New yoga classes let you downward dog with Pygmy goats
The next goat yoga class at Holly Hill Hobby Farm is Apr. 22
Bring your water bottle. Bring your yoga mat. The goat will already be there.
Niagara-on-the-Lake's FoxDen Yoga is running traditional yoga classes — but class is in a barn, and you're surrounded by goats.
Owner Melina Morsch says that with Pygmy and Boer goats nuzzling you while you're doing a downward dog, goat yoga is a unique experience that you just won't get 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."
If you're new to yoga, Morsch says sharing mat space with a goat might be 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," Morsch said.
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.
It's popular with 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. She hosts 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's goat yoga proceeds go to TamMar Equine Rescue, and eight of Morsch's goats are rescues.
Morsch isn't the only one offering goat yoga, Trish O'Meara, the owner of Holly Hill Hobby Farm located just on the edge of Ancaster also holds classes.
O'Meara's sister sent her a link about goat yoga, and she decided that she wanted to try it for herself.
She then invited yoga instructors to come teach classes, while she provided the venue and the goats. O'Meara added the sessions have had very positive feedback.
"The little goats will climb on you if you're doing certain poses," O'Meara said.
"They are very social creatures, in terms of all the barnyard animals they're probably the most affectionate."
Yoga lover Natalie Hotte is a big fan of goat yoga. She's already been to two FoxDen goat yoga sessions, and says she's eager 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.