Check Out Christina Naas’ Story

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Christina Naas.

Hi Christina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was raised with horses. My mother and grandfather rode professionally. I didn’t inherit the riding skills. I found a love for veterinary medicine when I was about 12. After taking a different route into the corporate world, which I thought was what was expected of me, I found I wanted to be with the horses and venture back into equine welfare.

I had an equine bodyworker work on one of my horses and was fascinated. I started taking classes, reading books, and getting as much education and experience as possible. Unfortunately, there were and still are limited resources for the caliber of education I was seeking, so it was quite a challenge to piece it all together. I enrolled in school for human massage therapy and earned my credentials in orthopedics and rehab. I’ve massage with an emphasis on craniosacral and neuromuscular therapies.

I quit the corporate world over 10 years ago to pursue the dream of helping horses. It’s quite different from what I imagined as a vet, and I love it. I have the joy of helping horses in a way that is natural and holistic and makes a massive difference in their comfort, mobility, and general health.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road at all. I made a lot of mistakes. Mostly in jumping ahead and poor planning (I don’t have a lot of patience and once I’ve decided something I kind of like to dive in and make it happen).

Not planning has cost me more financially than anything. Most of my struggles have been related to my overzealous nature to dive right in. My list of things I want to learn and want to teach keeps growing. I need more time!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have a unique career that has only recently begun to be recognized as a professional occupational trade. I am a licensed massage therapist for people, but my main role is performing massage and bodywork on horses. I primarily specialize in subclinical issues that are not diagnosable by a vet.

I think I’m most well known for my ability to feel and see dysfunction that is not obvious to most. I’m gifted in knowing how and what to address to help improve that dysfunction and the quality of movement in horses. I’m always telling equestrians to notice what they notice. The more we “see” and then question what we see, the more we can help prevent injury and improve performance – just like in human athletes.

I’ve always enjoyed sharing knowledge. For people wanting to enter this field, I teach workshops for equestrian owners, riders and trainers, and I’m currently building a trade school for those wanting to become a professional in this field. I hope the program will become the top program with the most complete education in the U.S.

I advocate extensively for my field to be recognized and to achieve autonomy from veterinary oversight. This can only be considered if the field raises the standards of education and experience. At the moment, there are very few states that recognize certification in this field, much less any form of licensure.

I think I’m most proud of the business I’ve built. There are equine massage therapists everywhere – a dime a dozen. And I wanted a business where integrity and the horse come first. I believe I’ve built that. My clients, students, and the veterinary community trust me to help where I can and to refer when I can’t.

I strongly encourage all horse owners to take an owner-level course and learn the subtle signs the horse gives to show that things are quite right. I want to be the horse’s voice and their ear. They don’t have the ability to complain the same, so understanding equine body language is critical to my success.

Any big plans?
My ultimate goal is to build a series of courses to train those who want to become the best professionals in the industry.

I want to prepare individuals to be at the top in this field and have the most sought-after and comprehensive program in the U.S. It’s a lofty goal and is already in progress. Working hard every day to make it happen.

Pricing:

• Owners workshop $750/pp
• Professional Massage and Bodywork Certification $7495/pp
• Cryotherapy Certification $2495
• Individual Classes $399/per course

Contact Info:

• Website: www.equine-kneads.com
• Instagram: @Equinekneadsmassage
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/equinekneads?mibextid=LQQJ4d