By Jennifer and John Burkhart
Is your workout routine getting a little boring? Or maybe you’re looking for a unique experience to give Mom this year? Farm animals to the rescue! No, really! You can strengthen your core and visit hilarious, hoofed creatures with “goat yoga.” We’d heard about it for a long time and finally tried a class. Goat yoga was an adventure for sure!
He said: I booked this and then sat and pondered how people come up with these ideas. Somewhere, someone had just finished a yoga class and thought, “That was really nice, but it would be so much better if I had a goat standing on my back.” But kudos to whoever dreamed this up because it was surprisingly fun and hilarious. The class took place in an outdoor barn, full of fresh dry hay and surrounded by pine trees. I knew this wasn’t going to be a normal yoga class when the instructor introduced herself and explained that we didn’t have to do yoga, we could just snuggle goats if we wanted. Next came an adorable, Pamplona-style running of the goats. Twenty to 25 full grown goats came charging into the yoga room from across the barn, eager to get food strategically placed on our mats. We did 30 minutes of the easiest yoga poses you can think of while the goats wandered around eating, snuggling, and climbing on people’s backs. We spent the entire hour long class laughing, petting goats, and in between, holding a few yoga poses. Anyone who is a fan of farms, the outdoors, cute animals, and lastly, yoga, will enjoy this class. Plus, the photos will look great on your Instagram.
She Said: I had so many logistical questions going into this. Are the goats arriving at the yoga studio via truck? Will we be in a field in the rain? How many goats are we talking? I’m a yoga rookie, can I do this? In short, yes, anyone can do this. I did more socializing with goats than I did downward dog, and that was A-OK with the instructor. It was part yoga, part animal therapy. We set up in the barn, with yoga mats atop a layer of hay, and a small pile of goat food placed on each mat. Then, the stampede! A small herd of happy goats bounded in the barn with us, greedily snarfing up all the food pellets. Such a fun moment! We began a few poses while the goats wandered around for pets and surfaces to jump on. One moment you’re in a tabletop pose, and the next thing you know, you’re a goat’s next summit challenge. It was a little startling, but gratefully, my goat was only medium-sized, so it didn’t hurt, and actually induced plenty of giggles. Laughing at the goat antics along with 30 other people was the best part. That barn had such a positive vibe – everyone was happy! I’d say the class was definitely more goat therapy than working out, but I’d still recommend it for the uniqueness and entertainment. I left there with a smile on my face, and a true realization of what the hype was all about. And really, how could you not smile after holding two-week-old baby goats?
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