Myotonic goats are known by other names such as: fainting goats, nervous goats, stiff-leg goats, wooden-leg goats, and scare goats. This somewhat rare breed is primarily characterized by a genetic disorder called Myotonia Congenita that causes an extended muscle contraction when the goat is startled or excited and may cause the goat to fall over. Older goats learn to brace their legs in order to remain upright. It is a commonly held opinion that this event is painless.

Other charactaristis of the breed include a straight facial profile, as opposed to a roman profile, and slightly bulged eyes. Despite their smaller stature, double-muscling makes these goats great meat goats. The extended muscle contractions experienced during fainting works to their advantage in this regard.

While the true origin of the Myotonic goat is unknown, it is believed that they originated in Marshall County, Tennessee in the late 1800s. As the story goes, a farm worker name John Tinsley showed up one day with four goats that would stiffen-up and fall over. Not much is know about Tinsley. However, he is reported to have come from Nova Scotia. A year later he sold these peculiar goats to Dr. Mayberry and then moved away from the area, never to be heard from again. It is believed that these four goats originated the Myotonic breed.

Some beleive that the term "scape goat" was coined because of this breed. One story suggests Myotonic goats were originally placed with other more expensive livestock, as a means to protect the them. The idea was that when a predator attacked, the Myotonic goat would faint, making an easy target, and the more expensive animals would escape unharmed.