November 2021 practitioner of the month....gemma morgan

Name: Gemma Morgan

Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Certifications through Angel's Animals? I am an Equine Myo-manipulative Functional Therapist & Equine Kinesiology Tape Practitioner

When did you decide that you wanted to work with animals? I've spent most of my life surrounded by animals, so the idea has always been there. When I first started riding lessons, I knew that's when I wanted to work with horses in some aspect. It wasn't until I was in school for human massage therapy when I kept ditching class to go to the barn, that I realised I should change my type of clientele and actually pursue them! 

What animal influenced you the most growing up? Definitely horses! I'm not sure where I would be today without them, they have been a major part of my life for a long time now. 

What animals do you currently own? I just have my very wonderful horse Archie. He only has one eye, which has created several muscular & structural imbalances throughout his body, so he's been a BIG inspiration for my massage business. 

What makes your animal bodywork practice stand out? I try to take a whole mind & body approach to my clients horses. I also have my diploma in equine science, so to me it's not just looking at the muscles and working through a problem area, it's also the behaviour, diet, physiology, etc I have to look at. 

What message would you like to share with potential clients? One of the things I see far too often is people underestimating or overlooking the power of massage. Trust me I get it, at first I too was like, massaging horses?? Really, are you crazy? But it really should be part of the average working horses wellness plan. I've had a lot of clients book me with horses they claim to not have problem areas, but end up messaging me days later saying they have a completely different horse (in a good way)! 

What message would you like to share with others who are thinking about pursuing a career in animal bodywork? If this is something you want to do, and you're willing to fight for it then absolutely go for it. I have loved every appointment and horse I have gotten to work with because of my business, but it is a lot of work. Just remember that you're starting your own business, and it can be rough but if you can put your all into it, it'll be a very rewarding career! 

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