* The official Equissage Home Study Program is only available through our website. Any other site claiming to offer an online or home study program using the Equissage name and any material is not approved, endorsed nor is the information guaranteed by Equissage, Inc.
What exactly is Equine Sports Massage Therapy?
Equine Sports Massage Therapy is the therapeutic application of hands-on deep tissue techniques to the voluntary muscle system - for the purpose of increasing circulation, reducing muscle spasms, relieving tension, enhancing muscle tone, promoting healing and increasing range of motion in all breeds of horses.
Who/what is Equissage?
Equissage is the leading trainer of equine sports massage therapists in the world. Since the inauguration of Equissage in 1991, over 30,000 professional therapists have come through our program. These graduates work for the top of owners and trainers in the horse world, and some have been selected as official massage therapists for national equestrian teams around the world. Mary Schreiber, the founder of Equissage, is acknowledged to be one of the true pioneers of horse and other animal massage in the country. Her best-selling videos on horse and dog massage have had worldwide distribution, with translations into a number of foreign languages. The (How To) Manual Of Sports Massage For the Equine Athlete is recognized as the "Bible" of equine massage instruction, and her work has been featured on ABC Television's Health Show, Sports Illustrated magazine, NBC TV and in leading equestrian journals around the world.
Is massage therapy recognized as beneficial to an animal's well being?
Yes, increasingly so. Just as the popularity of less invasive approaches to health care in humans has gained in recent years, so too have these procedures and methods gained acceptance in the care and treatment of animals. We have witnessed the recent advent of professionals like equine chiropractors, equine physical therapists and equine nutritionists in the horse world.
What qualifications or background are considered important for success as an Equine Sports Massage Therapist (ESMT)?
The most important qualification for success as an ESMT is a love of animals, empathy for suffering animals, and a sincere desire to help alleviate that suffering. Equissage's Program starts with the basics of massage therapy and thoroughly schools the student in every aspect of the discipline. As a graduate, you will be confident that you know everything you need to know to provide equine massage therapy in an effective, therapeutic, and professional manner.
What kind of demand is there for Equine Massage Therapy, and is the therapy "transferable" to other companion animals?
Every horse owner and trainer - whether they own or work with horses involved in competition, - wants, and in many instances, needs their equines to be free of muscle problems that can cause pain and inhibit the horses's movement and performance.
Because of the health-promoting qualities of massage, as well as its restorative properties, knowledgeable owners and trainers are incorporating this therapy as an integral part of their horse's total and continuous health care program.
The therapy is certainly transferable - by virtue of its generally universal effectiveness and similarity of technique - to other companion animals, such as cats. It would be necessary that those wishing to market feline massage services to study and lean the muscle system of the cat.
What information is covered in the Program?
The major emphasis in the ESMT Program is on the application and sequence of massage techniques and massage strokes. As a necessary preface to this, it is vital that students be familiar with the basic physiology of muscles, the location of each major muscle and muscle group in the horse, the activity controlled by each muscle and the specific conditions which may affect the horse if those muscles are not adequately nourished through good blood and lymphatic circulation.
Can I really expect to learn the therapy through home study?
Yes. The home study program in Equine Sports Massage is formatted and patterned after our Equine On-site program. It has the experience, support, and backing of Equissage, Inc. Since 1991, Equissage has trained more professional animal massage therapists than anyone in the world. With respect to its Equine Massage program, Equissage graduates work for some of the very top trainers and owners in the horse world and have been selected by various national equestrian teams to work the world championship and Olympic games.
What are the course objectives and what is included in the program?
Over the course of the program you will be able to:
Successfully perform a full, hour long massage using the correct sequence as taught by Equissage (c)
Identify and discuss the following:
The scope of practice of an Equine Sports Massage Therapist versus that of a veterinarian
The need and rationale for maintaining client confidentiality
Vital safety precautions taken during a sports massage session
Benefits of equine sports massage therapy
Importance of when not to perform sports massage therapy
Equine muscle groups and their functions
Program Components are as follows:
Equine Sports Massage Therapy Program Manual (Loose leaf binder)
The (How To) Manual of Sports Massage For The Equine Athlete
All audio and video components listed below are on USB drives and will be sent in addition to the CD's and DVD's.
Sports Massage For the Equine Athlete (DVD)
The Equissage Sequence (CD audio)
Sequence Reviews (DVD - comes with Final Exam)
Muscle Demonstration (DVD)
Focus On The Horse (CD audio)
The Equissage Story (DVD)
Equissage Totebag
How does the program work?
The program has been divided into intensive but easy-to-understand sessions, which are designed so that the student works at his or her own pace. We recommend that students spend at least 50 hours of study and practice. At the conclusion of the program, the student will notify Equissage that he/she is ready for the final written exam. The test will be sent the next business day. The student will complete the written exam at his/her own pace and then return the completed exam to Equissage with a video recording demonstrating the student's full massage of a horse. The recording can be sent on a thumb drive, or by using Dropbox. More information is given at the time of submission. Upon successfully passing the written and video exams, the student is then awarded the certificate in Equine Sports Massage Therapy.
Do I receive a certificate when I complete the course?
Yes, upon successful completion of the course, and final exams (written and video) you will receive a certificate. On your certificate, it will state that you are certified as an Equine Sports Massage Therapist by Equissage. It will not mention if you studied the course on site or through the home study course.
At each step of the program, the student is secure in the knowledge that he or she has unlimited access to the Equissage staff for questions, comments, etc., via the toll-free number. It is the Equissage pledge that no question will go unanswered or unresolved for longer than 24 hours.
We have a 95% passing rate and offer our participants the opportunity to re-take any part of the final exam in order for them to become certified. There is no time limit set by Equissage for a participant to complete the course.
What is the cost of the program?
The cost of the Equissage Home Study Program in Equine Massage Therapy is $995. This includes all materials, tests, audio and DVDs, and other items. This tuition is payable in full at the time of enrollment. If for any reason a prospective student's application is rejected, the total fee is refunded. Once a student is accepted into the program, tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable to the Equissage On Site Course. Visa and MasterCard are accepted for payment, along with personal check, cash or money order. All graduates of the ESMT program are invited to join the International Association of Animal Massage Therapists (IAAMT) for a small membership fee.
Is the Equissage ESMT program available online?
No, not at this time. All program materials are sent to the student's home. There is a great deal of information, illustrations, etc. that would make it difficult to properly have the entire curriculum online.
As a participant of Equissage's ESMT program, may I use the Equissage name in marketing my practice?
No. Equissage is a copyrighted name and cannot be used in the name which you select for your business.
Selecting An Animal Massage Therapy Program
When selecting an animal massage program, be sure to check the credentials of anyone offering the program. Some questions you might want to ask are:
When you get the answers to these questions, we are sure you will choose Equissage, the nation's oldest and most respected animal massage program.
To view our Home Study program Success Stories, please click here: Equine Home Study Success Stories
Click Here to Apply
What exactly is Equine Sports Massage Therapy?
Equine Sports Massage Therapy is the therapeutic application of hands-on deep tissue techniques to the voluntary muscle system - for the purpose of increasing circulation, reducing muscle spasms, relieving tension, enhancing muscle tone, promoting healing and increasing range of motion in all breeds of horses.
Who/what is Equissage?
Equissage is the leading trainer of equine sports massage therapists in the world. Since the inauguration of Equissage in 1991, over 30,000 professional therapists have come through our program. These graduates work for the top of owners and trainers in the horse world, and some have been selected as official massage therapists for national equestrian teams around the world. Mary Schreiber, the founder of Equissage, is acknowledged to be one of the true pioneers of horse and other animal massage in the country. Her best-selling videos on horse and dog massage have had worldwide distribution, with translations into a number of foreign languages. The (How To) Manual Of Sports Massage For the Equine Athlete is recognized as the "Bible" of equine massage instruction, and her work has been featured on ABC Television's Health Show, Sports Illustrated magazine, NBC TV and in leading equestrian journals around the world.
Is massage therapy recognized as beneficial to an animal's well being?
Yes, increasingly so. Just as the popularity of less invasive approaches to health care in humans has gained in recent years, so too have these procedures and methods gained acceptance in the care and treatment of animals. We have witnessed the recent advent of professionals like equine chiropractors, equine physical therapists and equine nutritionists in the horse world.
What qualifications or background are considered important for success as an Equine Sports Massage Therapist (ESMT)?
The most important qualification for success as an ESMT is a love of animals, empathy for suffering animals, and a sincere desire to help alleviate that suffering. Equissage's Program starts with the basics of massage therapy and thoroughly schools the student in every aspect of the discipline. As a graduate, you will be confident that you know everything you need to know to provide equine massage therapy in an effective, therapeutic, and professional manner.
What kind of demand is there for Equine Massage Therapy, and is the therapy "transferable" to other companion animals?
Every horse owner and trainer - whether they own or work with horses involved in competition, - wants, and in many instances, needs their equines to be free of muscle problems that can cause pain and inhibit the horses's movement and performance.
Because of the health-promoting qualities of massage, as well as its restorative properties, knowledgeable owners and trainers are incorporating this therapy as an integral part of their horse's total and continuous health care program.
The therapy is certainly transferable - by virtue of its generally universal effectiveness and similarity of technique - to other companion animals, such as cats. It would be necessary that those wishing to market feline massage services to study and lean the muscle system of the cat.
What information is covered in the Program?
The major emphasis in the ESMT Program is on the application and sequence of massage techniques and massage strokes. As a necessary preface to this, it is vital that students be familiar with the basic physiology of muscles, the location of each major muscle and muscle group in the horse, the activity controlled by each muscle and the specific conditions which may affect the horse if those muscles are not adequately nourished through good blood and lymphatic circulation.
Can I really expect to learn the therapy through home study?
Yes. The home study program in Equine Sports Massage is formatted and patterned after our Equine On-site program. It has the experience, support, and backing of Equissage, Inc. Since 1991, Equissage has trained more professional animal massage therapists than anyone in the world. With respect to its Equine Massage program, Equissage graduates work for some of the very top trainers and owners in the horse world and have been selected by various national equestrian teams to work the world championship and Olympic games.
What are the course objectives and what is included in the program?
Over the course of the program you will be able to:
Successfully perform a full, hour long massage using the correct sequence as taught by Equissage (c)
Identify and discuss the following:
The scope of practice of an Equine Sports Massage Therapist versus that of a veterinarian
The need and rationale for maintaining client confidentiality
Vital safety precautions taken during a sports massage session
Benefits of equine sports massage therapy
Importance of when not to perform sports massage therapy
Equine muscle groups and their functions
Program Components are as follows:
Equine Sports Massage Therapy Program Manual (Loose leaf binder)
The (How To) Manual of Sports Massage For The Equine Athlete
All audio and video components listed below are on USB drives and will be sent in addition to the CD's and DVD's.
Sports Massage For the Equine Athlete (DVD)
The Equissage Sequence (CD audio)
Sequence Reviews (DVD - comes with Final Exam)
Muscle Demonstration (DVD)
Focus On The Horse (CD audio)
The Equissage Story (DVD)
Equissage Totebag
How does the program work?
The program has been divided into intensive but easy-to-understand sessions, which are designed so that the student works at his or her own pace. We recommend that students spend at least 50 hours of study and practice. At the conclusion of the program, the student will notify Equissage that he/she is ready for the final written exam. The test will be sent the next business day. The student will complete the written exam at his/her own pace and then return the completed exam to Equissage with a video recording demonstrating the student's full massage of a horse. The recording can be sent on a thumb drive, or by using Dropbox. More information is given at the time of submission. Upon successfully passing the written and video exams, the student is then awarded the certificate in Equine Sports Massage Therapy.
Do I receive a certificate when I complete the course?
Yes, upon successful completion of the course, and final exams (written and video) you will receive a certificate. On your certificate, it will state that you are certified as an Equine Sports Massage Therapist by Equissage. It will not mention if you studied the course on site or through the home study course.
At each step of the program, the student is secure in the knowledge that he or she has unlimited access to the Equissage staff for questions, comments, etc., via the toll-free number. It is the Equissage pledge that no question will go unanswered or unresolved for longer than 24 hours.
We have a 95% passing rate and offer our participants the opportunity to re-take any part of the final exam in order for them to become certified. There is no time limit set by Equissage for a participant to complete the course.
What is the cost of the program?
The cost of the Equissage Home Study Program in Equine Massage Therapy is $995. This includes all materials, tests, audio and DVDs, and other items. This tuition is payable in full at the time of enrollment. If for any reason a prospective student's application is rejected, the total fee is refunded. Once a student is accepted into the program, tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable to the Equissage On Site Course. Visa and MasterCard are accepted for payment, along with personal check, cash or money order. All graduates of the ESMT program are invited to join the International Association of Animal Massage Therapists (IAAMT) for a small membership fee.
Is the Equissage ESMT program available online?
No, not at this time. All program materials are sent to the student's home. There is a great deal of information, illustrations, etc. that would make it difficult to properly have the entire curriculum online.
As a participant of Equissage's ESMT program, may I use the Equissage name in marketing my practice?
No. Equissage is a copyrighted name and cannot be used in the name which you select for your business.
Selecting An Animal Massage Therapy Program
When selecting an animal massage program, be sure to check the credentials of anyone offering the program. Some questions you might want to ask are:
- How many articles have appeared in national publications about either the course you are considering or the course's chief instructor?
- How many books and videos on animal massage have been authored by the chief instructor?
- How many veterinarians have chosen to enroll in that program or school?
When you get the answers to these questions, we are sure you will choose Equissage, the nation's oldest and most respected animal massage program.
To view our Home Study program Success Stories, please click here: Equine Home Study Success Stories
Click Here to Apply
