Yoga instructor Merry Beth Cuthbertson Denny chose yoga poses and stretches that accommodated the goats’ hijinks.
It was a little over a year ago that I first heard about an Oregon farm that was offering yoga with goats. While my immediate thought was, “I’d love to try that,” I didn’t think I’d get a chance anytime soon.
What I didn’t foresee was how quickly the Goat Yoga craze would take off. It has gone viral across the United States and Canada. There are reports of some locations having waiting lists numbering in the hundreds.
When I learned that Go-ga (Goat Yoga) was being offered in Plattsville, Ontario, a short drive from where I live, I just had to try it. Luckily for me, there was no wait list.
Doing traditional yoga poses while baby goats frolicked all around me was even more fun than I thought it would be. Farm owner Christina Albrecht’s miniature goats (a cross between Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf) were affectionate and inquisitive. Even before class began, they were climbing into my lap looking for a little love and attention.
Yoga instructor Merry Beth Cuthbertson Denny, who used to work as a relief milker on a goat farm, took it all in stride. She carefully chose yoga poses and stretches that accommodated the goats’ hijinks.
And while the goats were distracting at times, there’s no doubt that I left Goat Yoga feeling better than when I arrived. This is no surprise since research has shown that being around animals has positive health effects such as lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety levels.
Albrecht has long seen how people benefit from time spent with animals. A Developmental Service Worker, she provides animal-assisted experiential learning sessions to individuals who have developmental disabilities using a menagerie of farm animals through her business, In Harmony Services.
It’s impossible to say whether Goat Yoga will be a fad or not, but if the smiles on the faces of the people leaving class are any indication, it might just be here to stay.
- Helen Lammers-Helps