A Baby Goat Jumps, Faints Stiff-Legged, and Pops Right Back Up

Quick Take

• The reason goats appear to faint has nothing to do with being scared, and the real cause is far stranger than you might expect. Meet the fainting goat →
• What looks like fainting isn't actually fainting at all, and what's really happening is even more surprising. See what really happens →
• Only one goat breed is wired this way, and the quirk that makes them dramatic also makes them unforgettable. The one unique breed →
• A single genetic mutation turns everyday excitement into a full-body spectacle, and it kicks in faster than you would expect. See the mutation in action →

Some soccer players have a reputation for dramatic reactions on the field. Whether they’re upset about a call or exaggerating an injury, the drama can be entertaining to watch. However, some animals may be even more dramatic. This Instagram post by @meanwhilefarm shows a goat making a small jump with a dramatic reaction.

Baby Goat’s Dramatic Fainting

The video above is one of the cutest things you’ll see all week. A baby goat that climbed up a few stairs makes a dramatic jump off the top. For its size, the jump is probably extremely daring; however, from our perspective, it’s funny to watch. The most surprising moment comes after it lands when its legs suddenly stiffen, and it topples over and falls with all of its legs sticking up straight into the air. After only a second or two, it stands up again to get right back to playing. This video is both a funny and cute look at a surprising phenomenon in goats, as fainting is more common than you might think.

Goats faint for a reason you might not expect. While it might seem like they are scared off by practically everything around them, there is a complex underlying reason for this behavior. Due to a genetic mutation called myotonia congenita, sudden movement, excitement, or being startled makes the goat’s muscles contract tightly. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t actually lose consciousness; they remain awake the entire time. The muscle contraction causes their legs to become rigid, as seen in the video above. While many people associate goats with fainting, not all breeds have this condition. It is most strongly associated with myotonic goats, also known as Tennessee fainting goats. However, the underlying mutation can also appear in other breeds, such as the Nigerian Dwarf. This condition results in amusing videos like the one above.