Bodymechanics School launced its new Large Animal Massage program, which began on September 24, 2007, with Shauna Haase, LMP, NCTM, LAMP. Our next class starts May 12, 2008.
This program has been in development for the past year and is now ready to begin.
We have had an amazing response to the creation of this program. The following are several of the questions students have had regarding the equine course and our responses:
Q: Do you have to be a Licensed Massage Practitioner in order to become a Horse massage therapist?
A: The laws regarding animal massage practioners vary greatly from state to state. You are responsible to be follow your own states' current regulations regarding animal massage. There are no states, however, where a massage practitioner may diagnose, prescribe, or provide prognosis. Anyone can provide animal massage as a volunteer without charge. We are creating a page with links to different state boards to help you in your search. Check back for a link coming soon.
Q: What are the legal requirements for certification in animal massage in Washington State?
A: Washington has two, and now possibly three, ways for individuals to enter the animal massage profession. 1) If you are a Registered Veterinary Technician, you may provide animal massage under the supervision of a veterinarian upon completion of a 100-hour Animal Massage training course. Or 2) If you are a Licensed Massage Practitioner, you may complete a 100-hour training course in large or small animal massage and practice independently. And 3) a new law has just been signed allowing a person to complete a 300-hour equine program and not become a licensed massage practitioner, but it will be at least a year before the requirements are clear on this. You can track this new law here.
Q: Why would I want to go through all of the trouble and expense of becoming a licensed massage practitioner and taking a 100-hour equine program when the new law says that I can bypass "human" massage and just take a 300-hour equine program instead?
A: We feel that the new law is unfortunate and was put in place for economic reasons rather than helping to create quality equine therapists who can make a successful living for two reasons. Firstly, it takes at least 300-400 hours of hands-on technique training and hundreds of hours of practice hours in order to gain the skills necessary to know what your hands are truly feeling (eg: what healthy tissue feel like versus fibrosed or injured tissue, etc.) In a 300-hour program, you would have less than 150 hours of technique, thereby leaving you short-changed of the education needed to give quality treatment. 2) A 300-hour horse-only massage program prohibits the equine therapist from working on riders as well. As any equestrian can tell you, the posture of the rider has a direct effect on the action and reaction of the horse. If a rider has any postural issues, the horse will naturally adapt and compensate for the imbalance. The trouble is, the compensation leaves the horse with imbalances of its own, leading to additional postural problems in the horse. Helping a horse become balanced is the essential core of equine massage. However, ignoring the rider's issues only goes to sustains the perpetuating factors that gave rise to the horse's troubles to begin with. Both horse and rider need proper treatment to create a healthy symbiotic relationship. For those who bypass human massage education, they will be offering sub-par care to the horse/rider team. Although the student may save time and money by taking the the short program route, they will not have the tools or experience necessary to comprehensively treat their customers' needs.
Q: Can I take this 100-hour course as a horse owner for the benefit of my own horses?
A: No. The 100-hour LMP course is specifically designed for LMP's or current students of Bodymechanics School working towards their LMP in order to become LAMP. Other schools have tried to combine both LMP's with lots of schooling in massage with horse owners with no schooling and the result is very frustrated students. The horse owners are frustrated when the subject uses terms that a trained LMP uses, feel left behind, and that they are not getting a full education. And the LMP's are frustrated that the class is slowed down every time a new technique is shown because it has to be “re-taught” to the horse owners with no massage training. We do have plans to have a weekend seminar especially for horse owners. However, we will be concentrating on our new 100-hour course and getting it up off the ground before the weekend seminar will be put into effect. Please check back in the future for further details on the weekend seminars for horse owners.
Q: Where is the class going to be held?
A: We are holding the 100-hour class at the Second Chance Ranch, in Elma, Washington. The Second Chance Ranch is a non-profit Race and Sport horse rescue and rehabilitation ranch that does not offer boarding services. The lack of public boarding means that it will have very little traffic, allowing our classes to be held in a nice, quiet, and private environment. Working with a former race horses, our students will get a greater chance to study kinesiology and lameness issues as well.
Q: How big will the class be?
A: Initially, classes will be held to only ten to twelve students.
Q: When will the classes be held and for how long?
A: The class will be held on Mondays for six-hours each day, for a total of 17 days. Our next class begins May 12, 2008.
Q: Do you have a distance learning program for Large Animal massage?
A: Not at this time.
Q: How much does it cost, and what do the costs cover?
A: The 100-hour program tuition cost is $1975.00. You also have three books that are required for the program at an additional expense.
Q: When will the classes be held and for how long each day?
A: The class will be held on Mondays for six-hours each day, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM, for a total of 17 days.
Q: When will the next class begin?
A: May 12, 2008.
Q: I can't afford to pay the $1,975.00 all in one lump sum. Are there payment options?
A: Yes. You may make arrangements with the school for personalized payment options, with interest. You must pay at least $500 by the first day of class, a total of $987.50 by the start of the 4th week of classes, and the total balance paid by the start of the 8th week of classes.
Click HERE
to register.
If you have any further questions, please contact the Equine Director Shauna Haase, LMP, by clicking here, or calling800.719.8386 (toll free) or 360.918.8700 in Olympia.
