Goat time for yoga?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/07/2020 (1933 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Goat yoga is both yoga in the company of young goats, and a way to help people tap into their inner zen in a fun way.

Baby goats born this spring are a feature at Aurora Farm during this summer’s weekend yoga classes. Yoga instructor Holly Pluchinski is leading yoga-fusion classes that focus on deep tissue stretching (yin), strengthening (hatha and gentle vinyasa), and having people at optimal goat-petting level, according to Louise May, owner of the farm.

“The classes are held in our arena, with the goats and also a few alpacas,” she said, adding the animals add both joy and a therapeutic aspect to the class. “The animals come right up to people who are sitting in yoga poses. People love to see the goats frolic, running around and jumping.”

Due to pandemic restrictions, drop-ins aren’t offered at yoga, as everyone has to register in advance for classes at the farm, which is located south of the Perimeter Highway at 4265 Waverley St.

 “We’re restricting class size to 12 people, and everyone has to bring their own blanket and yoga mat. It takes place in a barn with a sand floor,” May said, “so it can get a bit mucky. I’ve taken the class a couple of times myself, and it’s fun. Holly likes to get her classes laughing.”

The farm recently opened its summer camps for kids, who get a hands-on opportunity to try fun activities, gardening, horseback riding and crafts. The camp sizes are kept to between six and nine children per week. There is also a dedicated horse-riding camp, during which youth between the ages of eight and 15 learn the basics of horseback riding, safety and horse care.

Saturday and Sunday farm tours opened on July 18, for groups of 12 people or smaller. “We have to keep everything manageable, and safe,” May said, adding the tours cost $5 per person with a minimum charge of $30. “The tours take people around the grounds, introduce them to the animals and give them a look at our gardens.”

Workshops in activities such as soap or cheese-making aren’t scheduled, as these hands-on activities require people to be too close to each other, while watching the instructor.

Aurora Farm has three year-round staff, with six additional staff added in the summer months.

All activities require advance registration via the farm’s website, as the farm isn’t yet open to the general public due to COVID-19 safety precautions.

For more information, see aurorafarm.ca