Video of goats balancing on wobbly metal sheet could melt the gruffest of hearts

'Chèvres en équilibre' has taken the internet by storm, achieving more than 2.25m hits

The video, sadly without sound, shows the goats clearly having a great time kidding around in a garden

It may have a name that sounds like a fine French art film, but this beautifully simple clip of four goats kidding around with a wobbly metal sheet has the potential to become one of the viral hits of the year.

Already receiving more than 2.25 million views since it was uploaded to YouTube two days ago, “Chèvres en équilibre” – goats in balance – has the perfect blend of pure triviality, a hint of danger and an ensemble cast of goats who just want to have fun.

The video shows three younger goats vying to stay on top of the flexible sheet, at times managing to synchronise their jumps from the ground and at one point even all staying on at once.

Watching over them is a larger goat who, tied up, cannot get involved in the fun itself. It appears at times to be encouraging the smaller animals to get up on the sheet – then proceeds to butt them if they fall off.

The footage was posted online by YouTube user Max Murs, and though little is known about him he is clearly a goat fan – the two younger animals featured in the video also appear in close-up on his profile page.

Mr Murs, who apologises on his own clip for the lack of sound, asked the makers of one such alternative version: “Could I just be informed before you do that even if your work is fun?”

The original footage has been described as “mesmerising”, with one user commenting: “I could watch them for hours.”

Expressing what every viewer will no doubt have caught themselves thinking, another wrote: “I was sad when the video ended.” We can only assume it will be made into a gif file at some point soon.