Ethan Heitchew
palmettoreport@gmail.com

(Rock Hill, S.C.) — It’s a Thursday morning at the New Moon Flower Farm in York, S.C. and many people have gathered for a yoga class, with a special set of visitors — baby goats.

“I thought it was super fun. The goats were amazing. I was a little nervous about how we would interact with animals, but they were so cuddly and fun,” said Sarah Fetty, a first-time goat yoga attendee, who came with a group of friends.

Fetty said the goat with the cow-printed fur was the star of the show and that she would definitely do it again.

Goat yoga has been a popular attraction in York County for sometime and the classes function just like any other yoga class, as the goats hang out with the participants.

Tammy Calvin, one of the lead yoga instructors, said the interactions help the goats become more accustomed to people.

“We started goat yoga to socialize with the babies. They are pets and goats don’t come out naturally friendly to people, so this is a way to socialize the goats so that when they go to their forever homes they’re good pets,” Calvin said. 

Calvin said people should go into goat yoga with an open mind, because things that wouldn’t usually happen in a regular yoga class can happen here, including “accidents.”

Lead yoga instructor Kim Carter said the goats make the yoga classes a unique experience.

“Goats are so sweet and they make people happy and people don’t realize how fun they are,” Carter said.

“Some of the two youngest ones jumped up there today. They love jumping up on people and they love people; they just don’t know it. They don’t like to be chased, so once you sit down, it’s all on.”

This is Carter’s 8th Season of goat yoga classes. She said after this season, the current roster of baby goats will be going to their forever homes. Carter stated there is currently a two-year waiting list to adopt a baby goat.

Carter’s husband, Rick Carter, has also helped to organize the classes.

“We got started about a year and a half ago. One of Kim’s good friends and her sister’s farm, Critter Creek Farm, had the business. She had run it for about 7 years and was looking to move on from it and Kim accepted, so that is kind of where we have been since with goat yoga and the flower farm,” Rick Carter said.