Equine Alternatives - Qualifications

I was put on a horse before I could walk by horse mad parents. At the time my father was a stud manager and my mother was an instructor at the local riding school. I went to pony club and competed in show jumping and eventing in my early to mid teens.

Dad had his owner trainer licence so I used to ride track work for him as well. We had heaps of horses around at the time and sometimes I would ride several in a day even when I was at school. I then went off to work in horse studs in the Waikato where I did yearling preparation, handled and looked after the stallions, helped break in young horses and also rode them. From there I went to the UK to work in hunting and eventing stables where I exercised the horses there.

In recent years I have been enjoying riding my two geldings - one an Irish Draught (by Kingsway Diamond) x Tb called Robbie who hadn't done a lot before I got him, and the other a Holsteiner (by JK Lucus) x Tb called Pride (otherwise known as Big Boy) who has done some dressage and a bit of jumping with a previous owner. I enjoy going on CTR and Endurance rides for a change of scenery and belong to the Wairarapa Club but I would like – and hope to - compete in jumping or eventing again the near future.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COURSES…
I started massage on people over 10 years ago and then did my first course in massage. I was working with herbs and aromatheraphy in my early twenties. I first experimented on with massaging Dad's horses about 8 years ago with great results but wasn't able to do a course in horse massage until 2002 though I had already started my Equine Aromatherapy course before that. (see Back to Basics information on training).

Courses I have completed are:

NZCM Certificate of Massage (1994)

BSY Diploma in Nutrition (1995)

BSY Diploma in Massage (1996)

Statement of Attainments with The Aromatherapy College of Australia in Aromatherapy For Pets, and Aromatherapy For Business (2001)

Diploma with Health and Harmony College from Australia in Medicinal Herbs (2001)

Equine massage with Rachel Phillips from the Waikato (July & August 02)

Energy Healing workshop with Barbara Clearbridge from the USA (2003)

Equine Aromatherapy Certificate from Catherine Bird from Australia
(January 03).

Natural Hoof Trimming with Paul Chapman from the U.S.A. (February 03)

Equine Massage (attended in Australia) with Catherine Bird (May 03)

Equine Touch course (July 03).

Equine Sports Training with Kathy Duncan from the USA (November 03)

Introduction to Equine Acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine,

Equine: 5-Element Theory,
Meridians and Specific Conditions 1 & 2, (attended in Australia) with Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis from the USA (November 03).

Equinology Equine Sports Massage (attended in Australia) with Debranne Pattillo from the USA (February 04)

Anatomy, Conformation and Movement seminar with Dr Deb Bennett from the USA (May 04)

Hoof Timming clinic with Peter Laidley from Australia
(September 2005)

Myofascial Release course (attended in Australia) with Ruth Mitchell - Golladay from the USA
(November 2005)

Saddle Fitting and Farrier Science (attended in Australia) with Dr Kerry Ridgeway from the USA (February 2006)

Equine Anatomy and Dissection with Dr Deb Bennett from the USA (April 2006)

I am a Professional Member of International Equine Body Worker Association.

I am continuing my studies in Equine Therapies with other courses that are coming up here and overseas to further my knowledge in this field.