Massage Therapist

The Equine Massage Therapist (EMT) must be a strong, sensitive, empathetic, focused person who uses massage to rehabilitate injured, stressed, or unbalanced high performance horses. Massage increases circulation, relaxes muscle spasms, relieves tension, enhances muscle tone, and increases range of motion. Massage is an ancient form of therapy for both humans and animals, however the massage therapist career is relatively new in the equine industry that has been gaining in popularity since the 1990’s . As a new career it has not yet been formalized by certification and licensing, although equine massage trainers are growing in numbers and at least two international associations have formed in an attempt to control quality of services provided by equine massage therapists. EMT’s must attend an approved massage therapy school, pass an examination, and adhere to the “Professional Standards of Practice” specified by the IFREMT to become certified.

No previous training in massage therapy or veterinary science is required for equine massage therapist training programs. Equine Massage Therapists usually work as self-employed independent contractors. Many EMT’s enter the field for the pure love of horses and a wish to help them. There is wide variation in income, partially dependent on experience, geographic location and the types of animals and clients serviced. Some charge per session, with a range from between $50 and $100 for a massage session that lasts between 45 minutes and an hour. Some charge per treatment; for example, a treatment might include a week of massage throughout the day, as needed, for as little as $250.