What Is Goat Yoga? 

Goat yoga – a practice that sounds made-up but is very real. It is the practice of yoga with a catch. You are doing this with several baby goats roaming around the class! 

Although it sounds strange, we can guarantee that you will be smiling the entire time throughout the class, as you won’t be able to take your eyes off every adorable creature in the room. 

What Is Goat Yoga? 

These kids may nibble on your toes and even climb on top of you as you practice certain poses, but as they are babies, all they want to do is get close to humans and see what they’re up to! 

You also have nothing to worry about, as these adorable cuties have their trainers in the class, where they will feed them and stop them from munching on any ponytails. 

Origins Of Goat Yoga

Unlike the practice of yoga that originated many years ago, Goat yoga is a relatively recent development that started in 2016. 

The founder of this fabulous idea is Lainey Morse. She owned some goats where she lived in Albany, Oregon, and was experiencing a hard time in her personal life. However, being around her cute little goats brightened her mood every day, and she found that this was an excellent form of therapy for the soul and mind. 

She then wanted to help others who were also having a hard time, so she introduced ‘goat happy hours’ to people who lived locally and wanted some happiness therapy. 

She explained this to her friend, who happened to be a yoga instructor. Here, the combination of goats and yoga was created to lift people’s spirits, creating emotional positivism. 

Once goat yoga began, it became trendy around North America. However, the idea has now spread around different parts of the globe, and you can also take part in goat yoga in the United Kingdom! 

Benefits Of Goat Yoga 

There are attractive benefits to practicing yoga, and there are benefits to spending time with goats. Therefore, the combination of both makes for an array of reasons why you should take part in this form of adorable yoga. 

Physical 

Yoga is known for its phenomenal physical benefits. Some of these include cardiovascular benefits and increased flexibility and posture. 

Some forms of yoga are more fast-paced, increasing your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. However, even the slower forms of yoga can increase your heart rate as you use certain muscles to hold particular poses for an extended period. 

This also gets your muscles to work harder, making them more robust over time. 

The poses you hold will also make you more flexible and improve your posture. 

As baby goats are roaming around the class simultaneously, some may argue that the physical benefits aren’t as present in goat yoga. In contrast, others say that focusing on these little kids makes you forget you are participating in physical activity, meaning you are performing better as you are distracted. 

Mental 

While this is far from a traditional yoga experience, it will put you in a good mood. 

Yoga reduces the stress hormone cortisol, and spending time with animals is also known to reduce this – combine both, and you’ll feel fabulous!

Yoga and being around animals are also known to ease anxiety symptoms, so engaging in goat yoga that combines both aspects is a great way to reduce any of these symptoms.

The same goes for any feelings of depression. In addition, being around these little goats while practicing yoga is known to make practitioners laugh, enhancing a positive mood. 

Laughter Therapy

Several studies have been done on laughter therapy. It shows a positive effect on the immune system, lowered cortisol levels, and increased dopamine and serotonin activity – both known as ‘happy hormones. 

Laughter Therapy

Therefore, engaging in this form of yoga will have you giggling and laughing, altering your mood while you work your body. 

Final Thoughts 

Though unconventional, this exercise adds an adorable twist to traditional yoga, having you grinning from ear to ear throughout. 

The mood-lifting benefits make this a fantastic option if you’re ever feeling down in the dumps, and the best part is that you get to exercise and move your body simultaneously! 

We’re sure that you’ll never go back once you try goat yoga! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Goat Yoga Fair To Goats? 

Goats are very carefree farm animals and are very happy. In a goat yoga session, trained goat handlers are with you, ensuring the goats are as happy as the yogis. 

These goats are also trained to be around humans, and their trainers will also give you plenty of information on how best to treat these goats and stay safe around them throughout the class. 

Is Goat Yoga Dangerous? 

Goat yoga is mainly done with baby goats, as they are less likely to harm you as they are smaller. This form of yoga is always practiced on a certified farm, with trained yoga teachers and goat handlers, so these sessions should always be safe for humans and goats. 

It is important to remember that goats are animals and enjoy jumping and climbing. As mentioned in the article, they may climb onto your back when performing certain poses, but as the goats are babies, this should never hurt you. 

The goats may also nibble on your mat or even your toes or clothing, but their handlers will always be around, ensuring they don’t get into any areas where they don’t belong. 

What should you wear for goat yoga? 

Regular comfortable workout gear is fine for goat yoga, but you should avoid clothing that is too loose in case the goats grab hold of it.

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