April 2022 practitioner of the month.......Morgan Rooks-Turcotte

Name: Morgan Rooks-Turcotte

Location: Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

Certifications through Angel's Animals?
I am Certified Equine Holistic Nutritionist and Certified Equine Kinesiology Practitioner. I`m enrolled in Craniosacral (almost done!), Equine Myo-Manipulative Functional therapy (just my hours left!) and Cold Laser Therapy (super excited for this one!).

When did you decide that you wanted to work with animals? 
From a young age, I knew I wanted to be involved with animals. I had such a big love for animals and aspired to be a veterinarian when I "grew up"! I had my mind set on the rehabilitation side of things when I got more involved at my old barn in training and showing and being more responsible for that side of things. I could see how much it helped the horses, and I was truly fascinated. 

What animal influenced you the most growing up? 
The whole reason I sought out a nutrition certification was for my current horse Barron. My very special OTTB, who I bought from a show barn a few hours south of where I live. He was struggling continuously with his weight and despite being generally healthy as confirmed by his vet, he just was not feeling the best he could. I hired a nutritionist who owned a feedstore and didn't see results after all the products I bought so I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. Once I completed the course, I saw miraculous changes in him PLUS, It was a bonus being holistic because I wanted to look more at just finding a grain for him; I wanted to make sure he was eating the best he could get and feeling both good inside and out!  Now, he's recently been diagnosed with some arthritis so I`m so happy I have other modalities for him to keep him comfortable because even just tape has helped him tremendously. Helping my horse feel better and maintain his comfort is the best feeling I could have ever felt, and I feel so privileged I get to help other horses every day! My old show jumping horse Ellie that I leased before purchasing Barron was the horse that really made me set my mind on bodywork alike. She was sore and lame all the time, and I knew she deserved better when she worked so hard for me. I didn't know how back then, but I knew I wanted to help them. 

What animals do you currently own?
 I own Barron, my one horse, as well as a dog, his name is Kash and my 3 very special kitty girls Aurora, Jolene, and Jack! 

What makes your animal bodywork practice stand out? 
I think everyone has their own little talents and things they do, and its hard cause I look up to a lot of other therapists in my area. I think for me, on the nutritional side of things, is that I don't affiliate with a feed company unlike many others. So, when I`m creating a feed plan for your horse, it's strictly the best you can get with no interference in my personal relation. On the bodywork/kinesiology side, I`m in school to be a Veterinary Technologist and I believe in constant continued education. I strive to offer everything I can for the horses I`m privileged enough to work with. Being a Vet Tech will bring more experience to the medical side of things and may help us dive a little deeper into the How's and Why's. I am also happy we are taught more on just find and resolve, and more on the whole body's general balance and well-being. 

What message would you like to share with potential clients? 
I thoroughly enjoy the work that I do and am so proud of it. I will always ensure I will look in depth into your concerns and ensure that your happy with everything and, I love to stay in touch. The certain certifications I'm after are a lot more in depth then your typical massage or nutrition consult. I investigate the whole-body balance, not just finding and fixing one issue. I find this way; it keeps them comfortable for longer and helps them both inside AND out! I know I say this a lot but it`s something I`m so focused on! 

What message would you like to share with others who are thinking about pursuing a career in animal bodywork?
It takes dedication, but it's so rewarding. Bodywork is something that I think should be in every horse owner back pocket for how much they do for us not only physically, but mentally too. If you have a love for horses and enjoy seeing them pain free and want to help that, consider looking into courses! ​

Visit Morgan's Website