How Goat Yoga Helps You Disconnect From Stress

The origins of goat yoga began nearly a decade ago. Since that time, goat yoga has taken the United States by storm. From participating in goat yoga on farms to mobile goat yoga, people cannot get enough of being around the gentle animals while they work to calm their bodies and minds through intentional movement.

While yoga has been around for thousands of years, goat yoga is a much more recent offshoot of the ancient practice. Despite its popularity, the original goat yoga class was not meant to be anything more than a novelty. However, after the demand proved to be great, it was clear that lightning in a bottle had been captured, and the practice of goat yoga was born.

What Is Goat Yoga?

The practice of yoga has been around for up to 10,000 years, by some accounts. It was started to bring together the mind, body, and spirit so that participants could experience inner peace. Those who teach goat yoga want attendees to feel relaxed and peaceful when their session ends. By intertwining the practice of yoga with the calming effects of goats, this is easily achieved.

When goat yoga is practiced, participants and goats have the opportunity to mingle with one another in a serene outdoor setting. This allows for a few moments of bonding before the class begins. Once the class starts, the goats will wander around the participants. Some goats may lie down, while others may ask for attention. The entire experience is meant to be lighthearted, with participants encouraged to pet the goats if they wish to do so. Between practicing yoga, being outdoors, and having the therapeutic effects of being around goats, participants leave in a blissful state, significantly more relaxed than they were several hours earlier in the day.

The Origins of Goat Yoga

There are several organizations that claim to have started the goat yoga movement. Each has a story as to how they incorporated goats in the practice of yoga. But, there is one organization that brought goat yoga to life with its first class in 2016, and the originator, Lainey Morse, has not looked back since.

Original Goat Yoga was started in August 2016. Contacted by Heather Davis, a local Oregon yoga instructor, Morse opened the back field of her farm in Oregon to a yoga class. At that time, goats, chickens, and even a barn cat approached participants, asking for attention.

Given the success of the first class, Morse scheduled a few more and got the word out about the classes by writing to Modern Farmer. The magazine published an article about the first class, and goat yoga classes quickly became viral. Morse was as surprised as anyone by the reaction to goat yoga. But sensing that she had something “really special” on her hands, Morse went all in and turned goat yoga into a business.

“I had NO idea that it would snowball like it did. I mean…it’s GOAT YOGA, who could have ever really known that it would go viral and take the world by storm?” Morse says. “I did know that I had something really special because so many people were just blown away by how it made them feel. Calm, relaxed, happy, joyful, and probably most important, it made them forget about their stress, the world problems, politics, and whatever else; it all just melts away when you’re around the goats.”

Since that time, there have been imitators who have tried to recreate the goat yoga magic Morse captured that day on the farm. Some businesses have even survived. Many, however, have not. Morse, herself, has even dealt with setbacks over the years, specifically with COVID. But just like in 2016 when people were looking for a way to deal with stress and find a healthy way to unwind, they are looking for the same today. This is why, in a sea of imitators, the Original Goat Yoga, headquartered at No Regrets Farm in Bellfountain, Oregon, has not only stood out but has thrived.

How Goats Enhance Yoga

Yes, goats will participate in the yoga experience. Do they do yoga moves with those being instructed through a class? The answer to that, according to Morse, is no.

“Let’s be clear, the goats are not the ones doing yoga,” Morse states. “The humans are doing yoga, and the goats just want to be near the humans because they are giving them love and affection and petting them.”

This could mean that the goats might actually be a distraction to those who are attempting to do a yoga pose, which could be off-putting to some. But for those who want to snuggle and give attention to goats while being outdoors in a tranquil farm setting, and do not mind if a yoga pose or two are missed, goat yoga might just be the perfect way to unwind.

Goats Are Never Forced to Participate

More often than not, goats are very happy animals. But those who have ever been around goats know they can be stubborn animals when they want to be. Consequently, when it comes to the goats that participate in the yoga experience with Original Goat Yoga, Morse says the goats on her farm are never forced to participate with clientele if they do not want to.

“There are times when the goats would rather graze or nap, and I don’t force the goats to participate. If they want to be with people, they will,” Morse tells A-Z Animals. “I know there are other goat yoga businesses that coax goats on people’s backs with treats, but I don’t care for that at my farm. I like it to be an organic and relaxing experience.”

However, Morse explains that goats more often than not want to be involved, given all the love and attention they receive from those participating in the yoga experience.

“Goats are very social and loving animals if raised with love and affection. My goats will just want to lie down next to you on your yoga mat and snuggle in with you,” Morse explains. “They may jump up on your back, which is a cute picture, but that was never the point of goat yoga. It was about getting outdoors in a beautiful setting, connecting with loving and social animals, and disconnecting from stress.”

Just because goats want to participate does not mean they will always go to every person equally. This has a lot to do with the energy people project, which can either attract or deter goats from approaching.

The Happier the Person, the More Goats Like Them

When participating in yoga that involves goats, there are some people to whom goats tend to gravitate more than others. This is not a figment of imagination. According to Morse, the happier the person, the more goats want to be around them.

“Goats ARE more attracted to people that are smiling!” Morse explains to A-Z Animals. “I always tell all our clients this because there have been times where people are not smiling and the goats don’t go to them.”

In fact, there is scientific evidence to support this. According to a 2018 study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, goats have learned to read facial cues from people.

Goats were taught to walk across an enclosure to look at different black and white photographs of both men and women. Some of the pictures were of smiling, happy faces, while others depicted anger. The majority of the goats congregated around the smiling pictures, preferring them over the angry ones.

“These findings suggest that the ability of animals to perceive human facial cues is not limited to those with a long history of domestication as companions, and therefore may be far more widespread than previously believed,” the study says.

This information not only means that there may be more animals that can perceive how people are feeling, but it may also improve the treatment domestic animals receive, with the knowledge that they can decipher how their caretakers are feeling.

What does this mean for those participating in goat yoga? It means come to the experience with an open mind, a positive attitude, and of course, a smile. Goats will be more receptive to interacting, fostering an environment of relaxation and peace, leaving both people and animals better for the time spent together in the process.