While I’m not entirely sure if the trend of practicing yoga in goat enclosures has officially been inducted into the American zeitgeist, it definitely has made a major splash on social media this year. On the surface, goat yoga makes absolutely no sense. But with a little deductive reasoning, it's actually pretty fitting. Goats like climbing things and yoga just happens to turn humans into climbable objects.     

The activity itself seems to appeal to a pretty niche market: yoga-mat-owning young women who are okay with being in close proximity to farm animals and their feces. A love of yoga is definitely not required and very few women in my class had even done it at all before. It seemed like most of us were primarily there for the inevitable charming Instagram photos.

But if you think it’s just another over-blown social media fad, I kindly invite you to think again. Here’s why you gotta try it before you knock it:

You get to spend some uninterrupted time outdoors

Being outside for the sake of being outside—rather than rushing from one place to another, having to do some kind of yard work, or watching your niece’s soccer game—is just absolutely delightful. Take a moment to enjoy it!

But just make sure you’re prepared and wear the appropriate clothing. My class was at dusk in late summer/early fall so it was perfect sweater and leggings weather. Comfort is key for maximum enjoyment.

The amount of yoga you actually do is up to you

Most yoga classes require breath work and meditative tactics to help you “look inward” during your practice. You come out with a new appreciation for your body and environment. While I could tell you that goat yoga was like this (only with the delightful addition of fuzzy critters and the great outdoors) that’s just not true.

You won’t necessarily feel aligned or completely refreshed when you’re done. It can be difficult to focus fully on the yoga while puppy-sized livestock is running around, nibbling on your hair, brushing against your legs and trying to climb onto your back or shoulders. However, if you do want to focus more on the exercise than the animals, go right ahead. It’s certainly not impossible. How you choose to enjoy the class is completely up to you.

It’ll take you out of your comfort zone

Having a hooved creature climb onto your back is definitely outside of what most people are used to and comfortable with. You’ll actually find yourself attempting to invite the goats over to your mat, mid-posture, so they’ll climb you. It’s a thrill like no other.

But beware—accidents happen! I’m a bit of an animal fanatic so when one of the goats trotted over my way, squatted, and promptly peed all over my mat, I just giggled uncontrollably and patted her head when she had finished. The owner of the farm where our class was held provided paper towels and homemade cleaning solution for these occurrences. She even helped clean up when needed.

There weren’t a ton of potty incidents, but if you’re worried about a goat making a mess, just give him a gentle nudge off your mat. He’ll have absolutely no problem with doing his business elsewhere.

Tip: Bring a towel to place under your mat. Do not bring a bath towel you actually use on daily basis. I’d suggest one of those raggedy old towels that you’d use to dry off your dog after a romp in the rain. Our instructor had included this tip in the original event email, but some others may not be as diligent!

It's basically therapy

Yoga itself is a great stress reliever, but the added element of connecting with the goats forces you to let go of nagging thoughts and fears. Goats are prey animals, like horses, and are ultra-aware of humans’ moods. They tend to be repelled by stress, anxiety and other negative emotions. But if you’re calm, relaxed and patient, the goats will be drawn to your energy.

They’re super friendly and really enjoy human contact, which makes them great therapy animals. Bonding with a goat gives your brain doses of dopamine and oxytocin, which are both essential to happiness. See? Totally therapeutic.

It provides some high-quality bonding time

I took my first goat yoga class with my boyfriend’s older sister, a handful of her friends and her teenage daughter. I anticipated lots of strained small talk and plenty of awkward silences. Turns out that all that dopamine and oxytocin from goofing around with animals really creates an ideal environment for heightened social interactions and bonding. The goats give you something to chat and laugh about—and even if something goes wrong (i.e. a goat empties her bladder on your yoga mat)—it will make a fun story to look back on.

If for nothing else, do it for the 'gram

If you’re still not convinced that goat yoga is actually a completely pure and memorable life experience, consider the Instagram possibilities. Bring a few friends and snap plenty of pictures of each other. The candids will definitely be the best shots so be ready! I turned my phone on airplane mode to avoid unnecessary interruptions, but made sure to have it next to my hand so I could take a picture at the drop of a hat.

Bonus points if you offer to catch photos of your neighbors, even if they’re strangers. Capturing a completely adorable Internet-worthy moment is as good a way to meet some new friends as any!

Ready to find a goat yoga class in your area? A surprising number of farms are beginning to host classes, and a quick Google search should be able to connect you to one in no time. I absolutely loved my experience at Mad Lavender Farm with Wildflower Sup + Yoga. The farm owners, Adrienne and Don, actually sell tons of lavender-based products from a charming little trailer next to the goat pen. Make sure you pick up some lavender cookies and body spray before heading out!