If you're a yogi or just someone who's up on Instagram culture, you've probably heard of goat yoga (or "goga"). The idea got its start after Yoga Girl founder Rachel Brathen began posting videos of herself in various yoga poses with her baby goat, Penny. Before long, celebrities like Amy Smart and Kate Beckinsale were flooding our Instagram feeds with Vinyasa hilarity, and goat yoga classes began popping up on farms and in studios all over the country.
So, what happens when you combine the adorableness of baby goats with the benefits of a calming yoga class? Up for anything - including an hour of literal sh*ts and giggles - I decided to give it a try.
Inside the Class
Goat yoga classes are fairly traditional in the sense that you move through a basic flow, guided by an instructor - with one obvious distinction, of course: goats roam the class.
Upon entering the room, we were warned to hide all our belongings; otherwise, the goats would eat them (naturally). We kicked things off with a little meet-and-greet with two friendly Nigerian Dwarf goats - one fully grown and one still a baby - then it was on to standard Cow/Cat stretches and Downward Dogs.
The goats wander around the room, crawling under and around you as you move from one pose to the next, and often hopping from one person's back to another. While the poses were simple enough that anyone could master them, the added weight from the goats (though lighter than I expected) pushed me to dive deeper into the poses and work a bit harder to maintain my balance.
Understandably, my classmates and I were more focused on snapping selfies with the goats than actually perfecting the moves, but it was all in good fun. Even when the goats pooped on us (twice). The instructor smartly referred to this as getting "blessed."
So, Would I Do It Again?
Goat yoga is definitely an experience I think everyone should try at least once. Prices are comparable to that of a traditional yoga class, depending on the host or studio, and obviously these classes deliver more belly laughs. Some (like mine) come with a calming sound bath, while others offer beer tastings or other fun activities. And most carve out at least 15 minutes for you to get to know the goats before the class starts.
I wouldn't say I got a killer workout, because I'm someone who appreciates a good yoga class that leaves me limber and a little sore the next day. However, it's not really the type of class you go to for a good sweat. Save that for a hot yoga day and just come ready to play around, laugh, and make some memories with some new friends. (That kind of happiness has health benefits, too.)
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