Hux Family Farm, a Nigerian Dwarf Goat Farm in Durham, has spent the past three years crafting natural, holistic goat milk products for the local community. Now, they are taking their community involvement to a more personal level with the introduction of Goat Yoga.
Goat Yoga markets itself as an experience unparalleled by any yoga class you have ever heard of. Along with the mental and physical benefits of yoga, attendants of Goat Yoga are able to get a one-on-one bonding experience with a group of friendly animals.
The class is held within an enclosed area to optimize the amount of interactions between the goats and the people. During a typical class, goats will hop onto the backs of participants, curl at their feet or simply lie next to them to give them some company.
“The healing that can happen for animals and people during these interactions is amazing and heart-touching,” co-owner Amanda Avery said.
The program is taught by trained yoga teachers and is as physically beneficial as a traditional class, but participants say the environment is much less stressful.
“It helps us not take ourselves quite so seriously,” Hux Family Farms said on its website, “and still get the relaxing and energizing benefits of yoga.”
Goat Yoga attracts people of all ages and is designed to be inclusive of people of all yoga abilities and skill-levels.
Classes cost between $15 and $22 and consist of an hour-long yoga session. However, Hux Family Farm reassures on its website that there will be “time before and after for extra goat
cuddles.”
Along with yoga, Hux Family Farm offers meditation with goats, play-time at the farm for young kids and an event for people who struggle with reading to read books aloud to goats to boost self-confidence in a judgement-free environment.
“[We] are starting a new therapy program for those coming from emotional trauma, depression or anxiety,” Avery said.
Although the farm specializes in goats, it is also home to two rescued sheep, a livestock guardian dog, ducks, geese and rabbits.
“We hope to expand enough to have a farm animal sanctuary where rescued farm animals will come to their forever home,” Avery said.
