Hello and thank you for visiting my web site!  In this section I will be addressing some of the questions that many

people have asked me.  If you still have more questions please feel free to e-mail me (under the "contact" section

of this web site), or call me directly at: 1-888-EQUINE2. (378-4632). I always love to talk to people, your call will

be most welcome-I don't bite!

How can I learn enough to become an equine massage therapist in only 6 days?

Well, through our advanced hypnosis techniques.......no, just kidding.  In this course you will learn a competent,

fully body massage, along with all the theory required to attend an injured horse from the acute stage of injury to the

care of a chronic injury, or work on your own equine athlete.  There are many courses available to take all across

North America and beyond, those that are much longer and teach much more information to those that are interested

in learning deeper physiology and anatomy.  Some of the courses will teach all skeletal landmarks, origin and insertion

of all muscles along with nerve innervations.  This alone can take upwards of 6 months to absorb.  This course strips

massage therapy right down to the basics.  Major muscles are all covered, along with how they can become injured,

and what we are supposed to do to aid the horse in regaining supple muscles and full range of motion in their joints. 

The things that I feel, as an equine massage therapist, are important to know and understand are all covered in this

course.  The intensity of the six days in succession helps to keep my students minds only on massage.  The repetitive

nature of my teaching style ensures that the information is readily available, and practice put to purpose while we work

on the horses on the first day of class only reinforces the reason why people take this course--to learn hands-on work

that can help horses recover from injuries, help our equine athletes gain their full potential, and to develop a deeper

bond between us and our horses!

What is the difference between your course and that 2 year program?

I have been asked this specific question a lot. As stated above, each course focuses on different things. The two year

program focuses on anatomy - lots of it. From the skeletal system and all the boney landmarks, to every muscle with

origin and insertion points, action and nerve innervation.. This is a tremendous amount of information, and takes a

great deal of time to absorb - I should know as a human RMT, I had to learn it all!

Their focus continues in physiology and micro anatomy with action potentials (diffusion of Na (sodium) across a membrane),

motor end units (the connection between the nerve and the muscle), etc. This is all fascinating information, but it will never

make a person a better hands-on therapist.

I believe that the focus of a massage course should be massage. This course is designed with that in mind.

What are your credentials?

I have been a practicing (human) registered massage therapist since 1990-that's 20 years of hands on work with loads

of soft tissue injury experience under my fingers.  My schooling as an RMT is 2200 hours at an accredited teaching facility,

and I am in good standing with my board (CMTO) .

A muscle is a muscle is a muscle.  Injury leads to spasm, and spasm leads to a lack of range of motion.  In a muscular

injury, spasm will lead to a chronic tension in the muscles along with trigger points (are fully explained in the course!).  In

tendon and ligament injuries, muscle spasms are also present, but our focus leads to work on the tendons, along with

scar tissue (also covered in the course!).  These injuries are the same for a human, horse, dog, cat - even a guinea pig! 

The ability to assess an injury, apply the correct massage technique and reduce spasm and tension in a muscle is the

purpose of massage - no matter the species we are working with at the time.

I also took an equine massage therapy course many years ago to learn a basic massage routine. Since that time,

I have developed my own unique techniques that I share with my students. I saw the need for more people to lean this

valuable tool, so I wrote my own original equine massage manual based on my experience, research and the fundamental

basics and principles of massage therapy.

I also hold a certificate with distinction from the University of Guelph in Equine Health Sciences, which covers

equine: nutrition, functional anatomy, physiology, management of the equine environment, health and disease prevention

and growth and development.
 
Who regulates the industry of equine massage therapy?

The easy answer is: no one. 

The equine massage therapy industry has absolutely no Provincial or Federal legislation that oversees this profession

in Canada, and therefore, there is no one group/association/school that can claim that they have exclusivity to practice

equine massage therapy.

There is an organization called the International Federation of Registered Equine Massage Therapists.

The people that belong to this group are Registered Equine Massage Therapists who have completed a 2200 hour

program at a privately owned facility. They are a self regulated association, and do not fall under the jurisdiction of any body

of law, Provincial or Federal legislation, as none exists.

I have had a few people contact me asking questions about this organization, and for this reason I have included this

information in this forum. It is my intention to educate people that are interested in this field, whether they wish to learn

equine massage therapy for their own horses, or to work as Certified Equine Massage Therapists.

No one in Canada has the exclusive right to massage horses!

Here are some differences between equine massage and human massage.

As an RMT (human registered massage therapist) practicing in Ontario, we are provincially regulated under The Massage Act.

We have a governing board that oversees our practices. (CMTO - The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario)

In equine massage, there is no provincial legislation, and there is no Act that oversees this field. 

In human massage, insurance companies offer massage benefits to members (paid by companies) for their employees. 

As horse owners, many of us have insurance on our animals, but even with the insurance, it does not cover many vet bills,

many diseases, chiropractic, and certainly not massage therapy treatments. 

Human massage (in Ontario and British Colombia), is a very tightly regulated profession, and yet, there are many massage

parlors, esthetics, spas etc. that do not have RMT's working at their facilities.  It begins a very long game of semantics. 

The term "massage therapy" is copyright protected in the province of Ontario and British Columbia, and only RMT's may

make use of this term, and yet, there are many people that do "body work", "myomassology", "body balancing" etc., and

our governing bodies cannot do anything to regulate these people working in this industry. 

This being the case with human massage, I truly do not believe that there will ever be a governing body that will ban a

certified equine massage therapist from working.

***I have permission from the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario to use their term "massage therapist" when we

put the word "equine" in front of it:  "equine massage therapist". 

This may indeed seem contentious, but that is the truth, plain and simple.  I do not need to lie, or puff up the truth, just

present it as it stands, and allow you to make a decision for yourself if this is the right course for you!

Is there an age limit?

I have been asked this question quite a few times, and yes, there is an age limit of 16 (within the calendar year that the

course is being taught).  The reason for this is two fold.  The language in the course is challenging, as I use the proper

medical terminology when speaking in terms of anatomy, physiology and massage therapy.  The range of ages of the

participants of the courses vary from course to course, but usually range from 20-65 (yes, 65 and up!). 

I like to see full interaction of all of my students, and encourage discussion within the group as it pertains to the course

material.  Although I have personally found that many people involved with horses are quite mature for their age, I would

not like to see any students not participate as fully as others, possibly due to shyness, or lack of confidence, hence the

age minimum of 16.

What are the physical requirements of the course?

This course is a hands-on learning course that teaches both theory and massage. In the barn, students are required

to stand while massaging, but may sit when they are not working. A good rule of thumb I like to use is this: If you can

muck out a 10 stall barn, you can do this course. Massage requires feet, legs, hips, shoulders, arms and hands

(listed in importance), and not just arms and hands. The pressure we generate comes from the proper positioning of

our feet, driving up the legs to put the power into our hips. From here the pressure goes into our shoulders, arms and

out through our hands. (very much like mucking!). I do bring stools with me to classes, and students may sit when they

are not massaging.

Can I get the massage manual in advance?

No, I do not send the manual in advance. The manual is specific to the teaching of the course, and rather reads

like stereo instructions and would not make sense alone.

What you do get in advance is homework!

I have on line homework available. When a person has registered for the course, they will then receive the pass codes

to download the homework..

Can I just sit in on a class and just watch? (Audit)

No, I do not have people sit in on my classes. It is important that each student receive my attention not only with

the theory, but also with the hands on portion of the class too! My students check with me on their pressure, posture

and massage manipulations during the class; this cannot be accomplished or learned by anyone just watching.

If I take both the massage and chiropractic courses, then do I receive a discount?

No, as each course is taught individually, they are separate from each other.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, and you may call yourself a certified equine massage therapist in any province in Canada.

What should I charge for my services?

It seems to vary from area to area; however, a generally accepted rate is between $60-70 per session plus mileage.

How long are massage sessions?

In my practice, I try to keep my hands-on time to roughly an hour and a half.  I spend time assessing the horse,

massaging, and stretching. I do not believe in a one hour or a half hour massage with horses, as the horse may

require more time. Equine massage is a session and never has a time limit.

How long before I can actually charge for my services?

Right away!  I am a firm believer in not selling myself short.  If you are performing a task, you should be paid for your

work!  If you feel unsure of charging full rate for the first 10 massages, then by all means, discuss this candidly with the

owner, and set a rate for the first 3 massages, and fully disclose your expected full rate after the three massages are

complete.  (We do discuss this in the course as well). Do not sell yourself short! Always charge for your time. A valuable

skill has been learned, and working people deserve to be compensated for their knowledge and skills!

I strongly recommend to all of my students to do 10 massages after the conclusion of the course to solidify the routine. 

Why? Within the 6 day course, a competent massage routine along with all of the stretches is taught.  By the last day,

all of my students must complete a body massage (and stretches). Many of my students have come back to me and

told me that they feel much more confident in their ability to do the full routine by this last day.  But, it takes time to develop

the skills, the feeling of the tissues and to get very comfortable with doing the massage.  I have been in practice for 20

years and I still am learning new ways to use my hands to reduce spasm and tension in muscles! 

Who takes an equine massage therapy course?

Not all of my students take my course for the purpose of working on other people's horses or starting an equine

massage therapy business. We are a broad and varied group! Many people reconnect with the horse world after many

years of raising our families, and may choose to either repurchase our older friends, or decide on an older more settled

horse. Many of these older horses can have issues with arthritis and old injuries that should be addressed.

As a rider myself (just hacking!), I like for my horses to have the smoothest gait possible. If my horses are having issues,

it will translate into an uneven (and uncomfortable for me to sit) gait. With regular massage (about 1 time per week, then

graduating down to once every four weeks), I can help my horse with any aches, pains, lack of extension and extensibility,

which in short is the lack of a muscle to reach it's full potential in either extension or flexion which translates into missed

jumps, slow painful movements, lack of speed, inability to maneuver around barrels smoothly etc.

These issues can be addressed and helped through massage, which will make the horse more comfortable, also

helping the rider in the process by having a much more smoother gaited horse to ride!

For those people in the competitive circle, whether it is with dressage, racing, barrels, endurance, hunter, jumper,

roping etc., we can all help our athletes reach their full potential! Tight muscles are prone to injury ,whereas soft, supple,

extensible muscles are much less prone to injury.

Any and all competitions (and yes, just pleasure hacking too) will put strain and stress on the muscles and joints of

our horses. Massage will help keep both of these components in smoother working order. Will your horse now place

first in all competitions? Of course not, but what a thrill it will be not be in last place, or to see your horse working more

easily with less injuries!

Massage can never take the place of proper training, and any horse in any venue of competition must be conditioned

properly in order to gain it's full potential. (I strongly recommend the Exercise Physiology course from the University of

Guelph in this area!)

How do I register for the course?

Go to the “application forms” section.  Within this area you will find an application form along with a waiver/release

form.  Fill out both of these forms fully, and send it along with a $135 deposit (cheque or money order),

post dated two weeks prior to the course start to my address which is located on the application form.

This ensures your spot on the upcoming course. 

The balance of the course is due on the first day of class.

You will receive a receipt, along with my G.S.T. # on the last day of class.

How do I know where the course is being held?

Go to the 'Course locations' bar, and click on it. A scroll down bar will appear with the list of course sites available.

Click on the course site you are interested in attending, and another page will open with all of the information-course

location, directions and lodging information.

Problem accessing the information?

If you are having problems with opening the drop bar, or the page will not open for you, please e-mail (through the

contact section of this web site) or call me, and I will send you the information by either e-mail, or regular post.

What do I need to bring with me to the course?

A hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, weather smart clothing including gloves if it is cold, ( prefer to work outside if weather

permits), steel toed shoes if you have them, and your lunch. Pencils, paper, highlighters, the course manual (which is

yours to keep-that I wrote) are all provided.

What about the minimum number of students required?

Yes, as I am traveling from place to place to teach, there is a minimum of 6 students per venue. Upon receipt of your

application, you will be contacted to confirm your application has been received, and your homework information will

be given to you. It should be presumed that the course will move forward. If this minimum number is not reached two

weeks prior to the course start date, the course will be cancelled, each person will be informed via telephone (if there

is no answer and no answering machine, then e-mail). All deposits cheques will be destroyed, and on line deposits

will be returned (via cheque). As to the maximum number of students, each venue is different as the number of horses

available varies. We work with a 2:1 ratio of students to horses, as we work in teams of two for the first 5 days. On the

final day, each student will be working alone with one horse.

I try very hard to keep the maximum number of students to 20, but at times, there may be slightly more.

Don't forget!

All classes are from 8am-5pm.

On the first day of class please be at the facility no later than 7:50am

I try to have classes end as close to 5pm as possible. Feeding schedules of the barn dictate my schedule,

so from time to time class may extend slightly beyond 5pm, or we may be done a bit earlier.

Our last day will be concluded just before noon!

Will you contact me prior to the course to confirm?

I have tried to contact people prior to the course as a reminder, but with the number of

courses I am teaching, it has become too difficult. We will not be contacting prior to the

course, but when we receive your application, you will be reminded of the start time of

the course. Please feel free to contact me by either phone or e-mail to confirm a course,

but it should be presumed that the course will be a go!
_________________________________________________________________________________

If you are interested in more information about the University of Guelph Equine

Science Certificate program, please feel free to click on the link below:

http://equinesciencecertificate.com

I do not have any affiliation with the University of Guelph, but I have had only good experiences

with their courses, and do recommend their on-line programs.

The link is by permission from Gayle Ecker-University of Guelph