What causes the goats to faint? The name "fainting goat" is
really something of a misnomer, because fainting goats don’t
actually faint at all. A genetic condition known as myotonia
congenita causes them to stiffen up when they’re startled or
excited, meaning many of the goats (especially younger ones) are
apt to topple over. As the goats grow older, some of them learn
to control their “fainting” a bit more. Don’t worry-- the fall
doesn’t hurt the animal, which will pick itself up within
seconds of hitting the ground. Other names for fainting goats
include myotonic goats, falling goats and Tennessee wooden-
legged goats. The animals also sport a wide range of colors,
though the “classic” coloring for a fainting goat is generally
considered to be black and white. Why do people raise fainting
goats? Several reasons, actually. For one thing, fainting goats
tend to be more docile than other goat types, meaning they make
more appealing pets (yes, some people really do keep them as
pets!). Although fainting goats ar