Goat Yoga, Where You Can Practice Locally!

You've seen it trending online, you've wanted to try it and now you can because goat yoga has finally made its way to the Capital Region and you can try it out this month!

According to The Daily Gazette, goat yoga started at a farm called No Regrets in Albany, Oregon last year. What started as something small, now has a waitlist of thousands. Oregon may seem too far but no worries because yoga instructor and Ashiatsu Barefoot

Massage Therapist Dawn Dotson has taken goat yoga from Albany, Oregon and brought it to Albany, New York.

Dotson started by holding small goat yoga sessions at local farms. It starts with a few basic yoga poses while the goats just mingle around. Dotson said "It takes a little while for them to be comfortable, but then they just start getting under people and laying on people’s mats." Then they'll start becoming a part of your practice, making noise and maybe even laying underneath your downward facing dog. There are usually about 20 goats around, one goat for every two people, and are dwarf Nigerian goats.

Alison Walter, based in New York City, brought goat yoga to Hancock Shaker Village in late May and these goat yoga classes helped raise money for the Village. Her classes had around 50 people and 15 goats. If you can't make it to these upcoming classes, no worries, it seems as if the trend is only growing!

Goat Yoga at Hancock Shaker Village (w/Alison Walter)

WHEN: 10 - 11 a.m., Sat. July 1 and 15
WHERE: Hancock Shaker Village, 1843 West Housatonic St., Pittsfield, MA
TICKETS: $25
MORE INFO: hancockshakervillage.org

Goat Yoga at Barefoot Space (w/ Dawn Dotson):

WHEN: 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., Sat. July 8
WHERE: 4 J’s Farm, 4 High Meadow Road, Averill Park
TICKETS: $30
BUY: barefootspace.net

WHEN: 6 - 7:15 p.m., Tues. July 25
WHERE: Jayflora Designs, Fonda
TICKETS: $30
BUY: barefootspace.net