What is goat yoga? Popular event gaining traction

If you've goat the time, an upcoming event in Chestermere is sure to satisfy your furry animal and yoga needs.

Audrianna Argent, owner of Dynamic Goat Yoga, says a certified yoga instructor leads the goat yoga classes while the fun-loving creatures wander around.

"There are baby goats running around, interacting with people. People can cuddle them, jumping off of people and running around and getting petted."

A goat strikes a pose as a woman takes part in one of the classes.

Argent told us her love of goats started when she was younger and lived on her family's farm in Saskatchewan.

"I remember playing with my sister's goats and we'd be on the swings, and they'd be jumping on us and romping around. I loved goats."

Later in life, Argent and her daughter moved to an acreage to tend to their horses, and that's when she said she wanted goats.

Following that conversation there were two goats in the front pasture of her acreage. 

"These two goats showed up and they were both girls," said Argent.

She loved them so much she went from owning two goats to tending to 45 of them.

The idea for goat yoga started when Argent was selling an item on Facebook Marketplace, and had the person show up to her front gate.

The goats bounded up and the driver was so excited that she told Argent she should do goat yoga.

Following that conversation Argent made a post on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to take part in the fun event and the response was massive.

"I got like 53 responses in like an hour and I decided to do goat yoga."

The business was started in 2020 during the pandemic with classes being strictly outdoors for the first while.

Argent says the program has continued to grow in popularity.

"Lots of people have been inquiring about private classes to have their own events. And we also get the goats to appear at small petting zoos at different events during Stampede season."

The goats hang out as participants try to find their inner Zen.

She says it's become so popular she's getting requests almost every day for classes, or booking private events for people who want to surprise their spouse with a goat birthday party.

If you take in a goat yoga class, you can expect to see about 15-20 of them wandering around as you tap into your inner Zen.

The goats have even made their way to Okotoks, Airdrie, Bearspaw, Calgary, Chestermere, Langdon, and Cochrane.

People also travel to take part in the classes, "We've had people come down from Edmonton for our goat yoga classes," added Argent.

She says it's extremely therapeutic to have the goats around.

"People have made comments about how it's given them such a sense of peace and tranquility."

According to Argent, goats love people and they're extremely curious by nature.

"They also love being cuddled. My goats are really well socialized because they are pets. I raised them myself, so they have a lot of people time."

The Chestermere goat yoga event will be held on June 15 at 1 p.m. outside of the Rec Center.