Rural Missouri - September 2019 - 23

Critter Yoga
Relax with the critters on
Herding Dogs Farm
by Heather Berry | hberry@ruralmissouri.coop

he sun sets low on the horizon and the canvas sky is painted in goldenpink hues. A light breeze rustles the oak leaves as the group settles with
their mats. Then Stephanie Wubbena opens the gate and in run her
assistants - Rose, Lucy, Emmy, Coco, Marybelle and Lottie.
Happily, the hooved helpers hurry off to visit those attending the session,
excited to be hugged or allowed to climb onto the backs of those warming up
with their downward-facing dog move, plank or child's pose.
Stephanie and her husband, Eric, opened Goats and Yoga in 2017. The
classes are held at their home, Herding Dogs Farm, a 10-acre farm in Rogersville. While they have rabbits, chickens, turkeys, dogs and cats, it's usually the
24 Nigerian dwarf goats which garner most of the attention from visitors.
"Our business tag line says it all - 'Where zen and joy meet,' " Stephanie
says. "We think spending time with our goats and bunnies while communing
with nature is a beautiful mix, both inside and out."
A longtime yoga and ﬁtness buff, Stephanie brings more than 20 years of Above: Yoga instructor Stephanie Wubbena gives her Nigerian goats a treat as they frolic
expertise, as well as experience in occupational therapy, to Goats and Yoga - across the backs of her Goats and Yoga participants. Bottom: Leslie Yearta-Brown holds a
or in this case - to the barnyard.
6-week-old bunny during bunny meditation class at Herding Dogs Farm located in Rogersville.
If you're a no-nonsense kind of yoga attendee, these sort of
tap-dancing on them during class.
classes may not be your thing. But for those attending a Goats and
Stephanie points out one of the little Nigerian goats standing on the
Yoga session at the Wubbena's farm, the novelty of having little
shoulders of an attendee. The goat holds his stand while nibbling on
"kids" run across your back while doing meditative moves under the
a pony tail. The college girl laughs and both of them are unharmed
wide open sky may be the perfect cure-all.
by the fun moment.
"It's so much more than yoga," says Stephanie, who is a member of
While yoga may seem like an "out there" exercise class for
Webster Electric Cooperative. "It's about clearing your mind of every day
Rogersville
some, Goats and Yoga falls into a relaxing way to quietly release
stresses, soaking in nature and letting your body totally relax. And with
the daily stresses of the world and concentrate on some qualcurious goats, there's always laughter involved, too."
ity "me" time, something people feel guilty about doing these
Goat yoga originally began in 2016 when Oregon farmer and yoga
days.
instructor Lainey Morse held the ﬁrst class, allowing her goats to roam
"There's so many advantages to spending time with animals,"
among attendees during the session. While still a relatively new concept, the
unique combination of yoga with goats has quickly grown in popularity, bring- says Stephanie. "You can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, as
ing in millions of dollars annually for the unique exercise industry. While she long as you aren't afraid of the animals.
"Part of people reducing their stress around our goats and bunnies is that
doesn't get into speciﬁcs, Stephanie says the business is rewarding "both emothey're helping us socialize the animals and in turn, people calm down and fortionally and ﬁnancially."
Choosing to go all in with the critter and relaxation plan, the yogini recently get whatever's got them wound so tight - which is exactly what we hope for."
While you're on a yoga mat for the class, you are on the goats' property -
sold her business, Live Pure Yoga, in Springﬁeld so she could go full time with
Goats and Yoga. These days, Stephanie says "namaste" to yoga attendees on and they might poo right then and there, so don't be upset. They are, after all,
their farm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for evening goat and yoga classes. sharing their barnyard home with you.
Sometimes Stephanie ends the class with a softer meditation partner.
"We've had people come from as far away as Tulsa to take a class," she says.
"Bunny meditation is quickly becoming as popular as goats and yoga," says
"We've even had one family from Kansas speciﬁcally plan their vacation so they
Stephanie. "It's a win-win for everyone."
attend a session here at the farm."
Springﬁeld resident Alyssa Kirby loves time with the animals.
More than half of the attendees are regulars with the rest generally attending
"I've done bunny meditation as well as goat yoga here and it's easily the most
to be able to say that they have indeed experienced the fun of an hour of goats
fun I've had while living in Missouri - I can't wait to go again and bring my
friends so they can experience this, too."
Stephanie says another segment of her yoga business is quickly climbing in
popularity - goat grams.
"People will call and ask 'Can you bring your goats here?' and now we can,"
Stephanie says, noting they have the proper state license to do so. "Nursing
homes, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, you name it, we've taken a goat
gram there. Corporations are starting to catch on and have us deliver them as
part of their retreats now, too."
According to the yoga instructor, a goat gram experience includes a card,
ﬂowers and a basket with two baby goats to play with. The 30-minute session
runs $75 for the trendy telegram.
"It's pretty easy to de-stress when a bunny is in your hands staring up at
you," says Stephanie. "I enjoy watching everyone become almost childlike in
their excitement over the animals, that's rewarding for us all."
Herding Dogs Farm is located at 4089 State Highway J in Rogersville. Goats
and Yoga classes are held Friday at 6 p.m. and run $20 for an hour session. On
Saturday you can sign up for a 45-minute bunny meditation session at 10 a.m.
for $15 and a Goats and Yoga session at 3 p.m. For more information or to book
a special event, call 724-777-3093; email goatsandyoga@gmail.com or ﬁnd them
on Facebook and Instagram.

Rural Missouri - September 2019

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