About Rebecca
My name is Rebecca (or Becky), and I am an equine massage therapist based on the Berkshire/Oxfordshire border.
My passion for horses started when I was a child and has only grown. I've been around horses for my entire working life, and was fortunate enough to meet and buy my 'heart horse' in 2014; a beautiful little semi-feral Exmoor Pony named Clegg. Over the years we have developed as a team and in 2020, purchase of a 1 year old Exmoor filly named Velvet followed and our herd unit grew.
Background
I've had a love of horses since a very young age, and was lucky enough to be able to take lessons at a riding school along with volunteering at the weekends once I was old enough. This carried over throughout the years into my working life; where I have gained a wealth of experience working on a variety of yards since graduating university. I have worked in riding schools, on showjumping yards and more recently have entered my 9th year working on a livery yard as Head Groom.
Qualifications
Advanced Practitioner (Level 5) in Equine Integrated Support Therapies (EIST) through the Equine Massage Academy, a UK Rural Skills approved school.
What inspired me to train in equine massage?
My entire working life has revolved around the equestrian sector and I have seen the benefit that massage therapy can bring to a horse in both the physical and psychological sense and by extension the positive differences it can make in the horses' performance and wellbeing. I wanted to take a more wellbeing-focused approach to the rest of my career in the equine world.
My own gelding, Clegg, was having soundness difficulties. He was what primarily inspired me to begin training as an equine massage therapist in order to support him better and aid in his healing. Thanks to various equine professionals we discovered the cause of his difficulties and began remedial work and treatment. He responded so well to massage that I wanted to be able to do it myself. I am proud to say that Clegg has now progressed to simply needing massage on a maintenance basis.