Goat Yoga at Laughing Frog Yoga Los Angeles

Last Sunday, I tried out L.A.’s hottest yoga trend – GOAT YOGA. Yes, it sound gimmicky, but that’s the fun of it. I first heard about Goat Yoga from my friend Grace’s instagram post, then I started seeing other people post links about it other cities across the country on Facebook.

Laughing Frog Yoga in West L.A.

Laughing Frog Yoga in West L.A. is where my friend took Goat Yoga, so I contacted them to try out a class. Laughing Frog Yoga is the first Los Angeles yoga studio to offer Goat Yoga, and every one of their classes sold out. They occasionally add new classes, so be sure to check their website for ticket availability.

About Goat Yoga

Michelle Tritten is owner of Hello Critter Care. She wrangles the goats for Goat Yoga classes at Laughing Frog Yoga. In addition to Hello critter, she also has the facebook page Hello Critter Goat Yoga. According to Michelle, a video of Goat Yoga at No Regrets Farm in Oregon went viral, which her friends posted on her Facebook wall about a year ago. Encouraged by her friends, she held a baby goat yoga class on Earth Day this year, which had about 10 people in attendance. She’s been busy ever since then, when her video of Goat Yoga went viral, attracting thousands. Today, her goats entertain, massage, and bring happiness to anyone who comes in contact with them.

My experience

I didn’t know what to expect. I love animals, especially docile farm animals. Goats are nimble creatures, so first thought about a goat on my back was, “How heavy would it be?”

The waiver

Like most fitness classes, I knew I had to sign a waiver. The Goat Yoga waiver included acknowledging you might get peed or defecated on by a goat. I’m raising a kid who is now four, so no biggie because pee and poo no longer phase me.

The class

I didn’t count, but I’m guessing there were about 30-35 people in class. The two goats are first introduced, then start walking around. Everyone giggles, and we are allowed to use our smartphones to take pictures from our mat. We are advised, however, to hide our phones under our mats so the goats don’t eat them. During my entire class, no phones were harmed.

The goats immediately started jumping on some peoples’ backs, unprovoked. They liked some backs better than others, and amused us the entire time.

Yes, there was pee. Yes, there was poo. One student’s mat was victim to urine, and another student’s sweat towel was a casualty. I had ricochet poop in my vicinity, but like all the messes, Michelle quickly and quietly picked up after her goats.

Selfie Time

After class, there is a 20 minute “selfie time” when students line up to take their coveted goat selfie. The goats are encouraged with treats (as they were in class), and everyone leaves with a smile on their face.

Is it kid-friendly?

I saw two boys in my class. One looked around 11, and the other is 13. The 11-year old took it with his parents (I presume), and the 13-year old took it with his mom. I spoke to the 13-year old and his mom. She brought him to class as a birthday present, because he is a big fan of goats.

While children are permitted to take Goat Yoga with a guardian, the owners of Laughing Frog Yoga told me it’s not highly encouraged. Only people taking the class are permitted to be in the room. Children must weight at least 100 pounds, and be of a certain age and maturity level to participate. Contact Laughing Frog Yoga for details or questions!

Take Goat Yoga by yourself (mommy time!) or with friends

Thankfully, my husband was excited about me taking Goat Yoga and agreed to watch the kid (I’m pretty sure on the condition he can take Goat Yoga himself at a later date). Waiting for the class to start, I met a mom named Melanie, who has a 3-month old, who’s husband was doing the same for her. She found out about it through a self-care website, and knew right away she wanted to take a class. So whether it’s with friends, or for yourself, these goats are sure to bring as mile to your face!