How to Train Goats for Yoga
How to Train Goats for Yoga: As if they were Meant for Yoga
Imagine walking into a yoga class, rolling out your mat, and instead of being greeted by a quiet OM… you hear a cheerful “baaaa.” A curious little goat trots over, sniffs your hair, and before you can say “Namaste,” it’s perched proudly on your back in table pose. Goat yoga is equal parts laughter, movement, and surprise.
But here’s the question that makes every yogi’s ears perk up: how do you actually train goats for goat yoga? Are they secretly studying Zen philosophy in the barn? Do they practice goat Pilates at dawn? Or is it something else entirely? Let’s unravel the mystery together.
First Things First: Goats Aren’t Circus Performers
Let’s clear one thing up—goat yoga goats are not taught elaborate tricks like cartwheels or backflips. No goat is getting a diploma in “Advanced Human-Balancing Acrobatics.”
Instead, the goal is to gently socialize goats so they’re comfortable around people, relaxed in new settings, and naturally inclined to hop, cuddle, or nuzzle in ways that make yogis giggle and melt with joy.
Goat training is less “strict obedience school” and more “kindergarten for fuzzy extroverts.”
Step 1: Start with the Right Personality
Just like humans, goats have personalities. Some are bold explorers who want to climb everything (including you). Others are shy wallflowers, perfectly happy watching from the sidelines.
When selecting goats for yoga, farmers usually look for ones that are:
Curious and social – They enjoy human interaction.
Gentle and calm – They won’t panic at sudden laughter or movement.
Playful but not pushy – A goat that hops on your back is adorable; a goat that tries to headbutt your mat? Not so much.
It’s a bit like building the cast of a comedy troupe—you want the natural scene-stealers with good timing and a friendly vibe.
Step 2: Early Socialization
The golden rule of goat training? Start ‘em young. Baby goats (kids) are like sponges. When they’re raised with plenty of human contact—being held, bottle-fed, or gently played with—they grow up seeing people as part of their herd.
Socialized goats are more likely to:
Walk up to strangers with curiosity.
Enjoy scratches and pets.
Stay calm in group environments.
A farmer once joked: “If you can get a goat used to toddlers, you can get them used to yogis.” Kids of both species can be unpredictable, after all!
Step 3: Gentle Handling and Positive Reinforcement
Goats, like people, don’t respond well to harsh discipline. They thrive on consistency, patience, and encouragement. Farmers and trainers use:
Gentle handling – Regular brushing, hoof trimming, and interaction so goats are used to being touched.
Treats as rewards – Small snacks (like goat-safe pellets) to encourage friendly behavior.
Calm exposure – Introducing them slowly to mats, props, and groups of people before throwing them into a full class.
Think of it as yoga for goats: slow, steady, and always encouraging growth.
Step 4: Desensitization to the Yoga Environment
Imagine being a goat, suddenly surrounded by twenty humans in stretchy pants doing downward dog—it could be overwhelming! That’s why trainers use desensitization.
This means:
Introducing yoga mats early, letting goats sniff and walk on them.
Playing music or class sounds so goats get used to background noise.
Allowing goats to explore yoga spaces before the humans arrive.
This step helps goats associate yoga with calm, safe, and familiar experiences.
Step 5: Encouraging Natural Playfulness
Here’s the secret sauce: you don’t really “teach” goats to jump on people’s backs. You simply encourage their natural instincts. Goats are climbers by nature. They see your back in tabletop pose as just another mountain to conquer.
Trainers let them explore these instincts safely by:
Giving them climbing structures in the barn.
Rewarding gentle interactions with humans.
Pairing playful goats with mellow ones to balance energy in class.
It’s a bit like setting the stage and letting the goats improvise the comedy act.
Step 6: Training for Manners
Of course, even the best goat yoga class doesn’t want chaos. So farmers teach basic goat manners, like:
No headbutting – Playful in goat world, dangerous in human world.
No nibbling clothes or mats – Cute at first, less so when your $80 yoga leggings get a hole.
Respecting space – Knowing when to cuddle and when to give humans breathing room.
These “rules” are reinforced with consistency and gentle corrections—redirecting goats toward appropriate behaviors.
Step 7: The Human Side of Training
Here’s the twist: sometimes it’s not the goats who need the most training—it’s us!
Beginner yogis often arrive nervous: “What if the goat poops on my mat? What if it jumps too hard?” Trainers remind participants to expect the unexpected, laugh at the mess, and see imperfections as part of the charm.
After all, goat yoga is less about holding the perfect pose and more about practicing flexibility—in both body and spirit.
Anecdote Time: A Star Student Goat
On one farm, a little Nigerian Dwarf goat named Daisy became the “queen of goat yoga.” Why? From the time she was a kid, she loved being held and balanced naturally on people’s backs. By the time she was six months old, she’d trot into class like a pro, hop up on mats for scratches, and somehow knew when to gently settle on a yogi’s shoulders.
Her secret wasn’t advanced training—it was the right personality, lots of early socialization, and consistent encouragement. Daisy didn’t just “do” goat yoga. She embodied it.
The Takeaway: Goats Are Teachers Too
So, how do you train goats for goat yoga? You don’t turn them into therapy robots or circus performers. You nurture their natural traits—playfulness, curiosity, gentleness—and pair that with patient socialization.
Goat yoga goats remind us that healing and happiness don’t always come from rigid rules or structured training. Sometimes they come on four hooves, with a mischievous bleat and a knack for turning a yoga class into pure joy.
Final Thought
Next time you’re in child’s pose and feel four tiny hooves on your back, remember: that goat didn’t memorize a script. It was simply encouraged to be its authentic, playful self. And isn’t that exactly what yoga asks of us too?
