Equissage course

[MiCsarah]

I don't know about you guys but this new course being offered has really annoyed me. Im a human sports massage therapist and have take 2 years to get the qualifications that I have and would need to take another 9 months to carry that onto an equine sports massage therapist. There is now a 5 day course coming for everybody even without any prior massaging or veterinary experience to now be able to offer it to others for money!! I don't know how in 5 days you can say that you know enough about the muscles and how the horse uses those muscles on top of lameness evaluation, saddle fitting and other exercises. I'm worried that we are going go to have a lot of under qualified 'therapists' treating horses in this country.

 

[Orls]

That's unreal! I'm also a human sports massage therapist and know the hours of study required to learn anatomy. I can't believe that people completing a five day course could be considered qualified!

I think there needs to be more regulation of complementary and alternative therapies to ensure that everyone is trained to a high enough standard of competence. A licensing system would be wonderful, as am I right in saying there is none at the moment? I mean, anyone could walk off the street onto your yard calling themselves an equine massage therapist .....

 

[MiCsarah]

Yes just like there is no regulations stopping somebody also calling themselves a sports therapist which of course is a 3 year degree course. I relate my massage skills to massaging my own horse but would never ever think of doing it to somebody elses horses or still even going on a 5 day course!!

 

[paulineh]

It took me five years to complete both my courses, so five days is not on.


It is the same as becoming a Reiki Master. Some colleges do it over a weekend ,where in fact it takes time and you need to be ready.

 

[Calcyle]

I think there needs to be more regulation of complementary and alternative therapies to ensure that everyone is trained to a high enough standard of competence. A licensing system would be wonderful, as am I right in saying there is none at the moment? I mean, anyone could walk off the street onto your yard calling themselves an equine massage therapist .....

Totally agree with you that it's necessary. It's in the works, but a slow, long process.

 

[MiCsarah]

I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this. I said it on the link on the h&h fb page and got shot down by a load of people who had done the course! I can't imagine learning it all in 5 days and feeling confident enough to truly know what I was doing

 

[Gryfiss]

I feel like i'm qualified to reply to this!

I did an equine energy sports massage course foundation and advanced and a myofacial release course I think they were roughly 5 day course each.

There was long distance learning work that you had to complete and pass videos portfolios etc to a high standard.

However for about a year I used it with a small charge but found that I didn't have the qualifications or the knowledge needed and there were people with far more higher qualifications and knowledge than me who had worked years to gain.
I felt they did a far better job than me which was fine so I decided to stop .

I do still use it on my own horse occasional but I do have regular physios and chiropractors out to because I think they do a better job!!

The Mc Timoney chiropractor who I use has also done the course I have done and asked why I just don't do it my self but I said I didn't get the same results she said you could achieve the same results but it took around 5 sessions for it to stick. Why would anyone want to pay for 5 sessions when they can pay to do it in 1 !

I think these course are made for professionally as a top up on there qualification as there were lots of vets chiropractors and physios on the course not for jo bloggs like me !!

 

[Oldenfelle]

I am slightly confused by all this! My college I am studying at at degree level are changing their course for the upcoming years, making it therapy based. I asked why as surely it's useless when people should be studying it on humans first and they said you don't need to anymore.

To be honest it seems mad. We had someone do a demonstration for one of the alternative therapies and I won't mention who, but she had the students swinging the legs round in all sorts of directions with no idea and this was all in advertisement of a short length course you can do.