Move over doga, goga -- or goat yoga -- is the latest fitness trend. No Regrets farm in Albany, Oregon is starting to offer goat yoga classes, since the first session was a hit. From looking at how fast the September classes sold out, goat yoga may catch on nationwide.
"Goat Yoga is a yoga class that is held in the back field of my farm," Lainey Morse, the farm owner, told Modern Farmer in an email. "My goats are all very social and friendly so they graze and sit and lie down next to everyone." She owns a mixture of Nigerian dwarf and pygmy goats, as well as one full-sized Boer.
The idea was born when No Regrets farm hosted a children's birthday party. A parent, who happened to be a yoga instructor, asked if she could host a yoga class at the farm. The stunning landscape was the ideal location to hold a class and the farm animals added a therapeutic feeling to it.
Earlier this summer, that same yoga instructor taught the first class at the farm and it was a success. Some attendees drove 100 miles from Portland to relax among the farm animals. Morse's goats and chickens were let loose while the class was in session. Her barn cat made an appearance here and there. The creatures acted as therapy animals while the yogis watched and petted them.
In the future, Morse hopes to specialize in providing animal-assisted therapy for people with special needs or disabilities as well as those who are suffering from grief. Even though the Sept. 10 and 24 classes have already sold out, the farm may have more goat yoga opportunities later on.
Unless you're lucky enough to have your own goat or live in Oregon, it may be difficult to find a class. If the hype grows, you may get the chance to try goat yoga at a farm near you!