I Tried Yoga With Goats. It Was Predictably Hilarious

Let’s get my not-so-secret out of the way first. I love goats. 

I love them when they scream Taylor Swift songs. I love them when they wear pajamas. I love them when they jump on trampolines, milk crates, and apparently, my back.

They are hilarious and spend their time doing things I know best: snacking and complaining, with some light head-butting.

Naturally, when I learned that yoga with goats was a thing people were doing for social media clout, I had to find the closest goat yoga option near me to do the same. Luckily, San Diego County has options.

Except I wasn’t doing it for the attention. I was doing it for the joy.

I did the goat yoga thing, and I did it good. 

What is the point of goat yoga? 

What ISN’T the point of goat yoga?

The benefits of goat yoga are similar to the benefits of regular yoga…although once you’ve heard about my preferred way I’m not sure what you’d be doing otherwise. 

It enhances relaxation and flexibility and reduces stress. It increases mindfulness, and may just help you act in a less garbage-like manner if that’s been an issue for you.

Fun fact: Brian and I both like to stretch with yoga after jogging, especially now that we’re of a different age bracket.

Add goats into the mix and you get the benefits of animal therapy, too:

• It’s unpredictable. That can break you out of whatever funk you’ve found yourself in before a tiny goat trounced on your back.
• It brings joy. Goats are cute and funny. Interacting with cute and funny animals gives most non-sadists a sense of happiness.
• It fosters community. Goat yoga isn’t usually a solo venture. That’d be weird. This shared experience leads to things like infectious giggling.
• It highlights the power of animal companionship. Goats are like dogs with little hooves, although they may be a little more mischievous. 
• It will make you smile. There are studies out there that show goats prefer happy faces over sad ones. Smile for the goats, please.

What to Expect at Goat Yoga

Sadly, I’ve only done one round of goat yoga in my life, but can speak to that experience with the vigor of a goat yoga enthusiast. My goat yoga session was booked through Blackledge Farms in Ramona, California.

Ramona is mostly known by locals for its access to nearby waterfalls and a nice wine country scene. I’d recommend both if you’re ever in the area on trips near San Diego. It’s about 45 minutes from the city to Ramona, so it’s closer than wine times in Temecula, too.

READ MORE: Julian is an easy add-on to Ramona day trips. There’s pie involved, too!

For me, Ramona is going to be forever linked to the experience I had there with their posse of adorable goats.

You hear the goats first upon arrival before you see them. They can be loud and feisty, but this only served to get me more amped up for what was to come.

Our class was full that day, which meant a maximum count of 20 participants at Blackledge. It seemed to be a mix of tourists and locals, with a few trying yoga classes for the first time.

Note: We had to bring our own mats, so don’t bring anything that you won’t mind getting dirty. Towels will do in a pinch.

Our yoga instructor Melissa went over a few rules about what to expect from the session and the goats. She pointed out the brushes that the goats like, and gave us some time to relax with the goats before getting started. 

Goats are inherently curious. It didn’t take much to coax them onto our mats and, in some cases, into our arms. 

Fun fact: The goats we interacted with that day were Nigerian Dwarf goats. You’ll also see fainting goats at the farm, but we didn’t see any weird stuff like temporary paralysis on our visit.

The yoga itself was more fun than what I’m usually following along with on YouTube.

Some of the goats were given a bit of a nudge to start climbing in the form of kibble, but it seemed like most of them genuinely liked hanging out up there on our backs.

I cannot emphasize enough the serotonin boost I was feeling during the whole experience. Doing yoga with a goat on your back is just fun.

Our class lasted about 40 minutes. Some participants were distracted enough by the goats that not much yoga was done. Others took the yoga part more seriously with the side benefit of goats to pet in between each move.

This experience is for you to do with what you’d like, as long as you’re being safe and nice to the goats. 

The time after the class was almost more fun than the goat yoga itself. First, we got the opportunity to have family photos taken with the goats.

Hilarity ensued.

Then we got to cuddle some of the baby goats from the farm. 

If you’ve never held a baby goat, you’re missing out, even when they scream in your ear. Human babies? Forget about ‘em.

This is when I learned that Blackledge sells some of their goats each season to those who’d like some natural landscaping or an additional dose of whimsy in their lives.

Note: They like to hang out in pairs, I was told. 

READ MORE: I tend to find myself on farms quite often, even in Western Australia!

Tips Before You Try Yoga With Goats

You don’t need to mentally prepare for this in any way other than tempering your excitement so you don’t appear too thirsty around the goats. 

Yoga with goats is perfect for beginner yogis, too. Our session was described as “gentle yoga.” There were real yoga poses involved, but nothing too wild.

Here are a few more tips before you seek out goat yoga classes near you:

• Book ahead. The farm I visited requires reservations ahead of your visit. Don’t assume you’ll be able to just walk right up for your goat fun.
• Allow for flexibility. I’m not talking about yoga. These experiences are popular, but they may be canceled due to inclement weather at certain times of the year.
• Know your limits. If you’re a regular yoga enthusiast the class won’t be hard, but you should be in good enough physical condition to withstand a goat on your back.
• Dress comfortably. You’ll wear whatever you’d wear to yoga, which is typically yoga pants. Brian wore athletic shorts because he runs warm. Avoid loose jewelry.
• Don’t harass the goats. This should be obvious, but considering what I’ve seen in the national parks, it’s worth mentioning. The goats will come to you, not vice versa.
• Leave Fido at home. San Diego County is generally very dog-friendly, but outside pets aren’t typically allowed at these events. You could stress out the goats.

Goat Yoga FAQs

Is goat yoga fun?

Goat yoga is some of the most fun you’ll have with goats, and I’ve met quite a few in my lifetime. If it’s on your bucket list, it’ll meet any and all expectations.

You can also rest assured that the goats are treated well before, during, and after your sessions.

These goats weren’t forced into anything. If they didn’t feel like hanging with us, they munched on grass in the nearby field.

While you’ll certainly want to win them all over, it can feel good that this isn’t some goat circus where they’re being mistreated for your Instagram needs.

I’m sure I’ll find myself in San Diego again, so I wouldn’t be shocked if I had another visit to Blackledge in my future. Those baby goats are bleating!

Want more ideas for San Diego trips? Start here:

• Balboa Park: San Diego’s Best Green Space
• A Guide to San Diego’s Best Beer Stops
• A Guide to the Very Best of La Jolla
• San Diego’s Food Scene Includes Polish Eats
• A Detailed Guide to Carlsbad Stops & Eats

Read more about my favorite San Diego neighborhoods:

• A Guide to the Best of Pacific Beach
• Learn More About University Heights
• Visit North Park, My Old Stomping Grounds
• Things to Do in the Historic Gaslamp
• Golden Hill: A Historic Beauty in San Diego

Want to see more?