Goat Yoga For a Good Cause – Shepherd’s Rest Goat & Sheep Rescue
There is a new trend in the world of health and wellness—Goat yoga! Always trying to keep up with what’s hot and happening, our Strictly Business team thought it’d be fun to host a goat yoga event in our own backyard. We invited friends, clients, and the public to join us for this unique networking and team-engagement opportunity. The event was more than just a good time, it was also meaningful as it doubled as an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for Shepherd’s Rest Goat & Sheep Rescue.
If your company or organization is looking for a fun team building experience, we totally recommend goat yoga! It’s a neat event to invite your family or professional network to as well. You can hold a yoga event at your office or as a retreat at their century old, 13 acre farm that has access to both meadow and woodland walking trails. If you can’t host a whole goat yoga event, Shepherd’s Rest does a “Cubicle Cuddles” program through which they bring one or a few goats to your office. They’ll take the goats around and say hi to your whole team! The goats are very clean, friendly, and guaranteed to bring a smile to everyone’s face.
Shepherd’s Rest Goat & Sheep Rescue is led by Jen Schurman and her team. The organization exists to rescue, rehabilitate, adopt, and provide sanctuary for goats in need. They also educate the public about goats and train goats and humans as therapy teams.
A question Jen often gets is, “Why do goats need rescued?”
Well, as Jen explained, many owners of goats find themselves in a situation where they are unable to support the goats in their possession in a humane way. Jen has traveled across the country to save goats from a situation of being unwanted, neglected, or even abused. They money she raises goes towards buying hay to feed the goats and sheep, along with medical treatment expenses.
The goat yoga concept combines the wellness benefits of yoga with those of animal therapy. The mental health advantages of animal interaction are many, including lowering anxiety, increasing mental stimulation, and reducing feelings of loneliness. Goats are said to be the ideal therapy animals as they don’t need to develop a special bond with a human before they start interacting with them. This was evident at our yoga event as the goats wandered around throughout the session, going up to anyone and everyone for some nice petting and snuggling…and even occasional piggy-back ride!
With the expertise of our lovely yoga instructor from Juniper Spa & Yoga Studio, our group was able to clear our minds and relax our bodies as cute little goats shuffled around. This experience didn’t have the same silence or structure as goat-free yoga does. Our spirits were brightened as we went from pose to pose, taking the occasional break to pet our new goat friends and giggle at the funny encounters around us.
If you have access to hay, or know anyone who does, we encourage you to reach out to Jen at Shepherd’s rest about donating some to help feed the goats. Any amount of monetary donation is highly appreciated as well.
A big THANK YOU to the two companies who helped sponsor and put on this event—Stephanie Witt with Guiding Hands for Senior Transitions and Bethany Arnold with Edward Jones!
