I decided to look up the origin of the phrase “Get your Goat”. It is something i have heard all my life and knew it meant to annoy or anger someone but how did it start? The expression comes from a tradition in horse racing. The night before a race they would place a goat in the stall with high-stung thoroughbreds. It was believed to have a calming effect on on the horses. If someone wanted a horse to race poorly they would remove the goat to unsettle the horse, hence “got your goat”.
I have to say that goats are wonderful creatures. They have great fun personalities. Spending time in the field with them was rather calming so I can see how the thought of placing them with a racehorse would calm them.