Equissage California

01/07/2026

The body never works in isolation.

When one area can’t do its job, another area has to work harder. Over time, that extra workload leads to tension, soreness, and performance issues. This is compensation and it’s one of the most common reasons horses struggle without obvious lameness.

Understanding compensation changes how you look at the horse’s body, movement, and behavior. It’s why skilled, educated hands matter.

If you want to learn how to recognize compensation patterns and support the whole horse, not just the symptom, our education goes deep.

🔗 Learn more at
👉 EquissageCalifornia.com

01/05/2026

Our first two courses of the year are FULL! Thank you to all who applied and everyone who will be joining us in January and February.

Our next available date is February 19th-22nd. This program has an online portion that can be started from home upon enrollment.

You can apply and secure your spot with a tuition payment via this link:

Apply to become an equine sports massage therapist with our world renowned program.

12/29/2025

Applications will be closing soon for our January 29th-February 1st Course!

Applications can be submitted via this link:

Apply to become an equine sports massage therapist with our world renowned program.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas Everyone! 🎄

12/24/2025

Wishing you all a joyful holiday from all of us at Equissage California!
❄️🐎

As we wrap up another fantastic year of learning and caring for our horses, we want to thank each of you: students, alumni, and all horse lovers for being such an important part of our journey. We wish you and your horses a festive, restful holiday season and a bright new year!

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!

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!