New yoga classes let you downward dog with Pygmy goats

Bring your water bottle. Bring your yoga mat. Thegoat will already be there.

Niagara-on-the-Lake'sFoxDen Yoga is runningtraditional yoga classes but class isin a barn, and you're surrounded by goats.

Owner MelinaMorschsays thatwithPygmy and Boergoatsnuzzling youwhile you're doing a downward dog,goat yoga is a unique experience that you just won'tget almost anywhere else.

"They are herding instinct animals, so they're always looking to join up with people. In a yoga situation the little goats come out and whenever they see a whole bunch of people moving around they figure that's their new tribe and they start sharing energy with people who are in the room," she said.

"These animals and these people intertwine during the class, it makes people really present in the moment."

Yes, goat yoga is a thing

8 years ago

Duration 0:16

Niagara-on-the-Lake's Fox Den Yoga is running traditional yoga classes with one little twist class is in a barn, and you're surrounded by tiny goats.

If you're newto yoga,Morschsays sharing mat space with a goat mightbe the right place to start.

"A lot of the time people come to a yoga class and they come with a lot of apprehensions, the best thing about being with the goats is that apprehension goes away really quickly. The goats take people into a really gleeful, blissful place,"Morschsaid.

It's an idea that's growing all across North America, she says.The idea originated in Albany, Ore.by Lainey Morse where her farm now currently has a waiting list of over 900 people.

• People flock to Oregon farm to do yoga with goats

It's popularwith people and the goats don't seem to mind it either.

Every session that FoxDen Yoga holds has sold out, and Morsch currently has a waiting list. Shehosts the goat yoga classes at Red Ribbon Stables in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and is branching out to Burlington this week.

A portion of FoxDen'sgoatyoga proceeds go toTamMarEquine Rescue, and eight ofMorsch'sgoats arerescues.

Morsch isn't the only one offering goat yoga, TrishO'Meara, theowner of Holly Hill Hobby Farm located just on the edge ofAncasteralso holdsclasses.

O'Meara'ssister sent her a link about goat yoga, andshe decided that shewanted to try it forherself.

She then invited yoga instructors to cometeach classes, while she providedthe venue and the goats.O'Mearaadded the sessions have had very positive feedback.

"The little goats will climb on you if you're doing certain poses,"O'Mearasaid.

"They are very social creatures, in terms of all the barnyard animalsthey're probably the most affectionate."

Yoga lover Natalie Hotte is a big fan of goat yoga. She'salready been to two FoxDen goat yoga sessions, and says she'seager for more.

"It's such a relaxing and therapeutic practice for me, and then to be able to do it with animals is a whole other level. It's a really great way interact with animals safely," Hotte said.

O'Meara's next goat yoga session will be held on Apr.22.