Hi- You're right- there is no official organization that certifies massage
therapists for horses. For people, in some states you need a state
license to do massage on people. You can learn to do massage on horses wihtout
paying $800 to a place that will teach you for 2 weeks and send you out the
door as 'certified'. If you can find an EXPERIENCED massage therapist who will
teach you, that would be a very good way to learn but you also have to read
and study. A few good books are "Beating Muscle Injuries For Horses" by Jack
Meagher, "Touching Horses" by Pamela Henay (sp?), "Physical Therapy and
Massage of the Horse" by ?? French names, also TeAm Touch for horses- the
first book by L.Tellington-Jones has good stretching info. You can get an
equine accupressure chart and a book (which I don't have) from a place in Colorado
which I cannot tell you the name of but I have seen their ads in the back of
magazines. The chart is very good. Read about accupressure and the concept of
'Chi' and moving energy. Equine massage is something that I don't think you
ever stop learning about because every horse is different and if you keep and
open mind and keep reading you will improve. I would also reccommend that
you work on yourself by doing something like Tai Chi or Aikido or QiGong ,
something so you can feel and use your own 'Chi'. And of course you have to
do lots and lots of massage and keep an open mind and be patient with
yourself and listen to what your hands are feeling in the horse.-Amy