Equissage California

12/17/2025

Applications are now open for 2026 Equissage California Certification Courses ✨

Equissage California offers a hybrid equine sports massage certification designed for serious horsemen and women who want a deeper understanding of the horse’s body, movement, and behavior. This program combines immediate access to online training with a focused, four-day hands-on intensive in California, where students work directly with instructors on multiple horses each day.

With over 1,000 students trained, small class sizes limited to six participants, and instruction led by experienced professionals who actively work in the field, this course is built for those seeking real skill, not surface-level education. Graduates leave with the ability to evaluate horses, understand pain patterns, work alongside trainers and veterinarians, and become a valuable part of a horse’s care team.

If you’ve been looking for a structured, respected path into equine bodywork — or a way to deepen your existing horsemanship, applications for 2026 are now being accepted.

👉 Apply now to be considered for upcoming 2026 course dates.

12/11/2025

Equissage California is now accepting applications for Our Winter & Spring 2026 courses!

12/02/2025

When a horse lays down during or after a massage, it’s not just “relaxing” , it’s the nervous system finally exhaling.

This horse is part of a student case study from our Equissage California certification program. After the session, her entire body shifted from sympathetic (alert, ready, guarded) to parasympathetic (rest, digest, heal).

Massage supports the nervous system by:
🌿 Increasing circulation and oxygenation
🌿 Activating the vagus nerve response
🌿 Releasing endorphins and lowering heart rate
🌿 Softening hypervigilance and tension patterns
🌿 Helping the brain shift into a “safe” state
When the nervous system feels safe, the body lets go.
Sometimes that looks like yawning, licking and chewing…
And sometimes it looks like laying down and fully surrendering to rest. 🤍
This is why we teach massage as more than just muscle work.
It’s communication. It’s safety. It’s connection.
And when done correctly, the body tells you everything you need to know.
📚 Want to learn exactly how to do this?
Our hybrid certification trains you to evaluate tension, work safely, and help horses feel better from the inside out.

12/02/2025

Turn your passion for horses into a professional skill you can use for life. 🐴
The Equissage California Hybrid Equine Massage Certification is a career-focused program that blends self-paced online learning with a 4-day hands-on training intensive in California. In this course, you’ll learn:
✨ Equine anatomy & biomechanics
✨ Palpation and identifying soreness
✨ Massage strokes & full-body techniques
✨ Safety, evaluation, and client communication
✨ Professional practices for starting your own equine massage business
Classes are intentionally small (4–6 students) so you get real feedback, real horses, and real confidence.

After completing both portions, you’ll earn your Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist (CESMT) designation and be ready to start taking clients.
📍 Upcoming classes are now enrolling:
January 29-February 1 (WAITLIST)
​February 9-12 (3 SPOTS)
February 19-22 (3 SPOTS)
May 21-24
​July 9-12
September 17-20
​December 3-6

📩 Message “INFO” to learn more or grab a spot today!

11/20/2025

we have 1 spot in the January 29-Feb 1 course!

Equissage was founded and incorporated in 1989 by certified (Human) Massage Therapist, Mary A. Schreiber. Mary became interested in using massage on animals, and specifically horses, as a result of the outstanding benefits she saw on human clients. Under Marys teachings and guidance, Sabrina became....

11/19/2025

Candid from one of our certification courses! This 3 yo mare LOVED this portion of class. She was so inquisitive and curious it made it fun.

Here are 2 things you want to watch out for when stretching a young horse:

Hypermobility
Young horses are naturally more flexible because their joints and soft tissues haven’t fully matured, which can make them appear “loose” or overly stretchy. This means aggressive or forced stretching can actually create instability instead of supporting healthy development. When working with a hypermobile youngster, the focus should always be on controlled movement, slow strengthening, and stability-based exercises rather than deep stretches. Gentle ranges of motion are fine — but anything that pushes past their natural limits can do more harm than good.

Training & Ground Manners
Before teaching any type of stretch, a young horse needs a solid foundation in handling, patience, and understanding pressure-and-release. Good ground manners allow the horse to stand balanced, calm, and attentive, which makes stretching both safer and more productive. Without this foundation, stretching becomes a fight instead of a learning moment, and the horse’s body can’t relax enough to benefit. Prioritize teaching personal space, light responsiveness, and respectful behavior first — stretching comes after the basics are dependable. You can also use stretching and mobilizations to teach positive behavior in the ground, but be aware that a horse that cannot be handled safely will be difficult and even dangerous to stretch or massage.

Equissageca.com

10/28/2025

Our second to last class of the year starts on Thursday! What a great year it’s been! We have one class left in 2025 on December 11-14. We will be taking up to 4 students for this program and enrollment is open!

Equissage was founded and incorporated in 1989 by certified (Human) Massage Therapist, Mary A. Schreiber. Mary became interested in using massage on animals, and specifically horses, as a result of the outstanding benefits she saw on human clients. Under Marys teachings and guidance, Sabrina became....

09/04/2025

Become a Certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist

Join us for our “Hybrid” Online & Hands-On Certification

💻Start online when you enroll
🗓️join us October 29th-September 2nd, in Vista CA.

In this course, a major emphasis is placed on the application of the sports massage strokes, techniques, and the Equissage sequence. Students will learn the basic anatomy and physiology of the equine muscular system as well as the basic anatomy of the horse as it pertains to massage. Students will also learn to be aware of specific conditions that may affect the horse if those muscles become strained, pulled, tired, tense, sore, or not adequately nourished through blood and lymphatic circulation. Students will learn how to identify these problem areas and how to restore the body’s natural musculoskeletal balance.

This course will also cover important aspect of stretching and saddle fitting, as well as business practices.

This course awards 30 hours through the NCBTMB and the title of “Certified Equine Massage Therapist”.

Equissage was founded and incorporated in 1989 by certified (Human) Massage Therapist, Mary A. Schreiber. Mary became interested in using massage on animals, and specifically horses, as a result of the outstanding benefits she saw on human clients. Under Mary’s teachings and guidance, Sabrina beca...

05/23/2025

Earn your certification in Equine Sports Massage with us!

Our June 2nd-5th Hybrid Certification Course has some spots available! Class will be held in Vista, California. Please pm or go to equissageca.com for more info!

05/13/2025

Our June 2nd-5th Hybrid Certification Course has some spots available! Class will be held in Vista, California. Please pm or go to equissageca.com for more info!

02/18/2025

What to expect during one of our 4 day hybrid programs!

✅ Online format for preparation
✅ 4 day live instruction
✅ Lifetime support!

Go to Equissageca.com for course dates and information!

02/07/2025

Any past or current Equissage students should definitely check out Natalie’s Advanced Cupping & Gua-Sha Therapy course! May 32-June 1 in Belgrade, Montana.

This is a great addition to any practitioners toolbox!

Enhance Your Bodywork Practice and Advance Your Knowledge! Designed exclusively for equine professionals with prior massage training, this advanced clinic will elevate your skills by integrating cupping and gua sha therapy into your practice. These powerful fascial release techniques enhanc