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It was springtime, and CU students were showing off their downwardfacing dogs for a group of four-legged friends.

Welcome to goat yoga.

As more than 100 students flowed through traditional yoga poses on the lawn outside the CU Rec Center April 16, eight baby goats — including three-dayold triplets — wandered among them, occasionally climbing onto yogis’ backs or curling up on mats to bask in the sun.

There was tender finger nibbling and hair tugging.

Giggles and selfies abounded.

Passersby cuddled with a pair of yearold kids on leashes.

Organized by the rec center, the free classes aimed to help students relax during a stressful time of the semester, said Denise Adelsen, the center’s assistant director of fitness and wellness.

Goats compliment yoga because they naturally exhibit calmness, curiosity and emotional warmth, she said: “Their innate sense of openness reminds all who participate to be inquisitive, show kindness and truly experience the moment.”

The animals came from Boulder’s Mountain Flower Goat Dairy.

“My favorite ‘thank you’ was from a student who had never been this close to a goat before,” Adelsen said. “She didn’t have pets growing up, and the experience of doing yoga while with the goats made her feel calm and connected.”

Goat yoga returns to campus next April, if not sooner.