would also seem that Ordon Village ships many of its livestock goods to other parts of Hyrule—milk is sold in a select few shops in other places of Hyrule, and Link can obtain some Ordon Goat Cheese in Snowpeak Ruins.[5] Drinking goat milk restores one's health, and the cheese can be used to make Superb Soup that heals even more.

The Ordon Goats are regarded to be very important to the lifestyle and economy of Ordon Village. The village shows a few goat themes as decoration, such as the sign posts and Ordon Shield having Ordon Goat horns.

Goat-Herding Minigame

Herding the goats is offered as a mini-game which requires Link, riding Epona, to herd the goats into the barn as a timer counts. Link is supposed to ride Epona, chase after the goats, and force them to run back into the barn, which they will automatically do when nearing the barn's entry. Hollering at the goats will make them run faster, but if they are pushed too far, they will glow red and headbutt Epona, causing Link to fall off. Two rounds of this mini-game must be played in order for Link to progress further in the game. The first time there is no timer, and only ten goats are in the ranch; the second time there is a timer (although Link can still take his time), and twenty goats are present. After Link retrieves Epona, the minigame can be played once more, and Link has to herd twenty goats in three minutes. If he succeeds, Fado will reward him with a Piece of Heart.

Behavior

Ordon Goats are, when provoked, quite formidable. If struck by one of Link's weapons, they will turn red in a fit of rage and angrily charge at the young hero. The only way to stop them is to grab their horns and flip them over onto their side. If Link fails to do this, he will be knocked over but will not lose any hearts. If Link is too late to grab them or lets go of the button too early, Link will be knocked over but the goat will also stop and calm down. Link can also flip them over while they are grazing which will cause them to charge at the player. Despite this aggression, they usually eat grass and are no threat.

Trivia

  • When Link has approached an Ordon Goat, he can gently pet it. Petting a goat merely makes the goat raise its head, which is usually pointed towards the ground, and briefly bleat. Later on in the game, standing in front of an Ordon Goat will give one the option to grab its horns and flip it over, which will make it angrily charge at Link.
    • There are a select few goats within the ranch that will also attack Link if he approaches them in his Wolf form, though most of them will simply run away from him.
  • Ordon Goats can also be found Hyrule Castle Town's westeast in the Wii version road next to Charlo the beggar.

Nomenclature

Names in Other Regions
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Notes

  1. Ordon Goat was simplified as only Goat in Encyclopedia.[2] This is taken as the shortened version of the full Canon name, Ordon Goat.

References

  1. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 133
  2. Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 63
  3. Sorry to get you over here in such a hurry, Link! These guys have been awful skittish lately. They won't listen to a word I say. Sorry to ask, bud, but how's about you an' Epona herd 'em into the barn real quick? We ain't got much time, so you think you can do it for me? — Fado (Twilight Princess)
  4. WHOOOOOOOAAA!!! A GOAT GOT LOOSE! IT'S HEADIN' FOR TOWN! SOMEBODY STOP IT! — Fado (Twilight Princess)
  5. What happened, uh? ...What?! Cheese... — Yeta (Twilight Princess)