Masterson Method™
Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™
Level I Certification Course
Course Description
This is an advanced, practical course for people with a desire to learn and perfect the techniques used in the Masterson Method™ of Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™. The course was initially designed for those with prior certification in equine massage, and/or human therapists with horse experience. We have since opened the course to anyone with experience handling horses and a solid knowledge of equine anatomy.
These techniques are used successfully by Jim Masterson on Nation's Cup, Pan American, World Cup and World Equestrian Games equine competitors to improve performance.
This is not a basic equine massage course. It is an advanced course designed to take what you already know of anatomy and biomechanics, and learn hands-on from Jim, techniques that will increase your success in bringing about positive change in the movement and performance of the horse.
During this course you will also perfect your ability to recognize and use responses of the horse to your touch, and perfect your ability to enable the horse to participate in the process of releasing tension.
Course size is limited to ensure one-on-one instruction.
This is a results-oriented method of bodywork; you get results in the responses of the horse during the work, and results in their performance after the work.
This is also a results-oriented course. Our goal is for you to leave this course with a systematic method, and the ability to use this method to make a difference in the horse, a difference to the owner or trainer, and for those going for Level I Certification, a difference in your business as an equine therapist.
We are now accredited through the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Organization (NCBTMB) for Continuing Education Credits.
Prerequisites:
Certification Path
To become a Certified Practitioner of the Masterson Method™ you must complete the requirements of all Three Phases of the course (Phase I, II & III detailed below) and demonstrate proficiency in all of the techniques taught.
Non-Certification Path
If your goal is not certification, but you are interested in learning techniques that will benefit you and your horse, you may also take the Phase I, Five-Day Course. It is available to anyone wanting to improve performance and relationship with their horse, and you will not need to meet all the requirements for Certification.
However, whether you are planning to complete all Three Phases for Certification or just the Phase I, Five-Day Course for Non-Certification, you still must meet the following basic physical and horse-handling requirements.
First Prerequisite - Horse Experience
You must have enough experience with horses that you are able to safely and comfortably perform the techniques taught in the course. Ability to perform the following activities will give you an idea of what is required. You should be able to:
- trot a horse in-hand
- put a halter on an unfamiliar horse
- work in an enclosed space such as a stall, with an unfamiliar horse
- pick up and handle the fore and hind feet and legs of an unfamiliar horse
- hold a leg long enough to examine the foot and leg
The Five-Day, Phase I course also requires a certain level of physical fitness. To give you an idea of the physical requirements needed to successfully complete the course, what would be required would be roughly equivalent to all of the following. Any one of these you should easily be able to do:
- Thirty minutes of cross training with weights
- Thirty minutes of Pilates with hand weights or bands
- One hour of serious riding (not a gentle hack out)
Second Prerequisite - Two-Day Seminar-Workshop (14 hours)
You must have taken the Weekend Seminar Workshop (14 hours.) That is our foundational workshop where you are taught the basic principles of the Masterson Method™. We encourage that you space time between the Weekend Seminar Workshop and beginning the Phase I of Certification for you to go home and "soak" in what you have learned.
To entice you to space those two courses apart, you are welcome to come back to take the weekend for free (only for those that have already taken the Weekend Seminar-Workshop) when you sign up for Phase I, as long as there is room available in the seminar-workshop. There is often a weekend seminar-workshop scheduled prior to each Phase I course. This will help you get, "up to speed" before the Phase I course. And, by spacing the Weekend Seminar-Workshop and the Phase I apart, you will receive twice the education with Jim by coming back to retake the Weekend Seminar-Workshop.
Third Prerequisite - Foundational Knowledge of Equine Anatomy and Bodywork Therapy
Along with attending a weekend seminar, you must have one of the following:
- Previous certification in equine massage (not including Masterson Method Weekend Seminar-Workship Certificate), or
- Basic foundational knowledge of equine massage that includes anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, contra-indications, etc. that meets our requirements.
For applicants without previous certification, we have put together Foundational Knowledge Option (** read below) to meet this requirement. This program is explained below.
The second prerequisite is not required to begin the Phase I, Five Day Course, but must be done before completing the Phase II Course and moving on to Phase III, and receiving our certification.
This is a hands-on course that teaches practical, advanced techniques designed to get results in performance and improve your success as a bodywork therapist. We do not teach the necessary fundamentals of anatomy, physiology, bio-mechanics and contra-indications that you need to safely do this work. You need to have this knowledge to become certified and to successfully work on horses professionally.
This does not mean that you may not already have the necessary knowledge to do this work, but is our way of making sure that you are covered on all bases, for your protection, the horses, and ours.
**The Foundational Knowledge Option for the Second Prerequisite consists of:
- The student taking or having taken an approved anatomy course, and
- The student taking an open resource (open book) test given by the anatomy course to cover the fundamentals of equine anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and contra-indications to massage.
There is a home study, equine anatomy courses that we suggest. It is very comprehensive, yet inexpensive. This course is offered on-line though the Equinology website. Click here to find out more information and to sign up.
We understand that there are many people with enough cumulative experience in different areas of horsemanship to learn and benefit from this Method. We have put together this alternate Foundational Knowledge Option to make it as accessible as possible for anyone who wants to learn, to safely and competently do this work.
To clarify, most applicants will likely fall into one of the following categories:
- You are already certified in equine massage in a course that meets our approval. In this case, you meet the Foundational Prerequisite for our Certification and may complete all 3 Phases of the Certification Course.
- You are a human massage therapist or RN with horse experience, have vet tech experience, or have other medical or veterinary background, but no previous equine certification. In this case you may begin Phase I and II of the Certification Course, but must complete the Foundational Knowledge Option before entering the final Phase III of the Course.
- You are experienced with horses but are not certified in any equine or human modality. In this case you may begin Phase I and II of the Certification Course, but must complete the Foundational Knowledge Option before entering the final Phase III of the Course.
Phase I (5-day) of the Certification course is open to anyone comfortable working with horses who wants to learn this Method at a deeper level and has taken the Weekend Seminar-Workshop. However, to become Certified you must meet the Foundational Knowledge prerequisite and complete all Three Phases of the course successfully.
Course Outline: Phase I, Phase II and Phase III
Phase I Practical Training:
Approximately $1975 for US courses. £1300 for courses in the United Kingdom
See Calendar page for listings)
Five days of practical training with Jim. This is spent almost entirely working on horses. You will learn where to look, what to look for, and how to release and clear issues that most affect performance.
You must be in good physical shape to meet the demands of these five days. You will be working with horses every day, and almost all of each day. It is physically demanding and we want you to be aware of this and be prepared for it.
Time Breakdown: Approximately 15 to 20% will be spent on lecture, including:
- The anatomy of key junctions of the body that most affect performance; the poll/atlas/axis, the neck/shoulders/withers junction, and the sacroiliac/sacro-lumbar junction and major muscles associated with that junction.
- The principles and mechanics of release in the muscles and connective tissues of the horse, different levels of pressure, recognizing and using the responses of the horse to touch, and how our use of pressure, movement and position causes a muscle or junction to release.
- Initial and final evaluations, primary issues vs. secondary issues, and pain vs. restriction in the body.
Approximately 80 to 85% will be spent practicing and perfecting techniques and advanced techniques on multiple horses with a range of issues.
Following are topics that will be covered during both the lecture and practical parts of the course:
- Initial Evaluation
- By-passing the survival response
- Nervous reflex, and adoptive response
- Working on different body types
- Manipulation and Release
- Important: Head Shy Horses
- Pain and behavior
- Pain vs. restriction
- Relationship of primary issues to secondary issues
- Feet, and pain in the body
- Touchy issues like saddle fit and pain in the body
- Other joints and junctions in which restrictions are commonly found
- Follow ups
- Final Evaluation - Putting it all together
Phase II Interactive Field Work
Evaluation of Case Studies, Viewing of DVD and Consultations and Direction from a Certification Mentor ($500 for US Students)
You will be guided through this process by your Mentor, who you will be assigned to. Mentors are Certified Practitioners. You will practice techniques you have learned at Phase I on at least 20 case studies in the field. These horses will need to be worked on at least twice. This will include keeping a record of the initial evaluation and a detailed description of the work including responses and results, follow-up work and feed-back on noticeable results or changes in performance with final evaluation.
Your mentor will be available for consultation on issues or questions that come up during field work. For evaluation during the course of your field work your mentor will need to view 2 video-taped sessions of you working on a horse.
Students will be required to assist in teaching at least one Masterson Method™ Weekend Seminar-Workshop. Teaching others is an excellent way to solidify what you have learned. It also provides an opportunity to demonstrate and practice your proficiency in the techniques. Students need to plan on expenses of travel to a weekend seminar workshop - sometimes flying to the course location if one is not available near you. Accommodations at the workshop are sometimes available for free, but not always. We try hard to cut down on expenses for our students, but you must be aware of this requirement.
Foundational Knowledge Option Students must finish their Anatomy requirements before continuing on to Phase III. (read above description of the Foundational Knowledge Option.)
Note: Phase II standards are set high. Working on horses is physically demanding. You will be required to write detailed case studies, assimilate feed-back and make corrections to your work. You might be asked to re-do your case studies to reflect the feed-back. We suggest allowing at least 6 months to successfully complete this phase determined by the availability of horses in your area and case study feedback.
You will be approved to help at a seminar after an initial number of case studies have been turned in. You will then be approved for Phase III after all case studies and video requirements have been approved and you have assisted at a weekend seminar.
All case studies must be completed within one year's time from date of Phase I course, or Phase II will need to be completed again at the current price unless arrangements have been made with home office.
Phase III Proficiency
(Approximately $750 for US Students)
Phase III course length will cover a 5 day period as in Phase I. It will run concurrently with the Phase I course. Phase III students will be asked to help teach the Phase I participants, further solidifying their expertise.
Proficiency in the Masterson Method™ techniques taught during the three phases of Certification will be required to earn a Masterson Method™ Certification. The proficiency evaluation will be scheduled and given by Jim during the Phase III week. Any final instruction can be arranged through the Masterson Equine Services office. The final certification will be given to those that are deemed proficient in the Masterson Method™
Note: Participating does not guarantee certification. You must fulfill all the requirements and be tested by Jim on your techniques during Phase III to become certified.
Required and Suggested Reading and Viewing for the Level I Course
Required:
- The Horse’s Muscles in Motion, Sara Wyche (Excellent anatomical and mechanical drawings and explanations of biomechanics)
- Beyond Horse Masssage, by Jim Masterson (DVD) Can be purchased here on the website.
- Beyond Horse Massage, Jim Masterson with Stefanie Reinhold Book. Can be purchased here on the website.
- Whole Horse DVD series, Jim Masterson (7 DVD Series) Can be purchased through Masterson home office by contacting us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information on purchasing and costs.
- One good anatomy reference book such as: Horse Anatomy: A Pictorial Approach to Equine Structure, by Peter Goody.
Suggested:
There are numerous books on equine massage and bodywork. Any background reading on position release, myofascial release, neuromuscular, craniosacral, acupressure, bio-dynamics and muscles and movement will help. Below are some suggestions:
- Tug of War: Classical Versus "Modern" Dressage, by Dr. Gerd Heuschmann. (Strongly Suggested. Excellent on biomechanics from the horses point of view. Not just for dressage enthusiasts)
- Release the Potential - A Practical Guide to Myofascial Release for Horse and Rider, by Doris Kay Halstead and Carrie Cameron. (The one I like is out of print and very expensive, so it is not necessary for your library, but if you can find it, it's a really good reference. She has a new version out too, but I like this old one better)
- Physical Therapy and Massage for the Horse, by Jean-Marie Denoix and Jean-Pierre Pailloux (Good bio-mechanical concepts, diagrams and drawings).
- The Horse - Structure and Movement, by R.H. Smythe and P.C. Goody (Good structure, joint and ligament drawings)
Registration and Tuition:
Please see our 2012 Calendar page for scheduled Level I Courses.
Contact Information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 641-472-1312 during office hours of 9am-4:00pm.
Tuition is due in full 4 weeks prior to the beginning of course. A deposit of $250 is required upon acceptance of application.
Courses Registration Download Forms
Download Level 1 Course Application, fill it out and email it back to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
