it seems like there are many of them out there.
what program did you go thru and/or which would you recommend?
My friend went through Equissage and got a lot out of it.
I am certified throught Equissage, and I thought it was a great program, I learned a lot, and it was very intensive. I loved my week there and would highly recommend it.
I also am certified through Equissage and really liked it. I’m heading out to the barn to give my Pony her weekly massage right now! 
I did Equissage as well, quite a few years ago. I think it’s a great foundation program but I personally don’t think one week of classes, no matter how intensive, makes one a credible massage therapist. I think it’s a great place to start, but additional classes in other modalities are a must i.e. Reiki, craniosacral, etc. IMHO.
Equine Touch. It’s much more than a one week certification program. You have to do 4 levels before you can start charging as a practitioner. I have seen better, faster results with it, and it’s incredible. I know several practitioners. You have to do case studies and such, besides just the classes.
so, for those that are out there working, what do you feel is the baseline education that is needed to be a good, qualified masseuse?
will this program (EQ50, EQ100) be enough to start (assuming continuing education as time goes by) is this a reputable program?
My first certification was through a short course (1 week). I did not feel it gave me enough of a foundation to practice professionally. It was a great way to start, but I wouldn’t have hired myself right out of that course.
I recently completed a long certification course through this school: http://www.equinemmt.com/home.php. There is scads of background anatomy and physiology that must be understood for a therapist to be effective; you just can’t get that in a week-long or shorter course. As already mentioned, a longer course of study/apprenticeship also allows enough time to learn the basics of multiple modalities and a greater variety of techniques, as opposed to learning a single routine.
Yes, equinology is another very good school. It is constructed similarly to the one I graduated from, with a range of courses, months of closely overseen independent study and apprenticeship, and follow-up “grad school” courses available. By the time you have completed their courses through 104, you will have a good foundation to start a professional practice. I plan to enroll in some of their advanced courses for CE credits.
I think the key is to have as many tools as possible and to aggressively pursue CE opportunities.
i really liked the looks of the Equinemmt program, but it doesn’t look like he is teaching massage anymore? it looks like he is focusing on saddle fitting (another aspect that i am really interested in)…
i do find it odd that all these people are creating teaching programs… how do you know if it is good?
the equineology courses look good but it bugs me that she has trade marked the words “equine body worker” and various other terms…
another question: does anyone know if there is any grant or financial assistence for this kind of education?
mbm, Mike and Joy are most definitely continuing to teach massage. There is another certification course starting up in March, and an Introductory one-day class in Feb. I’ll be acting as an assistant for both, so I know for sure they are on the calendar. Click on the “courses” tab to see what is currently available. The “schedule” tab will give you the dates of classes. Scroll to the bottom to see when the next massage certification class starts. The classes are kept small and only one (two max) are offered per year so that everyone gets TONS of individual attention and guidance.
To decide if they are “any good” (and there are only a handful that I have found worthwhile, in my research), you just have to look at their credentials. What have they done, how long have they been doing it, who were their influences and who have they themselves influenced. Have they been published? If so, where? Peer-reviewed? Are they involved in continuing education? Are their courses eligible for broader CE credits?
Also look at the courses. What will you learn? Are you being taught a routine alone? Or do you get theory to support what you are doing? How many hours is the course? How much hands-on work, and how is that evaluated? Is there an apprenticeship/“internship” requirement?
Try to watch new graduates of your chosen program work, and those who have been in the field longer. Do they appear competent? Do they address each horse individually? What sort of evaluation do they do before starting work? Can they answer your questions? The owner’s? How do they answer the questions? What education beyond their massage course do they have; especially for those who have been in the field a while, how have they continued to develop their feel and theoretical knowledge?
I think you would be happy with the equinology course. (Of course, if you wanted to do the EM/MT course, I’d love to meet you in person; and I can certainly vouch for the rigor and the qualification of the teachers! :D) I don’t fret too much about the “EBW” trademark; most schools have their own phrase/initials (equine massage/muscle therapy-EM/MT; Equissage sports massage therapist-ESMT; etc.) Some guard them very jealously, others not so much (e.g., so many schools use certified equine massage therapist-CEMT-that it is pretty much considered a generic term).
ETA: Feel free to PM me if you want more info on the EM/MT course!
I am on the road to hopefully practicing “sports medicine for equines”. After talking to a few vets and pros in the field I decided to get certified for people first. I am going to school at the moment for that.
I also talk to a well know massage therapist for equines and will be going to work with her at her place. I will then do an apprentiship with her as well.
I just wanted to add many states including mine only allow vets practice massage therapy for horses. You have to be very carefull what you call yourself and make sure you have a good relationship with the vets in the area.
thanks for the great info!
the Equineology course is literally right down the road from me… so it is very convenient!
I must of missed the dates for the Equinemmt classes - all i saw was the 101 classes…
Is there a governing body for equine sports therapy workers?
eta: as for human massage - i wouldn’t mind doing the course work, but i have no desire to work on people… how long does the certification last and at what cost?
I do not know of any single governing body for equine sports massage therapy workers at this time.
Does anyone know what is the actually percent of graduated students that go on to work in this field?
I don’t know that anyone has gathered statistics, but of the short course that I graduated from, I see only a few people practicing, certainly a very small percentage of the many, many graduates. From the longer course, it looks like more, but certainly not all of the listed graduates are actively practicing as a profession.
It is hard to build any business; SBA statistics show 60%+ small businesses (including sole proprietorships like most equine massage providers) fail within 3 years. It’s hard to make a reliable full-time salary at something that is, when you come right down to it, a “luxury” in most people’s eyes.
I agree. I took the course mostly to help my own horses, and had a handful of “clients” (from retirees to race horses). I would not have made a living off of it, but the extra cash does help to support my horsey habit. I suppose if I had time to try to build the business, but with the economy right now, I don’t think so. The Equissage course does spend a bit of time giving pointers on how to build your business.
The school I go to for people is 15 months and cost about 15000. I was able to get grants and financial aid. I think it is a good foundation for when I want to persue th horses. It is also something to fall back on if the horses do not work out. I live up north so it will also be nice to have the option of staying inside for the winter.
