The Importance of Bodyworker Education

There are several considerations when selecting a bodyworker for your pet or performance animal.

Qualifications

At this time, there are no state or national licensing requirements for animal bodyworkers nor boards to regulate animal massage. "Certification" is only as good as the training program which issued it. Therefore, it is important to make certain the person who will be working on your animal companion has had thorough training in equine or canine massage from a reputable educational program.

Education

Licensing or certification as a human massage therapist isn't necessarily an indicator of a person's ability to provide safe and effective massage for animals. While massage therapists who work on people must be experts in human anatomy and the biomechanics of bipeds, a thorough understanding of canine and equine anatomy and movement is essential to working effectively on dogs and horses.

Four-legged creatures use their bodies differently than humans who walk upright. The animal bodyworker needs an in-depth understanding of the functions of the quadruped's muscles, bones and joints, the implications of having a horizontal spine (as opposed to a spine which acts as a column to keep the human body upright,) and how force and pressure affect the animal's gait, balance and mobility. Such understanding cannot be gained from books or weekend workshops.