First Time Doing Goat Yoga Experience
“I went to stretch and found serenity… and also a goat on my back.”
Let me paint the picture: a warm breeze, a wide-open pasture, the scent of lavender in the air... and a baby goat chewing on my ponytail.
Yep. That was my first-ever goat yoga class. And let me tell you, it was everything I didn’t know I needed.
🤸🏽♀️ The Arrival: “I’m here for the goats. The yoga is extra.”
Let’s be honest, most people don’t show up to goat yoga with plans of achieving spiritual enlightenment or unlocking their chakras. We show up because we saw a video on TikTok, sent it to the group chat, and said “OMG, let’s do this!!!”
But the moment I pulled up to the farm—Gilbertsville Farmhouse, a dreamy countryside escape with serious Pinterest picnic energy—I knew this was going to be more than just a novelty moment. There was something sacred in the simplicity: soft grass underfoot, blue skies above, and a whole gang of goats trotting around like they owned the place.
Spoiler alert: they do.
🧘🏽♀️ Downward Dog…with a Goat
Class started gently. A few easy stretches, some breathwork, and then, like clockwork, the goats arrived.
I’m talking tiny hooves, floppy ears, and the kind of innocent chaos that only a baby goat can bring. One sauntered up to my mat, stared directly into my soul, and plopped down next to me like we’d been friends for years. Another climbed on someone’s back mid–cat-cow pose, like this was just a regular Tuesday.
Let me tell you: you haven’t lived until you’ve held a plank while giggling uncontrollably because a goat is licking your elbow.
😂 Humor Meets Healing
There’s something wildly disarming about goat yoga. It strips away all the pressure we usually associate with wellness. You’re not in a dim-lit studio with people silently judging your form. You’re outside, belly-laughing, trying to hold a warrior pose while a goat uses your thigh as a lookout point.
It’s yoga without ego.
It’s fitness with funny business.
And oddly enough, it’s deeply therapeutic. I felt the tension in my shoulders melt away. Not because I nailed a perfect pigeon pose, but because I let go of the need to nail anything at all.
For the Skeptics (You Know Who You Are)
Let me guess—you’re the over-researcher. The “I need to know if it’s worth it before I commit” person. You have a Goodreads list longer than your last relationship and you don’t suffer fools or fads.
Respect.
So here’s the deal: goat yoga could just be a quirky bucket list moment for you. A one-and-done thing you post about on Instagram with the caption:
"Just out here manifesting inner peace and goats."
But if you let it, it can also be a gateway back to joy.
Not joy as in “Yay, I checked off a goal.”
I mean real, childlike, belly-laughing, “I forgot I was stressed for a whole hour” kind of joy.
You know—the stuff we all say we’re trying to get back to but rarely slow down enough to actually feel?
This is your chance to feel it.
🧴The Afterglow: Muddy Knees & Full Hearts
After the class, we hung out. No rush. Just people lounging on mats, goats nibbling nearby, everyone radiating this buzzed, blissed-out kind of energy. A girl next to me said, “I haven’t smiled this much in weeks,” and the rest of us just nodded, like “Yep. Same.”
And it hit me. We live in a world of curated experiences. Filtered. Branded. Edited within an inch of their life. But goat yoga? It’s delightfully unfiltered. It’s messy and chaotic and pure and real.
And in that realness? There’s healing.
💡Goat Yoga Tips for First-Timers
You know I wouldn’t leave you hanging without a little guidance. So here’s my cheat sheet for making the most of your first goat yoga adventure:
Dress chill. You will get nibbled, climbed on, and probably a little dirty. Wear comfy clothes you don’t mind getting goaty.
Bring your phone… but don’t live through it. Snap a few pics, then just be. You don’t need a reel to prove you had fun.
Go with friends, but don’t be afraid to solo it. The vibe is friendly and light—you might just make a new goat-loving bestie.
Stay after. Chat with the owners. Pet the goats. Let the day stretch a little longer than it “needs” to.
Leave your perfectionism at the gate. This isn’t about doing yoga perfectly. It’s about letting yourself be imperfectly delighted.
✨ Final Thoughts: Goat Yoga is a Love Letter to Play
If you’re craving something lighthearted that still feeds your soul, goat yoga might be your unexpected love story.
It reminds us that movement doesn’t have to be militant. That wellness can be weird and wonderful. That sometimes the best way to reconnect with ourselves… is through a goat.
Would I do it again?
In a heartbeat.
Because in a world that constantly demands productivity and polish, there’s something downright radical about lying on a yoga mat, eyes closed, heart open—and feeling a baby goat curl up beside you like the universe just gave you a little wink.
